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 …

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 …

Start at the action!

I've started a new book that you get to hear about for the next few weeks, Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler, and so far it's great. The story opens with an immortal character sensing another character with some kind of powers, seeking her out and meeting her. She leaves her village behind and follows him …