Okay, so the story wasn’t an accident, but its length was. I searched for any way to pass lonely Wisconsin winter hours while my coworkers paced an empty showroom floor, waiting for clients who needed a vehicle badly enough to brave low temperatures and icy streets. I hated all of it. In fact, I never … Read more
While there is still some debate about whether it’s a legit sub-genre or not, grimdark has become part of the fantasy lexicon in recent years. I actually like a lot of the authors that some label as grimdark, so I’m a bit torn on if it’s a good or bad thing. The term can be … Read more
This article is by Walter Rhein. There is an inherent paradox in the phrase “focused ambiguity”. Yet the disconnect achieved by putting those two words together approximates the mental state necessary for writing good fantasy. One of the big mistakes a lot of new writers make in their world building is too much of a … Read more
Few words are as synonymous with mankind as War. As writers, war often influences the stories that we tell. People remember wars, people remember battles, and often these moments are when characters shine, plots reach the point of climax, and readers are drawn into a visceral experience that they won’t forget. To write about war, … Read more
Mark Lawrence is the author of Prince of Thorns, King of Thorns, and Emperor of Thorns. His latest novel, Prince of Fools, will be released in June 2014. Literature has depicted violence since the earliest records. Even the “high fantasy” subgenre has heroes we physically associate with killing troves of orcs. What is it in … Read more
This article is by Craig W. Van Sickle & Steven Long Mitchell. While novels, graphic novels, television or motion picture scripts each present writers with different formats, narrative challenges and audience expectations, they all have one very simple commonality at their heart: telling a great story that hooks, pulls in and holds its consumer. Simple, … Read more
This article is by Anne Marie Gazzolo. Authors can use narrators in many different ways to add value to any story. Among them, they can speak directly and indirectly to their audience, inform the readers of things not even the characters inside the story know, give a look into the heart and soul of the … Read more
Romantic relationships are a part of being human. Not every novel needs a romantic subplot. But given enough time and depth, most characters will develop that side of their lives. If we’re ignoring love, we aren’t writing fully realized characters. If we as writers can tap into the allure and mystery of romance, we have … Read more
This article is by Rhiannon Paille. Catching Fire, the edgy, emotional, and jarring sequel to Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games trilogy pushed the boundaries, pitting teens against teens in a battle royale to the death, winner takes all. In light of the popular Suzanne Collin’s books, everyone is looking for a way to up the … Read more
Hey, you. Yes, you! Do you have doubts as to whether or not your puny fingers can punch out what happens during a fight? Most writer-types aren’t the kind who frequent underground fighting rings, so conveying what a fight is like through writing isn’t the easiest thing to do. And I’m not going to recommend … Read more