Reposted – Current Events: Downstream of Culture

C. Chancy over at Crossover Queen's Creative Chaos had an excellent post on respect and relationships this past week, readers. It got me thinking and, while I won't say you will see the result of those thoughts in a post on this site any time soon, I will probably be linking to this article again …

Reposted: 3 Truths to Remember When Crafting Child Characters

Take a look at this thoughtful - and thought-provoking - piece, readers: 3 Truths to Remember When Crafting Child Characters Imagine that, for twenty-four hours, you’re limited to the use of half your vocabulary, your awareness of interpersonal subtext dims, and all your skills and strengths revert back to level one. On top of that, …

Reposted: 7 Tips for How to Add Complexity to Your Story

From K.M. Weiland, readers: 7 Tips for How to Add Complexity to Your Story So you want to add complexity to your story. Most authors do. Complexity just sounds so… sophisticated. It sounds like one of those novels or films that are taken apart and analyzed by really smart critics and professors. It sounds like …

Reposted – Business Musings: How Writers Fail (Part 7): Competition

Take a look at this thought-provoking piece by Kristine Katheryn Rusch, future authors: Business Musings: How Writers Fail (Part 7): Competition This is another one of those deceptive titles, like “Money.” Because when most writers read “Competition” as the sub header here, they think, Yep, there’s just too much competition out there. A handful of …

Idle Hands…

…are the devil’s workshop. This VICE article has something to prove the topic, too! Admittedly, this is why I rely on Wikipedia only to check the plot of a story – and then I double-check that, because there is no telling how it may or may not have been edited by someone for kicks. Just …

Reposted: Sight

A fascinating read from Cynthia Bagley, readers! With thanks to Foxfier for linking to it first. This is very helpful for writers of all levels to remember. Click the link to see more: Sight The first time I used guided meditation was at a mental health class at the Las Vegas VA Mental Health Clinic. …

Big Boys Don’t Cry! – A Look at Male Vulnerability in Fiction

There is a trend – perhaps seen frequently now, perhaps still moving about “on little cat feet,” as the poet says of the fog – that praises how men are crying more in films and TV shows. It may include books as well, but if so, I have yet to see those mentioned. A great …

Reposted: Learning from Failure – Mom and Dad save the World

A worthy read and reminder from Nate Winchester. Check it out! Learning from Failure – Mom & Dad save the World Sometimes a really bad movie, can teach you a lot. So I recently watched this movie: I exaggerated a little. It’s not “really” bad, it is – at worst – just below mediocre. It does …

Nice Guys Finish Last? Depends on One’s Definition of “Nice”

We have discussed Nice Girls, but what about Nice Guys? The standard response to that is: “Yeah, well, you know where Nice Guys finish – last.” Depending on the definition of “nice” in use, this can be quite true. But as with Nice Girls, Nice Guys do not all follow the perceived pattern of “nice” …

Reposted: Business Musings: Let’s Talk Real Business, Shall We?

A fascinating piece from Kristine Katheryn Rusch, readers! Business Musings: Let’s Talk Real Business, Shall We? Two weeks ago, I posted about agenting changes, and linked to a Hollywood Reporter piece about the new writer/agent relationship. Many of you had sent me that piece, because it is shocking in its happy talk about what is, …