This article is by John M. Haley. Not long ago, I started a web comic called “Huntresses Attack Monsters …in 2D!” I did it because I was itching to do something with characters I created long ago, and I felt like doing something different. I didn’t just jump into the project all willy-nilly. I read … Read more
This article is by Nicholas Cockayne. Sadly the answer would seem to be, yes. Firstly, it is worth stating that the fantasy genre gets a lot of bad press for having no literary value, a totally untrue assertion. Fantasy literature is almost unrivalled in its ability to transport the reader to different worlds of imagination, … Read more
The clash of blades, sparks flying. The barbarian with his twenty-pound two-handed sword, swinging for your head. The epic showdown with acrobatics… now that’s fantasy. No, like, seriously a fantasy. And this article isn’t about any of those things. It’s about swordplay in a realistic situation, using familiar physics and historical inspiration. We write fantasy, … Read more
The great journey, the valiant quest, the ongoing war between good and evil, the “chosen one” who by magic rises above peasantry and poverty to a place of heroism – these are the clichés of fantasy, and I will not defend them as clichés. But they also explore fantasy’s greatest themes. They explore the themes … Read more
I have a confession to make. It’s probably not a big deal to anyone, except to me – specifically to me as a writer. So, here goes: I’m not a native English speaker. I was born, and grew up, in Sweden. I learned Swedish first and didn’t start learning English in school until I was … Read more
This article is by Thomas Cecil. I recently attended WisCon, a feminist SFF convention in Madison Wisconsin. I saw and heard a lot of great things, but one of the panels I keep thinking about is the one about policing and how we can use fiction, particularly science fiction and fantasy fiction, to help imagine … Read more
The sound of steel clashing against steel rings in the distance. Smoke billows into the air, carrying the horrid stench of the battlefield. Through the fluttering tent entrance a muddied, bloodied, messenger runs in. “Commander, we have their fortress surrounded…” The commander rises from his plush, velvet seat, and adjusts his belt. “Splendid!” he exclaims. … Read more
This article is by Jane Chirgwin. You might already use libraries for books, movies and internet, but have you considered how your local librarian can help you as an author? I’m a Library Director, so let me give you the inside scoop. (Side note: not everyone who works at a library is a librarian, just … Read more
When I started writing – three, maybe four, years ago – I just wrote. I didn’t really think much about it as I sat there with my laptop, tapping down my stories and making things up. I was happy with how they turned out. I had a good time, and I made up some really … Read more
You can keep your Excaliburs, your Brisingrs, your Glamdrings, and, yes, your lightsabers. I need a weapon that’s going to put some hair on my chest, allow me to converse with bears, send a wet streak down my foe’s leg, and, well, practically speaking, take out that knight in full plate and chain. Ladies and … Read more