Always getting better

Writing is one of the best hobbies to have, because you can always get better at it. With most things you reach a peak, then your body starts to fail you and you're done with. Writing, though, can only get better with experience, and as long as your mind is healthy you can keep doing …

Dialogue: ‘said’ is invisible, and that’s cool

Who said what? You may feel the need to tag all dialogue with the speaker, but really it's not necessary most of the time. "Who's there?" Jim asked questioningly. "No one," Bob stated defiantly. "But I hear you, you answered me!" Jim exclaimed "Nope, you are mistaken," Bob rebuffed. "I know what I am hearing, …

Rain on me

I've been writing a scene with rain, and so listening to rain sounds in my ears all day. The sound of rain and thunder is calming somehow, but also adventurous and somehow gives me a sense of potential, of mystery. What is out there in the rain and dark? What sounds could the pattering and …

A good villain is a personal villain

Villains are problematic not only in that they are usually the more proactive character, while the hero is reactive, but also because they are often doing the more interesting stuff, moving the story forward. I have many times found myself sympathizing with the villain just because I want to see what happens when they complete their …

Good vs Evil is boring

People who are perfectly good, or perfectly evil, do not exist in this world. Characters who are such, are very hard to identify with, which in my opinion makes them bad characters. For a character to be an interesting person, they should have their own desires (not be perfectly altruistic) and those desires should conflict …