Recent content by skip.knox

Everyone finds their own methodology, so this is suggestion only. You've chosen a place and a time, but you'll get more specific. Here is where having the story, per Prince of Spires, is important. For example, is it set in a city or in the countryside? In a castle? A monastery? The more you...

I echo pmmg. I was "writing" for close to 30 years. Now I look back and realize I wasn't painting, I was sketching. Nothing ever finished. It is important to get over the fear of showing your work to others. They won't like it? Guaranteed someone won't. Guaranteed someone else will say it's...

If you think your idea is not original enough, then you're probably right. That's *you* being dissatisfied with what you have dreamed up. There's no sense in pursuing a story idea unless you are genuinely excited enough to endure the long slog ahead. I dislike using second person in these kind...

I was fortunate enough to visit Oslo briefly some years ago and happened on a museum there (the historical museum, not the ship museum). I have a strong memory of one section being entirely of Viking stuff, including a good dozen or more swords. I was surprised to see how small they were, with a...

FWIW, I read the quote as ironic humor. I cannot otherwise explain why I smiled when I read it.

Just finished The Gathering Storm and am now reading Their Finest Hour. Yet another advantage to ebooks is that I don't have to buy more shelf space! It's also easier come moving day.

Much depends on the author here, though the reader bears some of the load. On the author's side, expectations must be set. This can happen intentionally or accidentally; that is, the author can provide sufficient information via narrative and dialog, to make it clear that these particular...

Yes, this is why I asked about what the OP's idea was. I'm interested to hear on what authors (especially new ones) base their judgment of what is original and what is not.

>Someone write a book about a guy in his 50's, limping his way through an adventure, sitting the hell down after a fight and smoking weed for a few hours because his neck is killing him. I'll buy it. Funny you should say this. For years I've had this image of a veteran warrior whose injuries...

Write your book. Don't worry about writing your idea because no one has ever written idea. We can only write books. Since your book won't be that other author's book, there's not really much to worry about. Since the bag no longer holds the cat, would you mind saying what was your idea, as well...

Agreed. Something like 'why is evil at the king's side' is either a deeply abstract philosophical question, or else it's something specific to a particular story. In the former case, its Chit Chat fodder; in the latter case, it's a question that can only be answered by the author. There's a...

I guess that was just my first impression. I've been in northern Italy (and southern Germany) a couple of times, so I did recognize the view. I was only today years old, though, when I learned that these were called the Dolomites only for the past century or two. Before that it was just the Sud...

I mean, if I just posted this without explanation, I think most people's reaction would be: AI. The mountains simply don't look "realistic."

Naw, we want both, quantity and quality. We are certainly consuming artistic creations (doesn't have to be *good* art) at a record pace. Any company that doesn't keep up is going to get a smaller and smaller share of the pie. It's possible to do that, of course. Sort of like in the game...

OK, so what research have you done so far? Where have you looked? What did you find?