Reblog- Hannah Heath

How to Come Up With Story Ideas- I was going to simply tell you how to come up with a story idea, but we all know the saying.
"Show, don't tell."

So, sure, I will explain the story generating process to you. However, I will also show you how I personally would go about coming up with a story idea from scratch.


Disability Pride Month!

• 11 of My Favorite Disabled and Autistic Characters in Movies and TV- It's Disability Pride Month, so let's talk about alllllll the disabled and autistic characters in movies and TV shows!  

• 6 Badass Disabled Warriors in History: Proof That You Can Write A Disabled Protagonist- Today I wanted to give a list of incredible disabled warriors throughout history. I'm doing this because one of the main things I hear when people consider writing a disabled character (or see one represented on-page or on-screen) is that it is "unrealistic" for disabled people to be heroes. 
  This is, of course, complete and utter garbage. Here's proof...

Nonlinear Character Arcs: What They Are, Why They're Epic, and How to Write Them- If you've been writing or reading for any amount of time, you've probably heard of the two main character arcs: the positive character arc and the negative character arc.

Lots of great tips and articles from blogger and author Hannah Heath!

I find her method of coming up with story ideas comparable to the Story a Week method, only it's not nearly as in-depth and time consuming. Which is a good thing; I developed 2 beginning-to-end ideas in less than a week. Now I just need to sit down and write them. :P

Reblog- SpecFaith: Free Original Storyworld Ideas

Free Original Storyworld Ideas

A series of 10 articles from Speculative Faith, covering ideas for Christian storytellers to use in their fiction. Topics are mostly Sci-Fi oriented, but there are plenty of Fantasy and Sci-Fi/Fantasy blends that are addressed.
I found several things that I'd like to incorporate into my own story worlds!

Reblog- Jolley Comics

The Property of Hate

The Princess and the Jester

Just a plug for some comics that I thoroughly enjoy. I would buy The Princess and the Jester if it came in print; in addition to being a wholesome, nail-biting, fairytale-esque story, the art is gorgeous and perfect for a children's book.
And The Property of Hate is the first story I've read that I love despite not having a very clear plot (kind of like Alice in Wonderland, but a bit more coherent imo). It explores esoteric concepts (several aspects of being, thought, and lots of cool stuff), has great art, Hero, and RGB (both of whom are flat out awesome.)

Reblog- Guardian Wolf: Memorial Day Tribute

If Only Words- If only words could match. If only gratitude could be expressed. Worthy of the sacrifice they made, for all of the rest.
We may not all agree on the why and where’s, but we must agree that without them we wouldn’t be here.
To enjoy the freedom that we have; a price so high has been paid.
...

 A sweet Memorial Day tribute poem by KimGuardianWolf.

Reblog- Ink and Sage Podcast

Episode 006: The Fruitful Heist and Renewal of Spirit— As ever, I’m not an expert, my intention is to be positive and helpful, and my opinions do not reflect the authors’ worth as people or as writers. Please ensure adequate sodium intake with this podcast.

I (and one of my Nano friends!) got featured on a podcast! This lovely lady, Sage Gordon Davis, is accepting first paragraphs, sentences, or the first line of stories from anyone willing to submit. She dissects them with a reader’s eye, telling what caught her fancy or what wasn’t her cup of tea.
Her podcast is great, take a look!

Reblog- The Art of Being an Artist

Stephen McCranie: The Art of Being an Artist- They are true craftsmen, navigating their art with deftness and poise. I want to create as they do, but there is yet so far for me to go.

What the How-To Books DON'T Tell You About Mastering Your Craft

I'm only on Episode 11, and I've already gotten so much out of it. (Which I find funny, because I just finished reading a self-help book that I got nothing out of...)

Reblog- Hobbes and Bacon

Calvin and Hobbes tribute- “Hobbes and Bacon” is a “Calvin and Hobbes” tribute that takes place 26 years later. I had nothing to with creating these cartoons – I am merely posting them here so that you can see them. There are four – and only four – but that’s enough to get the message across. You can see larger versions of the images by clicking twice on each image:

Came across some Calvin and Hobbes continuation strips. They’re so cute!
I also came across a few called “Calvin and Company,” but I can’t find a place where all of the strips are together and in order...

Reblog- Hazel West's Character Purgatory: Book Sale, Sneak Peek!

Book Sale!: So, the other day when I posted my sneak peek of The New Emperor's Concerto, I mentioned I was going to do a book sale to help raise money to hire a cover artist. I thought this would be a fun way to do so since I recently unhauled a lot of books that are in really good condition (some signed special editions I got in subscription boxes) and books are always great for Christmas gifts :)

The New Emperor's Concerto Sneak Peek!: So, if you've been following me on social media you might have seen me tease a bit about this book, but now that NaNo is over, I am officially starting promotion on it as I'm hoping for a February release.

