I read a lot, and I’ve been reading for a long time, especially in the fantasy genre, but something I’ve noticed since I began to make a deliberate study of writing in order to improve my own storytelling is that I've become much more critical of what I read.
Audience and Word Choice
For whom you are writing matters, and whether your story is enjoyed or not will depend almost as much upon who is reading it as on what you put into writing it.
The Clan of the Cave Bear Review
Auel does it more than justice: she provides a piece of soft science fiction that is a compelling story, evocative of its time and place and unique circumstances while simultaneously embracing themes of universal humanity.
Blood Magic Reflection
Maybe I could have written it sooner, but I wanted both to leave sufficient time for you to finish the series, and for me to be appropriately removed that I can attain a semblance of objectivity. Enough time has now passed that I think we can look at some lessons learned from the effort, but consider this your spoiler warning if you haven’t yet finished reading the series.
Weekly Writing Update
Despite what I said last week, I ended up doing my first revision of Charmers this week. I received some very insightful feedback on it early in the week and decided to act on it before it became stale.
Writing Resource: Uncle Orson’s Writing Class
I was poking around on Orson Scott Card's website recently and came across an archive of essays on writing called "Uncle Orson's Writing Class."
Weekly Writing Update
Charmers, a little story about symbiotic lucky lizards for March's Elegant Literature contest, is finished, and I'm reasonably pleased with the first draft.
Weekly Writing Update
At last, chapter seven is finished. It took longer than I wanted, despite being a shorter chapter, but I think it turned out well.
Mysteries of the Middle Ages Review
After the study of people, of humanity, the field of history might be of the greatest importance for the study of the aspiring fantasy author, and especially of the period referred to as the ‘Middle Ages.’
A Not Unactive Post About George Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language”
Orwell's essay on "Politics and the English Language" is among my most oft-cited pieces on language and writing, and its lessons and criticisms are as valid today as they were in 1946.
IGC Publishing 