Category Archives: Writings about Writing

Thoughts and tips about the craft

Historical Fiction versus Fantasy – Which is Harder to Write?

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Me trying to write fantasy. Or historical fiction. Or a blog post.

Me trying to write fantasy. Or historical fiction. Or a blog post.

 

I’m primarily a fantasy writer, but last year I started a project of historical fiction. At first I thought it would be a breeze, because all I had to do was a little bit of research, and presto! all my story elements are there. No complex world-building and inventing alien alphabets or rules for magic. As it turns out, historical fiction isn’t quite the effortless cake walk I thought it might be.

So now that I have a little experience with two vastly different genres, I thought I’d do a comparison. Continue reading →

The Nitty-Gritty of Writing: Words that aren’t Words

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I’ve written several posts before out words that are easily confused with other words, words that are often misspelled, and other spelling slip-ups. So to add to that list, here are three words that I hear a lot in conversation – and often see written, as well – that are commonly used, but aren’t actually real words at all.

Supposably – The word you’re looking for is SUPPOSEDLY. It’s true that in English, a D and a B can often be misheard for one another, especially if the speaker mumbles or talks quickly. But supposably seems to have caught on to such a degree that I felt the need to let people know that what they’re hearing from others isn’t necessarily correct. Continue reading →

How to Set Goals for the New Year

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Tis the season for new year’s resolutions. We look back on what we’ve accomplished – and didn’t – in the past year, and resolve to do better and do more in the coming year. While this is a good sentiment, there’s a reason that a lot of traditional New Year’s Resolutions wind up being forgotten or discarded before the end of January.

My goal is to party like it's 1916...

My goal is to party like it’s 1916…

I prefer to call my decisions “goals” instead of “resolutions.” The reason is because a goal is something specific. A goal is a desire with a deadline, rather than just a nebulous “Imma do better this year.” So here I’ll give you a few tips about how to set goals that you might actually be able to achieve, instead of just struggling futilely with the “Imma do better” thing. Continue reading →

Christmas Gifts for the Writer in Your Life

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So what should you give to your writer friend/spouse/family member for Christmas? If you’re a writer, what should you ask for? Here are some ideas: 

Pens. Or pencils. Because, you know, writers need tools to write with. Even those who write exclusively by typing and seeing the words show up on a screen have an innate fondness for the classic tools of our trade.

Journals. See above. Gotta have something for those pens to write on. Continue reading →

10 Great Writerly Quotes

Posted in Music, Movies, and other Muses, Writings about Writing by

I’ve done a post about quotes for writing and inspiration, but I’ve been collecting more writerly quotes, so I thought I’d share. Who doesn’t love a great quote about books, storytelling, and the passion we feel for the written word? Enjoy!

“A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” Thomas Mann

“I love studying folklore and legends. The stories that people passed down for a thousand years without any sort of marketing support are obviously saying something appealing about the basic human condition.” Ti Schafer Continue reading →