Writing about writing and reading
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, …
Continue reading "Dialogue: ‘said’ is invisible, and that’s cool"
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Jonas David 