Recent content by JBCrowson

I agree with the idea of the snobbish hill of literary fiction, from which some chose (wrongly in my view) to look down on other works. I've always been somewhat against snobbish elites, particularly since I work in one. So the idea of "proving them all wrong" has an appeal to me. For clarity I...

I've always thought good fantasy could cross with any other genre - some like romance and detective are easier to 'see'. I think reflecting on the human condition is something fantasy is well placed to do, since it could observe from without as well as within. The reality element of literary...

What book would you consider literary fantasy? (I have my own thoughts on this).

By this I don't mean can a person write such a book - we can write any kind of book, and someone out there probably has. What I mean is "is it possible in todays publishing environment, to have such a book accepted for publication and marketed as such?" My sense is probably no. In part because...

I think 3 POV characters is fine. As long as we're clear when we switch viewpoint that we signal we have switched and clarify immediately whose eyes we are now behind. I do find it tempting in omniscient to add oneliners of the immediate reactions of others in a scene, but have been careful to...

Dragons are magical so they don't have to follow the rules of regular biology - look at their puny chest muscles - no way they could fly with those. So don't sweat the egg size would be my suggestion.

My WIP is Epic by most of the definitions used here. Like yours there are many important characters with their own stories and plots, some of whom cross paths with others, some of whom don't. The sub threads (all 14 of them) feed into the two main threads over the series, with a mixture of gods...

I agree with the idea that people bring a lot to the table (literally as well as figuratively ;) ), both lived and wished, when it comes to sex scenes. With that in mind I have tended to hint and allude at what's gone on / going on to give space for people to create it their way in their mind's...

Damn, I think that unicorn potion was a scam.

Agree - when you see how those colonial types treated their own poor (ie ordinary) folk you understand that what they did to natives elsewhere was of a piece with that. All horrible stuff. DOI: I would have been a serf in days past.

I try to do a mix of hints towards later reveals and laying things out. I think if everything is concealed readers will look harder and therefore find things before your reveal. If nothing is concealed it can work, but I think a lot of readers like to get to a point and be able to look back and...

One method I use to come up with names is to generate a simple description of the entity / object / place, so death might be 'midwife of sorrow'. I will then translate that into a language less frequently used in publishing - I use Irish for names in one city. Once I have the translation I will...

Not only a great language but some awesome folk lore. Aotearoa must be one of the most beautiful names for a country around.

As come back put downs go that is just awesome!

Happy to discuss, want to post some plot outline / structure and I'd be happy to look at it.