Tag: Writing
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Explorers teach us Writing Discipline
I was chatting with some new friends in my Facebook writing groups on the subject of writing discipline and inspiration. While all of us love to write and can churn out the stories when we are feeling passionate about the subject, we can also go through periods of writer’s block. When we were discussing the…
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Writing a Satisfying Ending – As Explained by The Princess Bride
I’ve lost count of all the story endings that I’ve read, watched or heard over the years. When I got into writing, I went back through some of my favorites with one goal in mind – why were they my favorites? There’s some story endings that just stay with you, so that years after experiencing…
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Bad writing gave us the Sonic abomination – but good writing might save it.
Well, this week I saw the Sonic movie trailer and I’ve got to say I have mixed views. My first reaction is something along the lines of “DEAR GOD MY EYES! MAKE IT STOP!!” But I made the effort of watching the trailer a few more times to really draw out what was going wrong.…
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BOOK REVIEW: The Night Watch, Sergei Lukanenko
Hi everyone, this week I want share one of my favorite supernatural thrillers with you! “The Night Watch,” written by Russian author Sergei Lukanenko, always struck me as the illegitimate lovechild of John LeCarre and H P Lovecraft. Set in modern day Moscow, this series follows the cases of Anton Gorodetsky, a Light Mage working…
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BOOK REVIEW – Revelation Space, by Alistair Reynolds
“Revelation Space” is an absolute must-have for any sci-fi fan. I’ve read almost all of Reynold’s books, including his short stories, and I’ve always felt he’s still just scratching the surface of this amazing universe. This book is the first in the series, although not the first in the chronology of the “Revelation Space” universe.…
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Anatomy of a good story reveal
HERE BE SPOILERS! YE BE WARNED! I actually had a different topic lined up for today, but I’ve just finished watching a strange Japanese horror series and wanted to tease it out a bit. The story revolves around a mysterious young woman who awakes in a basement seven floors beneath the surface, and in trying…
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Book Review – Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett
This week, I thought I’d dust off one of my all-time top reads; my friends were all discussing which Pratchett book was their favorite, and while most people go with the Witches or the Guards series, this one is still by best pick. For that small percentage of fantasy fans who haven’t read Terry Pratchett’s…
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Antihero vs “Edgy” Hero
I’ve speaking to friends and family lately about what makes a hero fun to read. While we all agree that heroes displaying grace and nobility are great role models, the over-powered “Mary Sue” character just doesn’t hold an audience’s interest these days. Enter the anti-hero. Protagonists who are flawed, weak or otherwise not entirely up…
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Book Review – Myst, by Rand and Robyn Miller
Hi everyone, it’s time for another book review! Who here remembers the Myst games? Back in 1991 the Miller brothers created a point and click computer game that took the world by storm, due to its stunning visuals, beautiful music and engaging story line. The player of the game stumbles across a “Linking Book” that…
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Setting as an Active Force
Hi everyone, time for another free article about writing! While the keystone of all good writing is creating characters with real depth, and one of the ways that you can bring out the best (or worst) in a character is writing how they interact with their setting. A setting for a story can be anything…