As you may or may not be aware, I'm in the process of drafting 'A Fantasy Writer's Handbook', a non-fiction guide to writing fiction, fantasy fiction in particular. The book is split into three parts: fiction writing, fantasy writing, and what to do when the writing is done. Today, as a little midweek treat, I thought I'd share one of the chapters from part one: Dialogue.
A look back at a 2018 filled with twists and turns, and a glance into the hazy future of 2019
Writing can be like a game of snakes and ladders. You inch your way toward the top, only for a snake to appear and banish you to the pits of misery. That’s how it feels, anyway. What is the magic formula for success?
The crucible is one of the simplest and most effective plotting tools. At its core is the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist. The conflict they share spawns plot. It illustrates wonderfully the interwoven relationship enjoyed between character and plot.
Sometimes the ideas dry up. Trump's Wall blocks out creativity and all you can do is lament. A terrific solution to those droughts, I've found, is art
Not long ago I put together a post sharing some invaluable writing advice offered by award-winning novelist, Colum McCann in his book, Letters to a Young Writer. But I'd only made it halfway through at the time, so I thought I'd share some further insights from the second half.
I'm delighted to introduce novelist Gene Rosen who's put together a satirical story on the click bait articles we all fall victim to. You know the ones, "3 ways to get published in a week", "5 tips to make you write like Orwell." You click on them and learn sweet F.A. Enough of me, over to Gene.
I'm delighted to introduce Ed White, writer of creative and visionary fiction, who's contributing to the blog this week with an insightful post on a significant subject in SFF: spirituality and religion. Enjoy!
There’s been a hell of a lot of confusion over this rather significant change in the law, with people offering different advice based on their interpretations of the regulations. It’s fair to say a few people have panicked too, and who’s to blame them with threats of million pound fines for non-compliance. The aim of this article is to quell those nerves and to offer some practical advice for writers on complying with the new laws.
Religion and belief systems feature a great deal in the fantasy genre, and it’s unsurprising why. Religion, faiths and beliefs shape our own lives in a multitude of ways, providing purpose, meaning and structure.
