As some of you know, I’m a moderator over at the Writing forum on SFFWorld.com. There’s really nothing to moderate. I’m just a glorified coordinator. My main job is to stick and unstick contest threads. Occasionally, there’s a scuffle between writers, but we’re an insipid lot. We may wield our pens like swords, but they’re … More Nila’s Writing Rules
Being an acquisition editor for a speculative fiction magazine requires two things: Loads of free time A love for the weird I have copious amounts of one of those. Not so much of the other. Which do you think is the limiting factor above? I started reading for an online e-zine. A volunteer position, of … More Advice from a Slush Reader
As some of you may have noticed, I’ve dropped my commitment to this blog or, rather, blogging in general. It’s been a tough call for me, but in the end, it was just too easy to ignore my nodes in the web. It’s not that I don’t like blogging, or interacting with you all, because … More Generating Content…or Not
What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against. I’ve read a lot lately. The submissions for the Lucky or Unlucky anthology as well as just workshop stuff. And you know what? This ‘rule’ is spot on. Who cares if the grammar … More Rule #16
If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations. I’ve been watching Grimm, the NBC TV show. Since I don’t have a TV or cable reception, I’m watching Season 1 and 2 via Amazon Prime. So, yes, I’m a little late to the scene, but hey, … More Rule #15
Happy Wednesday Everyone, I am posting this a little late in the day, my apologies, but since I haven’t kept to my schedule for most of this year, I’m sure you didn’t notice. (At least, I hope you didn’t notice…) Anyway, let us continue with Pixar’s 22 Storytelling Rules. The 11th rule is one that the … More Rule #11
This isn’t really a post about Hobbiton. Alas, my friends, I have inundated you enough about that special locale, but I do want to talk about The Hobbit, that most famous story many of you know (even if you haven’t read the book). Let me recap. The Hobbit is about a naive fellow, Bilbo Baggins for those … More Hobbiton 2.0 (aka Rule #10)
Welcome Back, folks. Today is Wednesday. The day I set aside to learn the craft of writing. As you may know, I am reviewing Pixar’s 22 Storytelling Rules. Allow me to interrupt myself and give a word of caution. I’m repeating myself, but I want to make sure we are all clear. These rules are not really … More Rule #9
Wow – I can’t believe it’s been more than a month since I reviewed Rule #7 from Pixar’s 22 Storytelling Rules. Time truly speeds by when you are having fun (or working too much). So, let’s get right to it, shall we? Pixar’s next rule is one that I struggle with the most, I think. … More Rule #8
Last week, we talked about Pixar’s Rule #6, where the gurus of amazing stories tell us to not only pit our characters against a polar opposite, but also challenge them with stuff they don’t know about. If you missed out on that post, go ahead and read it along with the comments. I’ll wait. A … More Follow up on Rule #6
N. E. White 