It’s hard to know how to start this post. I could say that rejection is part of the publication process (which is true), or that it can make you a better writer (also true). But right now, if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you didn’t get into Alpha, and that it hurts … Read more
Our last couple of posts have been about what to do once you’ve finished a story. But how do you finish in the first place? What happens if you’re not inspired one day, or if you suddenly (hi, college) get really busy? Having dealt with inspiration droughts and academic avalanches–or, as often as not, both … Read more
If you want to become a published author, the first step is to send your work out to paying markets. For novelists, that means writing query letters and proposals and a bunch of other stuff we’re not talking about today. Short story writers have it a bit easier. Finish your story, choose where you want … Read more
Writing unobtrusive exposition — that is, getting a story’s background information across in a way that doesn’t interfere with narrative flow — presents a unique challenge if you’re writing science fiction, fantasy, or certain types of horror. Not only do you have to worry about things like characterization and foreshadowing, you also have to make … Read more
Having had occasion to read several stories by beginning writers recently, I noticed a common thread: the supposed protagonists don’t really do anything. Sure, lots of interesting things happen in the main character’s general vicinity, but he or she doesn’t actually affect how events play out. This is usually bad.
Take a look at … Read more
