Why Context Is Important When Writing

Have you ever had a conversation with someone, known what decisions had been made, and then found out the other person had a vastly different takeaway? Whether you’re writing or speaking, the problem is usually a difference in context.

Writing For Different Audiences

Jane Yolen has written everything from picture books for toddlers to adult fantasy to mainstream. Other authors might not be … More

Out Of Control Characters

Some authors tightly control their characters, requiring them to follow an outline. But other authors say there are things their characters won’t do. What do authors do when their characters go off script?

Do you try to regain control (and how?) or go where the characters take you?

Alternate Morality

What makes a character ‘morally grey’, why do we like them, has the line moved, and how to handle conflicting moral systems. A #Balticon57 panel

Legends and Myths in Urban Fantasy

Most urban fantasy draws upon folklore and legends. How do these old mystical beliefs inform modern fantasy? What place does … More

There’s A Reason You’re Afraid of the Dark (A RavenCon 2023 panel)

Faerie tales used to terrify and in so doing, teach valuable lessons in how not to die. One could argue that they are the original horror stories. Everything in Grimms’ Fairy Tales is particularly… grim. Over the years though, many of these nightmarish creatures became cute and cuddly (or sexy—looking at you, Shape of Water). Have these myths become permanently nerfed or is there hope they can maintain their dark allure?

Creating a Political and Moral Universe (A RavenCon 2023 Panel)

The ingredients of universe-building are morality, science, politics, art, and religion. The interplay of these creates a moral and political universe. Each ingredient packs its own punch, and getting the ratios right means you won’t have an overcooked souffle of a universe.

When you mix morals, ethics, and emotional fears, you get an array of Batman characters. Which match to what world viewpoints?

Pacing Your First Chapter

Writing a novel is hard, it takes both a lot of work and a lot of persistence. And then, to get readers or agents actually read it, your first chapter has a lot of work to do, especially when you’ve created your own setting. Getting the pacing just right, especially in your first chapter is a challenge for most writers.

I’m currently editing a novel that I hope to start sending to agents in the next couple of months and I’ve really been worried about the pacing of my first chapter because it has so much to do.

Which Writer Rules Are More Like Guidelines?

If you ask a writer which writing rules are more like guidelines, they’ll probably say “all of them”. While there … More