Online Etymology Dictionary - Comodo IceDragon. Apocalypse Now. Descriptive Writing Techniques. Things Writers Forget When Writing Fight Scenes. Recently, I attended VCON, a science fiction and fantasy conference in Surrey (part of Metro Vancouver) and attended a session called “Writing About Fighting.”
The panel consisted of writers and experts who were disciplined in multiple martial arts, including authors Lorna Suzuki and T.G. Fictional Culture. The way I build worlds is by collecting cool stuff from the history, myth and people around me.
I blend these details with my own imagination, and create my own cultures. Culture is a vital part to realistic worldbuilding. Normally there are a few particular cultures that interest me at a given time. I read whatever I can find about them, their environment, their traditions and their myths. The interesting details filter into the new world I’m creating (example: at one time, Venetian widows could only remarry on the stroke of midnight).
In the long term, there is nothing more inspiring and challenging than visiting foreign cultures yourself (especially if you can get far beyond your comfort zone to do it). But reading (non-fiction, myth/legend/fairytales, as well as the classics like Dune and Lord of the Rings) and watching documentaries/films can get you a long way toward filling up on your inspiration tank. What is the most important ideal to this culture as a whole? Like this: Creativity. Naming Your Novel. Note: How careful you have to be naming your novel depends heavily on if you are planning to sell it, and how you are planning to sell it.
If you are an unknown who is self-publishing and you want a lot of people to read and buy your novel, you need to do extensive research on the market. This article only covers a few tips, and I am in no way a publishing expert. But, even if you don't plan on going mass-commercial, that doesn't mean you shouldn't spend some time deciding on a name for your labor of love and I hope this article provides some useful ideas. Organized Brainstorming Consider important items--does your story revolve around a magical staff, sword or pendant? Writing Killer Fight Scenes. Fight scenes are dangerous territory for writers.
On the surface, they seem as if they’re guaranteed to keep the reader glued to the action in the same way as they often do at the movies. In reality, though, readers tend to skip over fight scenes – skimming the long, tedious, blow-by-blow descriptions in favour of getting back to the dialogue and character-driven drama that truly engages them in the story. My novel, Traitor’s Blade, is a swashbuckling fantasy in which fight scenes are a crucial part of the storytelling. This means having to ensure that every piece of action is vital and engaging; it means that every duel must draw the reader in and not let them go until the end. Publish Your Novel. Truths About Fiction. The following essay was previewed in the class that Stephen Graham Jones taught for LitReactor, Your Life Story Is Five Pages Long. 1.
The reader should never have to work to figure out the basics of your story. Tips And Tricks For Writing. So what do you do when you’re pressed for time, swamped under works and you still need to get some stuff written, and written well?
Your nerves are tightened up so well that you can’t sleep, but you can’t squeeze even a sentence out of your mind. I know the feeling so well, but what I did then was, just start writing fast without even thinking, then a professional article was born with the time shorter than usual. Heck, it might be even more professional than my previous articles! (Image Source: Fotolia) The phenomena has nothing to do with the God I worship, or any supernatural phenomenon, it’s just how brain works: we write fast and professionally if we can just limit something, abandon certain habits, and put up some beneficial habits.
Articles you might be interested as well: 1. To be honest, I hate this method. (Image Source: Fotolia) Writing - Author Central. Dystopian Writing Prompts. Writing Tips. Dystopia. Dystopian fiction is really hot right now.
Just look at The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, The Uglies trilogy and more. The New York Times had a discussion where authors and other professionals chimed in on the popularity of the dystopian genre and tried to understand why young adults specifically are so drawn to it. What exactly is dystopian? Dystopia, according to Merriam Webster, means an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives. It’s the anti-utopia, the anti amazing heavenly paradise. Stories in the dystopia genre are dark, conflict-driven and usually take place sometime in the future after something horrible has happened to the Earth whether through an apocalypse, government takeover, war, drought etc. Coming up with the back story in a dystopian novel is where a writer can be truly inventive in social commentary and criticism. My favorite contemporary dystopian novel is The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, which I’m on book 2 of.