Writers are an insecure bunch, at least going from my admittedly-small sample group. Why? Because if a writer is lucky he will have a writing-group able to help him with style and such, and a few alpha and beta-readers (usually friends unless he’s got an agent and an editor), to help him catch the serious … More The Midas Review
I thought they’d done it. I really, really did. The show started off great, with a solid, pseudo-scientific explanation for why these super-powered people had begun to appear, a conspiracy for them to fight, and a tight-knit plot leading up to a great first-season finish that held the promise of blowing the world wide open. … More Worldbuilding 201: Getting Even.
I was just digging into some serious re-writing when the latest post at The King of Elfland’s Second Cousin popped up. In it, Chris rhapsodizes about the Periodic Table of Storytelling, probably one of the funniest and most creative plotting tools I’ve ever seen. (See Chris’ blog for full-sized picture.) I first encountered it myself, … More Trope: a metaphor, example, literary device, picture–and maybe whatever else the writer wants it to mean..
Awhile ago someone asked me where I got my ideas for Wearing the Cape, and I had to think about it. Not that I didn’t know the answer, but it’s a bit of a story. Comics came first, of course, but the core idea–a socially realistic superhero world–came from a game. A role-playing game (RPG) … More World Building 101: Start with a system.
I’ve learned I’ll do anything to avoid writing. Like more research; after enjoying Power Down (see previous post) I pulled out some of my old comics, looking for the ones that I enjoyed the most. One short series–not so old–that stood out in my collection is Wildguard, by Todd Nauck. That’s not Wildguard; that’s the … More Wild Times
Writing Wearing the Cape has been, to quote the great Bill and Ted, “a most excellent adventure.” The plot came together two years ago, scene drafts followed, and last year I threw myself into it with a goal of finishing a publishable draft and commencing the Great Agent Hunt in July. I “finished” the book … More Wearing the Cape becomes YWO bestseller!
Marion G. Harmon, A Writer in Vegas. 