Inside Scoop on Black Ocean
As I started planning 2017's 4 Black Ocean missions, I realized that the main story is coming to a close. But even though the characters have decided to spread their wings, and live off-camera (for at least a while), I wanted to make sure the end is satisfying to the...
Year 4 of My 5-10 Year Overnight Success Plan
So… January 31st marks the 4th bookiversary of Firehurler. I’ll have been a self-published author for four full years. At this point, I have vague recollections of an office job in some sort of engineering field. It just seems like such a stark contrast from my...
What’s coming in 2017?
“The time has come,” the Writer said, “To write of other things. Of robots, clones, and aliens, Of shadowbloods, and kings. And why V.R. is killing us, And why spaceships have wings.” “But wait a bit,” the Readers cried. “We haven’t read your last. For some of us are...
Worldbuilding: Cultural Values
What separates one culture from another. It's more than clothes and language, though those are important for making them look and feel distinct from one another. No, what makes two cultures unique are cultural values. These are the traits that, as a society, are held...
Who Can Practice Magic
So, your world's got magic. Great! Since you're in charge, it's up to you to dole out that mystical power to your characters. Time to decide who gets to participate. A Matter of Study Anyone with a keen mind and a good work ethic can learn the arcane arts. Maybe it's...
Naming as a Worldbuilding Tool
Many writers struggle with naming characters. I'm not here to help them. I'm actually going to make it harder by giving them another consideration to bear in mind: character names help define your world. How names work in the real world Every culture on Earth has come...
When to Start Worldbuilding
One question that an aspiring worldbuilder is going to ask is when to start. Can you build a world without knowing anything about the story you're going to tell in it? Do you need any characters before you build a world for them to inhabit? Actually, you have options....
How to Write Ensemble Scenes
Writing a scene with one character is simple. Two isn't much harder, and introduces the possibility of conversation. Even three characters in a single scene leaves room for everyone to breathe. But what do you do when the number gets higher? How do you keep a scene...
Worldbuilding: Government
One of the main goals of worldbuilding is to create a believable backdrop for telling a story. But after figuring out geography, magic, and fantastical mythological creatures, there needs to be some sort of societal structure in place. And the societal structure that...
Worldbuilding: Animals (and Monsters)
From chulls to owlbears, wargs to thestrals, fantasy has taken to the creation of its own wildlife. They make a world feel separate from the Earth we know, even if they purport to exist on Earth (beyond the reach of common knowledge). They can be man-eaters, beasts of...