On the plus side, I edit other people's work fairly well. So I guess it balances out rather nicely, so I don't find my mad skills overflowing with monkey nuts.
The Pick Up Game
Worked some more on Wraithkin today, then went to the gym. Yeah, you read that right. Me. In a gym. Willingly. To be fair, I would go to a gym quite often if it weren't A) so expensive, and B) restricted to free weights and what-not. You see, I hate lifting. Some of my best … Continue reading The Pick Up Game
Update At The “Other” Site
Over at Shiny Blog's sister site, Barb Caffrey has recently reviewed The Course of Empire by Eric Flint and K. D. Wentworth. Go give it a read.
The Plucky Favorite?
Assignment for the week: if you like, write a brief summary about what the hero did after he becomes the new ruler. Does he abdicate the throne in favor of a busty, redheaded dominatrix named Trixie? Does he become a kind and friendly ruler who must battle his own insurgency? Entertain me, please. Be as insane as you want.
Quick Word
Another slow week updating, mainly because I've been working on projects all week. Budgeting my time is getting more and more difficult as winter draws nigh. Heh. I used a fancy word. I've decided to move my book reviews to another site so that I can keep this one clutter free. I'll still be posting … Continue reading Quick Word
First Con of 2011 Scheduled
I've just been confirmed as a guest at Mysticon on February 25, 2011. Not sure yet what my panels will be on, but I have a sneaky suspicion it will either be on MilSF, gaming or any mixture of that and History. Maybe a few on being published, who knows? They're still pre-registering people as … Continue reading First Con of 2011 Scheduled
News Update: No More Cookies!
You see, to a lot of authors, these are your babies, your children growing up before your eyes. To your readers, these characters are often growing up with them, maturing as they do and doing things throughout their lives which the reader can relate to. It's heartbreaking, but joyous at the same time, when you get to begin and end relationships your characters have. Why does this come up today, though, when I've focused more this week on what the effects characters have on their worlds?
The Depth of Character Actions (Or “This Is NOT How I Met Your Mother”)
Sliding over from writing a book to creating characters for gaming purposes is a fairly simple endeavor, plus one you can steal ideas from to build upon your book. Yes, I said steal. Because nothing says creative like your DM telling you that your gnome just bought a time share in Hell with a lovely … Continue reading The Depth of Character Actions (Or “This Is NOT How I Met Your Mother”)
Publishers vs Self-Publishing
A good article from author Paul Carr about the dangerous thought process behind self-publishing. In the self-publishing vs going through a publisher route for print books, I'm a firm believer that authors should use publishers, especially if you already have a contract with them. Too many people shell out too much of their own money … Continue reading Publishers vs Self-Publishing
Hi! My Name Is…
Go reach for your every day book. Open it up. Go on, I'll wait. Okay, now quick: what is the main character's name? Is it Bob? Kendra? Owen? Names are vital to a story, more than just identifying the main character. Names help the book flow, make the book readable and keeps the interest of … Continue reading Hi! My Name Is…
Redshirts and a Kidney
We all know what redshirts are. No? Huh... Well here's an explanation. Over at Monster Hunter Nation, Larry Correia is auctioning off redshirts. But this is for a good cause, to help a friend get a kidney transplant. More information can be found here. It's for a good cause. Really. I mean, it's a good … Continue reading Redshirts and a Kidney
Submitting Question
You see, with an interview, you submit your resume and application (usually online) and you wait weeks... months... with no word. Meanwhile, you chuck out another dozen to two dozen resumes amongst other companies and hope for the best. Eventually you hear back from one or more and you begin the next step in the process of being hired.
Know When To Fold ’em
Some people call those who throw themselves into the literary line of fire "sounding boards". I call them brave.
The Agent Weighs In
Okay I thought I was done for the week but then agent extraordinaire Mike Kabongo of the OnyxHawke Agency posted a very well-written article about why B&N is failing as a business model. Me being me, I had to post a link. Mike's got some valid points, especially the difference between readers in Massachusetts and Colorado and what … Continue reading The Agent Weighs In
Jason’s Being Lazy Today
Hey, we all have those days. Mine just come in bunches. You might also know them as "weeks". So instead of busting my butt trying to come up with a topic (other than the website layout update), I'm going to steer you to other bloggers and writer websites. First, Sarah Hoyt talks about writing to … Continue reading Jason’s Being Lazy Today
Jason Córdova 