How to Use Imagery

silhouette of mountains during dawn

You might have heard that imagery is pivotal to writing a story. It truly makes a scene come alive, but many sources I've seen that talked about imagery have just said "Use the five senses!" and then moved on. The five senses are touch, tasting, smell, seeing, and hearing, but writing imagery isn't just using … Continue reading How to Use Imagery

Reblog: The Bryn Donovan Collection

Today is the last Saturday before heading out West, so my thought was to do something a little different with a reblog post. I recently discovered author Bryn Donovan, who has written several books for helping writers. I've been reading Bryn Donovan's website for some time now because of her awesome articles on writing well. … Continue reading Reblog: The Bryn Donovan Collection

Speculative Fiction Small Presses

books in a bookshelf

Thinking about publishing your speculative fiction novel but don't know where to start? It's true there are plenty of publishers out there, but narrowing the best science fiction and fantasy publishers down isn't too difficult. Some of these speculative fiction small presses also accept speculative genres such as horror, gothic, and all kinds of subgenres. … Continue reading Speculative Fiction Small Presses

Why Is Fantasy So Hard to Write?

autumn forest covered with moss in sunlight

So you want to write fantasy? Good luck. In all seriousness, fantasy is notoriously difficult to write no matter which way you look at it. It's not uncommon for fantasy writers to take years to complete one single book (unless you're Brandon Sanderson, but we don't all have that luxury). Besides that, a major aspect … Continue reading Why Is Fantasy So Hard to Write?

Hating Your Work After Publishing It

adult frowned male writer working on typewriter at home

Let's be honest, hating your work takes a toll. So you spent days, weeks, even months or years, on a piece of writing. You edited and rewrote. You spent hours trying to get everything just right, and finally, you feel comfortable with it, enough to send it out to that literary journal or press for … Continue reading Hating Your Work After Publishing It

How to Write Every Day without Dying

crop author writing novel in notebook at aged table

Everyone tells you to write every day. They praise the benefits of building a writing routine and disciplining yourself. And it's true! You should definitely at least try to write every day, even if it's only a few words. However, some days words refuse to show up, or what you put on paper feels like … Continue reading How to Write Every Day without Dying

Best Speculative Writing Residencies and Workshops

person writing on notebook

You might think that there aren't a whole lot of speculative writing residencies and workshops for writers in a specific genre. It's true that many residencies focus on allowing all writers to focus on any project they're undertaking. However, several outlets exist for those who write speculative fiction. Speculative writers focus on sci-fi, fantasy, and … Continue reading Best Speculative Writing Residencies and Workshops

Losing Confidence in Your Writing

woman sitting in front of macbook

We all lose confidence in our writing as we work. It comes in every stage of the writing process, whether you just came up with an idea, you're halfway through your novel, or you're revising (where I'm at right now). But losing confidence in your writing isn't an excuse to give up, or a sign … Continue reading Losing Confidence in Your Writing

Dark Fantasy: A Definition

woman wearing green flower headdress

When I talked about fantasy subgenres a few articles ago, I mentioned dark fantasy as a subgenre. But what exactly is dark fantasy? Where did it come from and what is its purpose? Dark fantasy often includes "darker" elements in the story, including horror. Often horror and fantasy combine to make dark fantasy, or just … Continue reading Dark Fantasy: A Definition

Science Fiction Tropes to Subvert

galaxy

We all know about tropes. They pop up in any form of writing, and often a hallmark of good writing is a writer's ability to tackle tropes, whether by exceeding the reader's expectations with them or subverting them altogether. Obviously, no genre is immune to any of these, but different tropes appear depending on what … Continue reading Science Fiction Tropes to Subvert