Writing requires discomfort.

Good writing, writing that isn’t just forcing your brain through a sieve and taking whatever doesn’t run through and slapping it into something that looks like order so you can sell it to someone, cannot be written if you’re comfortable, if you’re complacent and happy with your current lot in life. Believe me, I’ve tried. Yes, your novel’s world seems like a nice warm thing to immerse yourself in, but so does, say, Skyrim. And when you’re comfortable you can just sit your ass down in your big plush Lovesac and play Skyrim and not have to worry about anything else.

Read More

Some Points on PoV

One of the most important decisions you have to make when writing fiction is which Point of View to use. I’ve been putting a lot of thought into this lately with my own novel, which may be shifting from third-person to first-person, and I’d like to share some thoughts about the strengths and weaknesses of the two that might not show up in a simple explanation of the different styles.

Read More

Truth is Complicated.

No matter your genre or setting, it’s vital to have realistic characters in your fiction, and a large part of creating realistic characters is understanding people. Sometimes “people” is just yourself - goodness knows many of us writers are introverts and shut-ins. So I’d like to share something from my own life that, upon further reflection, helped me build better characters.

Truth is complicated.

Read More

Finding Inspiration in the Gaps

I’ve been watching a bit of anime lately. I don’t really consider myself “an anime fan” because I feel that implies a lack of selectivity. There are a number of shows and movies I’ve enjoyed that are anime, all the way back to Robotech, but I’m picky.

I’ve also been digging under every rock for inspiration since I quit my day job. I finally have the time for it, I finally have evenings that aren’t tainted by the murk of the day that preceded them. Accompanied by my Long-Suffering Roommate Zack I’ve watched the trope-twisting Puella Magi Madoka Magica, the creative classic reinterpretation Gankutsuou, the obviously-created-by-a-yaoi-writer Black Butler. What I’ve started watching this week may be the most inspiring of all: Sword Art Online.

Read More

  • me in my head: i'm going to get my life together and read classic novels and drink green tea and eat really healthy and wear cute outfits and make interesting artwork and spend lots of time outside. i'm going to start biking everywhere and walking and listening to lots of new indie bands that i've always wanted to listen to and take bubble baths and my life is just going to be amazing.
  • me in reality: well. today i think i'm going to watch netflix in my pjs and eat ice cream. and if i'm feeling really productive i might shower.

Source: beauty-isachoice

Q:Erm...wasn't it that guy's point maybe that you hadn't been singled out? Christians do that you know. Leave stuff randomly in places, I mean. Its more common in the Arab world, but it happens here too. Since the Bible says everyone needs what the Bible says, maybe it was random. And isn't thinking they singled you out, kind of self centred?

heimspacehub

Isn’t assuming that everyone needs to hear what YOUR religion says kind of self-centered?

I hate to bring out the Social Justice Talk, but this is very much a Privilege thing. A straight Christian telling a gay person that they’re overreacting and being self-centered when they’ve been targeted by a prosteletyzing Christian is like a white person telling a black person that they’re overreacting and being self-centered when they’ve been targeted by the police. Just because you don’t have a history of that due to your privilege doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Just because you don’t experience it doesn’t mean that I don’t.

Quoth the Social Justice Blogs, “Check your privilege.”

Q:Why are these anons flooding you with explanations and barely held back demands you be 'thankful' you've been considered? I'd be pissed off too, and hurt. As a non-Christian, I don't put up flyers that say "God isn't real, here's some alternatives to make your life better" at the church in my town :/ If they're so Christian, they wouldn't go and single out one person they "think" needs "saving", only be kind and accepting, yeah? Right. Not these particular individuals and the anons need to chill

tatsituq-deactivated20130416

I think it’s safe to assume they’re all the same anon. But you’re right, kindness and acceptance are much better ways to show others that your way of living is really working. Living by example and all that, not by disrespect.

Top