"many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view" - Obi-Wan Kenobi The story you tell will take on the flavor of whoever is...
Using Multiple Points of View (POV)
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J.S. Morin
A Second Book, A Second Look At Publishing One
For those who may not already have been aware, Aethersmith came out on "June 1". I put that in quotes, because, as an independent author, that whole...
The Twinborn Survival Guide
If you haven't already, this might be a good time to take the Twinborn Quiz. This guide is going to give tips on how to survive after the discovery...
One-Word Metaphors: Stretching Words to Their Limits
"The waves lapped the sandy shore. Overhead, the stars twinkled cheerily. A bank of clouds rolled in and a driving rain chased us from the beach. We...
City Mapping
In my earlier blog on Amateur Cartography, I covered the basic concepts behind how to draw a map to go along with your fantasy story. Mainly I...
Goblin Speech
One of the things that readers have found most interesting about the goblins of Firehurler is their language. While many races have their own...
Goblins in the Twinborn Trilogy
What is a "goblin"? Since they are fictitious creatures, it's okay for there to be more than one answer to this question. However, while you're...
Review: The Goddess’s Choice (Kronicles of Korthlundia #1) by Jaime Marchant
I just finished reading The Goddess's Choice, which I stumbled upon by pure chance. I'm glad I did! It's a well-crafted story of magic and political...
The Secret of MINH (Made in NH Expo)
Just spent the weekend signing books at the Made in NH Expo in Manchester, NH (which has nothing to do with experimental, intelligent rats). There...
Whimsy or Physics? The Hidden Rules of Magic
Magic is one of the defining characteristics of fantasy. Whether you are looking at "high" or "low" magic, it's going to be in there somewhere (I'm...
Goodreads: Where Authors and Readers Connect
Goodreads, in case you've never heard of it, it a site where people can do to find book recommendations. They have millions of members and even more...
Writing Unforgettable Scenes
Forgettable (adj.): Easily forgotten, esp. through being uninteresting or mediocre. Ick. No one wants that for their writing. One of the best ways...
Showing: How Not To Tell
Everything you ever read about writing advises you: "show, don't tell". It's great advice as far as it goes. You don't want to lecture to your...
Spoilers: Your Own Worst Enemy
There are few people in this world that like spoilers. When we see a movie or a TV show, or we read a book, we want to experience all the twists and...
Politics: Kadrin Empire
The Kadrin Empire is the most powerful land in the world of Veydrus. Though not unchallenged in their dominance, the Kadrins have been a major...
Agendas and Motivations
What is the difference between a character who is little more than window dressing for a story and one who is vibrant and realistic? The idea that...
Write Like a Bulldozer
There is a direction that bulldozers go. That direction is called "forward". When you consider vehicles that can look to a point some ways off and...
Villains
In response to my "7 Types of Heroes" blog, someone suggested that I take a look at villains as well. That got me thinking about just what it takes...
Quiz: How to Tell If You Are Twinborn
At the heart of Firehurler and the Twinborn Trilogy is the mystery of the twinborn. What are they? They are the ones who are aware of other worlds....
How to Kill (Your Characters)
The worlds we write can be dark and dangerous places. In many cases, these dangers are a key element of the plot. Sword fights, monster attacks,...
7 Types of Heroes
You don't need a hero to have a story, but if you want to write about heroic deeds you're going to end up with one somewhere along the lines....
Earth: A Failure of World-Building
There are many elements that go into making a world fit for fantasy storytelling. World-building is a skill any good fantasy writer needs to...
Speech: The High Road and the Low Road
You hear a voice over the phone, a complete stranger. Within moments there are a lot of things you can tell about that person on the other end, even...
Amateur Cartography: the Duty of the Fantasy Author
View a larger version of the map From the Shire to Mordor, the Wall to King's Landing and every journey in between, readers have been dragged hither...