I'm up for critique next month in SPAMmers. A science fiction short story that got out of hand and meandered on toward novelette during NaNoWriMo last November is calling to me today. It needs tightening and a focus. A title would be good ...
It also needs some worldbuilding. I checked my handy file of linky things on the subject. Here are a few that I particularly like:
http://matociquala.tumblr.com/post/46254831406/people-too-often-conceive-of-worldbuilding#_=_ Scott Lynch via Elizabeth Bear: "Some parts of it you can measure almost scientifically. Some parts are mad whack inscrutable alchemy."
http://www.redwombatstudio.com/blog/?p=5484 Okapi butts and worldbuilding as only Ursula Vernon could present it. "... there's no okapi there at all, it's basically a big striped butt on a stick that the writer is waving through the undergrowth."
http://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions/ Patricia Wrede's wonderful list of thought-provoking ideas. Unpack at your leisure.
So this weekend I may intersperse preparing my taxes (I've industrially pushed the file around my desk for a month; push must move on to shove) with poking at this SF story.
A lot of coffee will be consumed. Probably with chocolate.
Showing posts with label Link Gumbo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Link Gumbo. Show all posts
30 March 2013
27 January 2013
Link Gumbo - Weather, The Future, and An Adventure
What's the difference between sleet and freezing rain? I'll start with this, given we may well see both of these today in the Chicago area. Angela Fritz, atmospheric scientist, explains.
Permafrost is melting all across the northern reaches of the globe. Researchers in Alaska found the remains of "Bison Bob," a 40,000-year-old steppe bison, in a thawing river bank. Here's the story.
The World Economic Forum occurred recently at Davos, Switzerland. Here's a brief summary of some predictions for the future.
I write fiction, as do many of my friends and readers. We paint images with words. Here's a short animated film that is only images, no words! There are fantasy adventure tropes galore as well as a wonderful, satisfying ending.
Stay warm! I'm going to make another mocha and do some editing.
UPDATE: We have sleet! (In case you're wondering, sleet and hail are almost the same. Sleet happens in winter, hail happens in summer and is often larger than sleet.)
I can hear the little balls pinging off the windows.
Permafrost is melting all across the northern reaches of the globe. Researchers in Alaska found the remains of "Bison Bob," a 40,000-year-old steppe bison, in a thawing river bank. Here's the story.
The World Economic Forum occurred recently at Davos, Switzerland. Here's a brief summary of some predictions for the future.
I write fiction, as do many of my friends and readers. We paint images with words. Here's a short animated film that is only images, no words! There are fantasy adventure tropes galore as well as a wonderful, satisfying ending.
Stay warm! I'm going to make another mocha and do some editing.
UPDATE: We have sleet! (In case you're wondering, sleet and hail are almost the same. Sleet happens in winter, hail happens in summer and is often larger than sleet.)
I can hear the little balls pinging off the windows.
05 October 2012
Link Gumbo - Writing
Every now and then I like to step back from the actual writing to read what authors have to say about the process. I decided to share some of what I've found.
The links are arranged from shortest read (NeilHimself’s advice) to longest (Seanan’s epic essays) mostly. Not going to quibble over whether Ms Bear’s or Ms Darwin’s post is longer. I’ve included a quote from each as a tease.
To start, writerly advice from Neil Gaiman: “2. Put one word after another. Find the right word, put it down.”
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/09/28/neil-gaiman-8-rules-of-writing/
Vonda N McIntyre has long been a favorite author of mine (Read Dreamsnake! Also The Moon and the Sun!) McIntyre’s First Law: “Under the right circumstances, anything I tell you could be wrong.” “His heart beat in his chest. Where else, ordinarily, would your heart beat?”
http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/2009/10/04/pitfalls-of-writing-sf-fantasy-14-everything%E2%80%99s-in-the-right-place/
Carol Lanham on revision - that’s when you add the bling. “This is the moment where I get to sew little weird pieces of me into the mix.”
http://storytellersunplugged.com/carollanham/2012/07/02/the-good-part/
Elizabeth Bear on The Expert Problem. “This is kind of a running joke among writers--never talk about firearms, motor vehicles, or horses, because somebody will give you hell about it--no matter what you say.”
http://matociquala.livejournal.com/1943343.html
Emma Darwin (my favorite explainer of How Writing Works) on “where the narrative (and therefore the reader) stands, relative to a character.”
http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/psychic-distance-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it.html
And to wrap it all up, here’s Seanan McGuire’s Fifty Thoughts on Writing. “3. Putting fifty thousand words on paper does not make you a novelist.” (No, she is not against NaNoWriMo. She makes important points here.)
http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/14069.html
First she made the list of thoughts. Then wrote essays! Includes links to her essays for Thoughts 1 through 47. (The essays for #48-50 weren’t yet posted as of today.) All The Things!
There you have it: a mini writing course by professional, award-winning authors in the trenches. Apply liberally! Use wisely.
And remember McIntyre’s First Law.
The links are arranged from shortest read (NeilHimself’s advice) to longest (Seanan’s epic essays) mostly. Not going to quibble over whether Ms Bear’s or Ms Darwin’s post is longer. I’ve included a quote from each as a tease.
To start, writerly advice from Neil Gaiman: “2. Put one word after another. Find the right word, put it down.”
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/09/28/neil-gaiman-8-rules-of-writing/
Vonda N McIntyre has long been a favorite author of mine (Read Dreamsnake! Also The Moon and the Sun!) McIntyre’s First Law: “Under the right circumstances, anything I tell you could be wrong.” “His heart beat in his chest. Where else, ordinarily, would your heart beat?”
http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/2009/10/04/pitfalls-of-writing-sf-fantasy-14-everything%E2%80%99s-in-the-right-place/
Carol Lanham on revision - that’s when you add the bling. “This is the moment where I get to sew little weird pieces of me into the mix.”
http://storytellersunplugged.com/carollanham/2012/07/02/the-good-part/
Elizabeth Bear on The Expert Problem. “This is kind of a running joke among writers--never talk about firearms, motor vehicles, or horses, because somebody will give you hell about it--no matter what you say.”
http://matociquala.livejournal.com/1943343.html
Emma Darwin (my favorite explainer of How Writing Works) on “where the narrative (and therefore the reader) stands, relative to a character.”
http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/psychic-distance-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it.html
And to wrap it all up, here’s Seanan McGuire’s Fifty Thoughts on Writing. “3. Putting fifty thousand words on paper does not make you a novelist.” (No, she is not against NaNoWriMo. She makes important points here.)
http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/14069.html
First she made the list of thoughts. Then wrote essays! Includes links to her essays for Thoughts 1 through 47. (The essays for #48-50 weren’t yet posted as of today.) All The Things!
There you have it: a mini writing course by professional, award-winning authors in the trenches. Apply liberally! Use wisely.
And remember McIntyre’s First Law.
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