Monthly Archives: September 2014

Short Break

Posted on September 29, 2014 by J. Sevick

Hi All! So I’m waiting on a few things, figuring out a few others, and all in all, stuck in a bit of limbo. Which means overall I don’t have much to say, other than the vague things I’ve said … Continue reading →

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You’ve Got Politics in My Story!

Posted on September 26, 2014 by J. Sevick

For those of us who wish to write fun commercial stories, there may come a time when we ask: should politics be a part of our stories? To some extent, they always are. Your story may be advocating for or … Continue reading →

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What We Read For

Posted on September 25, 2014 by J. Sevick

As I was reading the other day, I tried to think about what was driving me to keep reading—why was I interested? What was I looking forward to reaching in the story? I realized that what drives a story to … Continue reading →

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The World is Not Enough

Posted on September 24, 2014 by J. Sevick

I’ve had this problem for a long time now—in fact, it’s always been a big part of my assertion that I’d actually rather be a worldbuilder. I have this entire world that I created… and no story to write in … Continue reading →

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Exposition from the Other Side

Posted on September 23, 2014 by J. Sevick

Approaching your story as the author, one of the most difficult things to figure out is what your story will look like from the outside—from a reader who has no knowledge of your world. No matter how objective you attempt … Continue reading →

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When Is It Ready to Be Read?

Posted on September 22, 2014 by J. Sevick

At some point, if your goal is to have other people read (and potentially even pay for) your work, you have to… actually let someone read it. Even though this was planned from the beginning of the project, it can … Continue reading →

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Expectations versus Reality in Fiction Summaries

Posted on September 19, 2014 by J. Sevick

When we read the summary on the back of a book, or in a promotion for the book, or hear someone else talk about it—we instantly form a vague picture of what we expect the book to be. Hearing about … Continue reading →

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The Second Draft: The Stage of Doubt

Posted on September 18, 2014 by J. Sevick

So I finally got back on the revision track, with fits and starts as is my life. Why has revision been so much harder, mentally, than writing the first draft? I’d always thought that getting through the first draft was … Continue reading →

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The Young Hero and the Chosen One Trope

Posted on September 17, 2014 by J. Sevick

Most people with any passing familiarity with the fantasy genre know about the “Chosen One” trope. In its most popular incarnations, like Harry Potter and Star Wars, it follows a young man with a prophesied destiny of defeating the villain … Continue reading →

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Romantic vs. Problematic Tropes

Posted on September 16, 2014 by J. Sevick

I’ve written in the past about my love/hate-to-love relationship with the romance genre. The problem is that romance novels can be so problematic—and it’s the problematic elements that are often the most fun! Take those away, and the story is … Continue reading →

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