Recent content by Bruce McKnight

I was thinking along the same lines as Saigonnus, but more in the degradation of the person using the spell. I would think they would be a little weaker each time they go into a new body - like heat loss. Going back and forth from body, to soul stone, to body over and over wears on the magic...

Thanks for for the insights. I've been writing for a long time, planning on eventually self-publishing for a while, and while I was looking for resources, I stumbled on Deranged Doctor Designs. Years ago, I said if I ever got to the self-publishing stage, I would use DDD for my covers - glad...

I don't know if there is a definition of "right", that's why I'm curious to hear what other people's journeys have looked like. Thank you for sharing!

After years (and years) of writing, I'm finally getting serious about self-publishing and I'm curious how others have approached it. If you have self-published and would be willing to share: 1. Did you set up a business? (Why or why not and how has that worked out?) 2. Do you use ISBNs? (Why...

I've always went with two or three harsh syllables for my orcs (which may come off as silly to some). I like the historic barbarian angle (and use it in my characterizations, too). Given that, have you thought about "earned" names similar to how some Native American names are: Stallion-Rider...

"Canned rations" has a lot of syllables, but I need to find away to work that into a joke.

"Bleeder"! Love it, totally in line with my orcs!

I agree with this almost 100%, there's just one exception. I've heard authors talk about breaking all these rules except for the one about reading a lot. I've never heard a successful author say "Yeah, I don't read much, I just have a knack for writing." It's one that I can't imagine someone...

I feel like the last one (spoiler alert: read more good fantasy books) is tragicaly underrated. Not all voracious readers make good writers, but there's no way you can reach your potential without reading other fantasy stories - and then re-reading them simply to delve into how they told their...

I'm looking to add a little more personality to my POV orcs and want to think of what (probably derogatory) word they would call humans. I mean, I can use the word human, because they probably have a standard word for whatever "human" means and it would likewise translate, but I'm looking for a...

With most stereotypical races (dwarfs, elfs, orcs, or anything else), I think the cliche serves as a quick and easy way to help people know what you're talking about. When you say dwarf, I think mountain and mining, when you say elf, I think woods. There's room for tweaking, to be sure, but if...

I found this very enlightening when thinking of the layout of cities and villages across geography. Some of the concepts are basic (especially if you played a lot of Civilization), but there's also some more advanced theories, interesting takes on how and why things unfolded the way they did...

When I think of castration as a penalty for sexual crime, I immediately draw the correlation to chopping off a hand as a penalty for stealing. At first glance, it feels like a logical progression, but I think the deeper question is if it's realistic and that depends on who is in power. People...

Start with seven, but do it "fog of war" style where you don't get too deep into the details until you need to in the story. Then, if you want more or fewer, just have a war where a kingdom is conquered or splits.

I think attacking the sails, either with fire arrows or just enough regular arrows to splice up the fabric, would make a ship easy to get close enough to to board. Boarding could be done with ropes with hooks at the end or ladders - anything that gunpowder-age pirates would use to board a ship...