Ten thousand words on the new project (the one I started, then stopped, then--guess what--started again) in a bit more than a month since I started it. This is pretty slow to be sure, but it's much faster than the glacial pace I crawled at for the first part of my previous novel, which took …
Chapter titles
Something Borne is doing--which I'm sure is done, but I can't think of another time I've seen it--is giving each chapter a provocative title. I really like this idea and might try it out to see if it fits in any of my writings. A chapter titled 'what I found in [character's] room' for example, …
Be creative
I've started Jeff VanderMeer's new book, Borne, and it is very interesting so far. Although it is YET ANOTHER post apocalyptic story, he is being refreshingly creative with it. The very first thing we encounter in this destroyed world is not a zombie or a mutant person covered in boils, or a band of scavengers …
Magic vs facts
Ritual, magic, mystical powers--these things seem to comfort and guide people much easier than facts or science. One of the short stories at the end of the glass bead game features a 'rain maker', a sort of shaman type figure who is in charge of when to plant crops, and is supposed to warn of …
Somewhat redeemed
Glass bead game has made a slight turn for the better. The main character came up with some of the same complaints I had, and left the order of cloistered obsessives to live in the actual world and do something real with all his knowledge--tutor a child. His story now seems to be over now, …
Jonas David 