Writerly Sound Bites, Number 3: The Worship of Evil – Or, “The Villain Is the Hero of His Own Story”

It might be an old – and somewhat uncouth – meme, but it makes the point. Slap an unhappy backstory on a villain, and odds are that someone somewhere will ask whether or not he is “really the bad guy.” How can Thanos, for example, be considered evil when he just wants to prevent other …

Reposted: The Last Thousand Words

Drat. My apologies, readers, but I didn't get to finish my next Writerly Sound Bites post this past week. Too many items popped up that required my attention, and I couldn't spare the time. Darn. That said, I will not leave you in the lurch. You can check out Mr. Cheah's excellent article below, as …

Reposted: Hope Against Trope

I have to take a hiatus from my Writerly Sound Bites series this week, readers. Hopefully I'll be back with another one next week, but for the present, enjoy the great piece from J.D. Cowan in the link below. Be sure to check out my newsletter as well, or you might miss some exclusive content …

Writerly Sound Bites, Number 2: Chasing the Unicorn of “Relatability”

Remember the post on writing advice, readers? The one that discussed “sound bites” as a means of offering guidance to aspiring writers? As someone who has had more difficulty cutting through and understanding such “sound bites” than she cares to recall, this author decided to provide future writers with some insights to help ease them …

Twelve Rules of Writing

It has been some time since Literature Devil’s videos on writing were featured here at Song, readers. That is due as much to this author’s need to work as to the fact that his video output has slowed. He has morning livestreams but several of the more recent videos he has put up for casual …

Writerly Sound Bites, Number 1: On Characters, Flaws, and What Really Makes a Flawed Hero Heroic

Something I have discovered over the years is that advice from those in the field of storytelling – or from those who teach creative writing – tends to fall into two categories. The first consists of long descriptions which can almost be considered stories in themselves. Reading through these dissertations and parsing them out can …

Reposted: Should You Edit As You Go?

Check out this great piece by K.M. Weiland, readers: Should you edit as you go? This is a question just about every writer asks at one point or another. Part of the reason for the prevalence of the question is that the question is in fact complex and contextual. In short, the answer to “should …

Reposted: The Page is Not the Game

Check out this great piece by Kit Sun Cheah, readers! The Page is Not the Game The video game is the defining entertainment medium of the times. Combining high-impact visuals, immersive sound and deep player engagement, all within the comfort of the player’s home, the video game is the epitome of technological leisure. Its influence …

Reposted: The Page is Not the Screen

Check out this excellent article from Kai Wai Cheah, readers: The Page is Not the Screen The pulp era was a different time. Dime novels, pulp magazines and radio were the primary forms of fiction. Silent films dominated the theatres until the 1920s, with musicians playing music to accompany the show. The first Technicolor feature …

The Male Relationship: A Word on the Bad Batch

I am not a Star Wars: The Clone Wars* enthusiast. The prequel trilogy is largely responsible for this; to date, I have not been able to overcome my dislike of it enough to engage with the animated series in a meaningful capacity. While this author can watch an episode or two, those are few and …