Recent content by AlexS

Update: It's been 31 rejections and I have officially given up

Not everyone can be a Tyrion or a Daenerys. Some are called Jon and it's fine.

"You're a vulgar wench, aren't you? How can you get this drunk on three coppers?" "It's an acquired skill."

Great! Let me know when you're ready to begin, I'll drop you a Google Drive link (I can send PDF or Doc if that's your preference)

My fantasy novel, Kings and Witches, is complete at 97,000 words! Intended as part 1 of the Mistress of the Wastes trilogy, it's a story of personal rivalries and friendships against the backdrop of kingdom conflics and the threat of ancient cataclysm stirring anew. It's a complex multi-POV...

It doesn't happen in the real world. Most sword-wielding cultures viewed scars as badges of honor. But hey, this is fantasy, and fanstasy is supposed to make you think, 'hey, what if...' So go ahead and write it your way. It's a neat idea.

Everything has been done, but it hasn't been done by you. It comes down to this: do you believe you are a unique individual, with a unique voice and a unique approach? If so, go ahead and write it. Your way. With your own voice. Put your own stamp on it.

When it's accepted for publication

I don't like creating characters whose main purpose is to GIVE information, but I like to create characters whose main purpose is to RECEIVE information. For example, if a group of experienced soldiers goes on a mission, I like to add one rookie to the team. In addition to creating...

I like this, very relevant questions, would love to read your take on it!

“Why are we even here?” Harl Duns asked, resting by the bonfire one evening. “Stupid question. It’s a strong point. Strongpoints are meant to be occupied. That’s how you win wars.” Grenn replied. “Well, what if we don’t occupy it?” “Then the enemy will.” “Why would the enemy want to occupy it?”...

Hurricanes become a West Coast problem rather than East Coast.

The best way to show mood and emotion in dialogue is with the words themselves. The second-best is by the dialogue tag ('she exclaimed', 'he whispered solemnly', etc) Punctuation is a distant third.

Self-agency is a strong theme. Consider giving the deity humanlike flaws - petty, vain, fearful, etc., and show the protagonist's disappointment at this. She's looking for the wonderful wizard of Oz, but finds a small scared man behind the curtain - if not literally, then allegorically.

Update: I'm up to 10 rejections, 5 from publishers, 5 from agents. I take it back, it definitely does NOT feel like progress. Mostly low-effort form replies, with no indication anyone actually read my work. I am currently working on the sequel, and I would lie if I said the situation is not...