Reblog: iamcharlesbakerharris, Tolkien

Of Crowns and Kings and Elves and Things: Buckle up, lads . . . it’s time to talk about Tolkien!!! What brought on this PARTICULAR bout of Tolkien musing, you might ask?  Well, it’s pretty simple.  People be out here tellin’ me you need to read Tolkien if you want to write good fantasy.

And I, er, am not on board with that?

Imma just say that, as a Tolkien lover, I agree with everything this lovely lady has to say. Tolkien, while amazing (I LOVE extensive worldbuilding), has cast a huge shadow over Fantasy, to the extent that most of it seems to be a messy regurgitation of his imagination. Elves used to be creepy midgets before he came along, y’all. Just...something to keep in mind.

Regal elves are well and good, but they’re not the only kind of elf around. Take the LotR predecessors in the Silmarillion. *snicker* (I will link to a two-panel comic illustrating this as soon as I am able.)

I would also like to say that this post gave me a few random components that may or may not become a story:

-A medieval village/hamlette/fief/whatev.

-A mountain, and a shadow you can never leave (well, you can but it’s frowned upon to the extent that guards will attempt to slay you if you try)

-A heck of a lot of rule-breaking outside of said shadow

Crud. Looking at it written out makes me realize that I could totally fit this into a partially-formulated story featuring a spoiled rich-kid who wants to be an adventurer (and actually has the skills to do that), a jaded bard, and a swordsman who would just as gladly feed an orphan as behead a king. Or maybe it was a bard who would behead a king, and a jaded swordsman...

I’ll have to check my notes, but I think one of them is a Scot/Scot equivalent (I’m pretty sure it’s the sword guy).

Anyways. Read the article.

Reblog: The Silmaril Awards

This Year's Awards: The fourth annual Silmaril Awards are live. Below you’ll find the links to all of the pages where you can go to nominate your favorite fantasy characters. All you have to do is leave a comment with the name of your character and what book he or she is from.

About: The Silmaril Awards are all about celebrating fantasy fiction. But whereas most awards go to authors or books, these awards go to the characters themselves! Sound like fun? Read on.

This year's Silmaril Awards have begun! I'm stoked to finally be present in the blogosphere in time to participate in this event! So just giving the event a bump (and also putting the links someplace I hopefully won't lose track of :P), and encouraging you to nominate and second your favorite fantasy characters!
So far I've only seconded other's nominations. I'm going to nominate some lovelies as soon as I can take a few hours and comb through my books to make sure I'm remembering and spelling characters' names correctly. :P

Reblog- Story Embers: Three Ways to Avoid Stagnating Your Skills as a Storyteller

Three Ways to Avoid Stagnating Your Skills as a Storyteller- Many of us, myself included, struggle to break away from the types of stories we gravitate toward. We assume that we need more training before we can tackle a different genre or point of view. But expanding is one of our responsibilities as writers, and it’s a precursor to growth!

Reblog- Hannah Williams: Of Tolkien, Tragedy, and Truth

Of Tolkien, Tragedy, and Truth: As a young Tolkienite, I devoured "The Silmarillion." I fell in love with the epic elves therein and mourned their tragic fates. For the most part, I'm not a fan of reading tragedy, but nevertheless Tolkien's style and world drew me in, and eventually the great evil was defeated.

Reblog- Specfaith: A Shadowy Argument for Christian Fiction, and Others

A Shadowy Argument for Christian Fiction- Shadows cast by stories can sometimes obscure the truth, but can Christian fiction paradoxically illuminate through shadow?

Is Prayer in Fiction Fictional?- What constitutes an unrealistic view of prayer in fiction?

Getting the Most out of Conferences- What an opportunity, then, for writers to pick the brains of these professionals at a conference, starting with a presentation—a pitch—of their own work. How else can writers find out if they have an idea that captures the interest of those who are experienced?

The first story that came to mind, in regards to the second article, was Failstate by John W. Otte.

It was action-packed, full of suspense, and the protagonist faced some tough decisions. All went well (for my reading, not the protagonist), until...

The prayer scene played to the "God of the Vending Machine" trope. It wasn't enough to totally ruin the book for me, but tears were shed. (And I'm upset enough that I haven't picked up the book for a re-read. It was an awesome story with unique use of powers, but the relationship between God and the protag was messed up.)

