Thoughts on the process of writing epic fantasy and worldbuilding.
Writing, by its very nature, requires a sort of delusion…one that convinces you that you have something to offer to the world. The levels of delusion vary, but I think it’s safe to say that writing is an ego-driven activity. There are many writers whose egos can rival a gun nut’s. I met a lot …
One of the skills a writer should be able to develop, if they’re not naturally good at it, is to be able to predict an outcome based on several circumstances. It’s crucial in order to get a story to flow naturally. Forcing an outcome that is not naturally dictated by events is disastrous; readers will …
I‘ve noticed that I tend to write about every day life or ideas instead of my actual writing process. The ‘why’ of the whole thing takes precedence over the ‘how’. Lots of writers seem in love with the ‘how’, like the way they write is somehow special or more important than the way this other …
Not that anyone’s counting (well–except me), but I have now, to date, “finished” over eight manuscripts (of mostly crap). That is–eight full-length novels, numbering at least 50,000 words each. Most are closer to or over 100,000 words. Note that I am also not counting manuscripts I haven’t officially ‘ended’–I have a few more of those …
I finished Aina’s Breath, the sequel to Jaeth’s Eye, this weekend. Finished it, despite a full-time job, kids, personal stress, and other things. I’m not sure how. I think I’ve acquired a permanent tic in my eye, and my fingers have been shaking more than usual, and I’ve significantly forgotten what it was like to …
