Disclaimer 1: Yes, this post contains minor spoilers for Kong: Skull Island, which I only point out because if you haven't seen it, KSI is actually good. Seriously, I just watched it for the first time earlier in this week, and I was floored not only by how entertaining it was but how that movie... Continue Reading →
Monster Showcase – Mother Longlegs from Kong: Skull Island
Let’s Talk About – “Uncanny Mess Realism” in Worldbuilding
Welcome back! Or Happy . . . First Time Here? Uh . . . Welcome! Holy shit, I'm never trying to write a normal intro ever again. Today, I wanted to get back to writer talk. I have an important life update I'll drop on you guys, but nothing crazy . . . Well, it... Continue Reading →
Process in Progress #2 – The Character Wall
Hi there. I had a bunch of things I wanted to write about today, and, in choosing one, I wound up shooting wa-a-a-a-ay over the typical release deadline. Apologies for that. But I didn't want to publish another life update. And I didn't want to vent about my presence on social media either (which I'm... Continue Reading →
Writer’s Workshop – Being in a Gas Station While It’s Getting Robbed
This post was written on Monday the 15th, the day after my February "break" post. A lot of things happened today. By way of update: I was woken up by the guy upstairs playing his music. But when I went on an investigation (fully contemplating gross sabotage of their front door), I discovered that not... Continue Reading →
Let’s Talk About – My Writer Quirks
So, if there's one thing my writing group has exposed to me by accident, it's my collection of what I think of as "Writer Quirks": illogical standards / habits that dictate how and what I write. I mean, I knew they were there, but some of them have been discovered by my writing group, so... Continue Reading →
Monster Showcase – The Orphan of Kos
If there's one part of Fantasy writing that I've largely ignored on this site, it's Fantasy monsters. And, right out the gate, full disclosure: it's because I have a hard time creating them. In part, it's because I turned off the "dragons are great" part of my brain ages ago. I have personally always written... Continue Reading →
I’m Living for My Writing Group Right Now
I've always been wary of writing groups. But not because of other people; it's a me thing. I am hyper-aware that I'm not the most amazing writer in the world, so I am a very intense self-editor (and have been for a while). It's a habit I've mentioned on here before--my tendency to edit my... Continue Reading →
Let’s Talk About – The Anatomy of a Good Crew
A while back, I was talking with a friend and fellow writer about a future project. While describing it, I called it a "Team story," and then squinted. "Is there a better word for that? Like, a story where your characters are one team?" And I don't remember if I stopped trying to explain or... Continue Reading →
Let’s Talk About – Iconic Characters
Man, being able to breathe is amazing, isn't it? Like, I woke up today and didn't immediately look at the news. Isn't that wild? I just woke up, drew in a breath, exhaled it, and then did that again a few times without being afraid, and holy shit, isn't that weird? Anyway, hi and welcome... Continue Reading →
I Tried to Write a Sequel to Aixa with AI Dungeon and Shit Got Weird
Whoa. Who-o-o-o-okay . . . guys. Okay. I've been wary of storytelling AI for a while now. Not because I think AI are going to destroy humanity (yet), but because I am already conflicted about people becoming "authors" by feeding their ideas into an AI that then does all the writing for them. I can... Continue Reading →
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