The protagonist doesn't really care about God. Until he's being pounded 6 feet into the floor, that is. Sure, in the course of the story he shot off a few "help please" prayers (who doesn't?), but he doesn't really "believe"/give much thought to God until he's given a deus ex machina. I mean, he made it this far "without help" (according to him, as literally none of his earlier pleas are answered in the positive); what's one more fight?

Maybe I'm due for a reread, since it has been a while since I read it, but every time I think about that prayer scene...okay, since I'm still dwelling on it years later, maybe it did ruin the book for me.

But, if that kind of thing doesn't bother you, you'll probably enjoy Failstate. It has a gripping story line and unique usage of powers. However, much of the story has a dark undertone. If you want a heavier (medium-weight? It wasn't nearly as dark as Reapers) read, definitely check it out.

Reblog- Spec. Faith: The Quantum Mechanics God of Alternate Realities

The Quantum Mechanics God of Alternate Realities: Are alternate universes fair game for Christian writers of speculative fiction? This post takes a look at why so many science fiction stories feature alternate realities based on quantum mechanics–and suggests ways a Christian worldview can be compatible with this kind of tale.

The author of this piece mentions that not nearly enough writers take advantage of making alternate versions of their own worlds. Kyle Robert Shultz immediately came to mind. He's an author that is doing a wonderful job in making full use of time travel, alternate/possible realities, and his oh so quirky characters! *plugplugplug*

Reblog- Spec. Faith: Dreams of Other Worlds

Dreams of Other Worlds- Why do we have dreams of other worlds? Do fictional visions point to a reality beyond our own?

Reblog- Hazel West's Character Purgatory: Holding Out For a Hero: The Death of Male (and Fem...

Hazel West's Character Purgatory: Holding Out For a Hero: The Death of Male (and Fem...: I recently finished reading  Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak and found myself struck with just how different this book was from so man...

Reblog- Spec. Faith: Great Male Characters...

Who are some of your favorite male characters in fiction?
I have to say, though it changes from time to time, Janner and Pete the Sock Man from The Wingfeather Saga have held a top spot in my heart for a while. Their heroics and character development is amazing. <3 p="">(Psst, did you know there's, like, an episode for the beginning of The Wingfeather Saga?! I know it's been out for almost a year, but I'm still excited about it. :P)

Speculative Faith: Great Male Characters in Fantastic Fiction: E. Stephen Burnett asked five female friends to describe a favorite male character from fantastic fiction.

Reblog- Speculative Faith: An Apologetic of Horror by Brian Godawa

An interesting series of articles about the horror genre and how it relates to the Christian. Or rather, the truth portrayed in the Bible.
The site--Speculative Faith--has some other good articles, both for and against this position, if you search "horror" in their archives.

An Apologetic of Horror, Part 1 by Brian Godawa: Horror is not an inherently evil genre of storytelling. It can be used for gratuitous evil purposes, or for godly moral purposes. The Bible tells many stories using the horror genre in order to inspire holy fear of evil and admonish or chastise those in sin.
"", Part 2 by Brian Godawa: The portrayal of good AND evil, as well as their consequences, are two sides of God’s one honorable, pure, lovely, excellent, and praiseworthy truth. According to the Bible, pointing out wrong is part of dwelling on what is right, exposing lies is part of dwelling on the truth, revealing cowardice is part of dwelling on the honorable, and uncovering corruption is part of dwelling on the pure.
"", Part 3 by Brian Godawa: The defense of horror and thriller movies in principle should not be misconstrued to be a justification for all horror and thriller movies in practice. It is the mature Christian who, because of practice, has his senses trained to discern good and evil in a fallen world.

Reblog- Hannah Heath: Head-hopping: What It Is, Why it Sucks, And How To...

Head-hopping is something that bugs me quite a bit. I'm 90% sure it's a major reason I decided to write Trouble in Bookland in close 3rd POV.

Here's a blog post from Hannah Heath that explains just what head-hopping is, and how to avoid it!



Hannah Heath: Head-hopping: What It Is, Why it Sucks, And How To...: I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you don't know what the term "head-hopping" means. And, if you do  know what...

Reblog- Knitted by God's Plan: I am not a Hand

I haven't had a lot of time to write new posts lately (though I have done a few things I would like to mention in a near-future post.) So I'm giving a shot at reblogging posts that I liked/found interesting/helpful and such. Some I may offer an explanation, others I may not.

My explanation for this post: I can relate! Especially to this bit:

"Women who look at me and shake their heads because how can I possibly justify just sitting at my computer writing all day.
And sometimes ... I question my salvation because of it. How can I possibly be a Christian if I can't give of myself freely like all of these other women I know and respect?"


Knitted by God's Plan: I am not a Hand: My sister doesn't know how much I envy her. While I managed to inherit all of the talent and IQ ... she was the angel child. She was ...