Category: General Thoughts & Updates

February 25, 2016

How Long Will It Take You to Write a Novel?

I don’t know. What’re you asking me for? Seriously though, the answer is “it depends.” It depends on how often you’re writing. It depends on how much you write when you do write. It depends on if/how often you re-write. It even depends on the type of novel (some genres’ books are longer than others). I can’t give you an...

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February 22, 2016

A Character by Any Other Name Wouldn’t Be an Excuse

It’s amazing what excuses people will come up with when they’re trying to avoid starting a story, but having trouble naming the character shouldn’t be one. A student tried that one on me the other day. He said that he was supposed to write a story that was 2 pages long (the horror!). With a put-upon sigh, he explained how he...

Categories Creative Process/General Thoughts & Updates Comments: 2

February 19, 2016

Double Meaning & Truth(s): How to Lie without Lying

If you need to hide a truth in a truth, double-meaning is your best friend. I know that doesn’t sound like it makes sense, but I promise it actually does. A double meaning (also known as a double entendre) has a pretty accurate name – it’s when a statement or action has multiple meanings (or truths). The only part of...

Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Literary Devices & Writing Techniques Comment: 1

February 18, 2016

Continuity, Repetition, & Keeping Track

Writing a long piece or series requires either an excellent memory, a precise organization system, or both (and that goes for novels, movies, comics, blogs, etc.). Otherwise, you’re going to have problems with continuity (but his sword hilt was black in the last book) and repetition (haven’t they had this conversation already?). If any of you think that’s a cakewalk,...

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February 15, 2016

The Terror of Romance (Or, at Least, Romanticism)

Maybe it’s all the Valentine’s Day hullabaloo (that’s a technical term), but I keep thinking about romance – romance novels, that is. Like modern romance novels and gothic romances (Romanticism). Imagine those genres next to each other – what a juxtaposition! Look to the left, and you’ll see a story about two people who fall in love and (generally) live happily ever after. Look to...

Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Humor & Wordplay Comments: 0

February 13, 2016

Paper Books vs. Digital Books: Which Side Are You On?

When digital books first came out, there was a big uproar. People kept saying that e-books would completely wipe out print copies, and soon everyone would have to have kindles or nooks if they want to read. People still say that to some extent, but the panic of it has dwindled since it’s been a decade or so since kindles...

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February 11, 2016

Why Authors Should Think Twice About Voicing Their Own Audio Books

Not everyone listens to audio books, so not everyone realizes how important it is to have a good voice actor or actress to do the recording. I will be the first to admit that I am pretty picky when it comes to voice acting in general (don’t get me started on bad dubbing); however, audio books don’t have animation to make the audience...

Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Theatre & Film Comments: 0

February 9, 2016

There’s No Copyright Infringement if There’s No Copyright

This Joss Whedon quote is pure gold – it’s got everything! Characterization, dialect, and inside jokes for the fans (albeit bittersweet ones). It even uses the art of the unexpected by starting off with a quote from Robert Frost and then veering off in a totally different direction. That’s an allusion, right? Or is it a parody? Or both? Either...

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February 8, 2016

Copyright, Parody, & Fair Use for Writers

If you’re not a lawyer (and I’m assuming that’s most of us), then copyright can get pretty confusing, especially when you get on topics like parody and fair use. I certainly can’t claim to be an expert (I ain’t no lawyer), but here are some resources that might help. At the very least, they should give you a basic understanding of what...

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February 7, 2016

Thought-Provoking Fan Art

At first, this fan art from weregeek was just funny – oh, I see what you did there! Then, I started thinking about how the Harry Potter books would change if the main characters were from a different country. It’s an interesting thought (and good mental exercise). Try picturing your favorite fantasy books with a different cultural base (for example, instead of a...

Categories Characterization Exercises/General Thoughts & Updates/Humor & Wordplay/Inspiration/Writing Prompts Comments: 0