Is Combat Boring? Lloyd Alexander’s Taran Wanderer
After last article’s break to look at the potential impacts of COVID-19 on the future of fantasy, it is time to return to the current series on the potentially boring…
Corona, Or the Future of Fantasy
With a perniciousness matched only by the disease itself, it seems that Corona has infected all of our communications as well. Fortunately, this particular variety of the contagion is far…
Is Combat Boring? Tolkien’s Pelennor Fields
Last article I revived the claim that combat in literature is boring. I talked about the tainting effect of movie special effects which have prompted authors to futilely chase after…
Combat is Boring – Revisited
In one of my first articles on this blog, I proclaimed that combat (in literature) is boring! Combat, in and of itself, often adds less value to a novel than…
The Cartography of a Novel
In the last article, I mentioned that I do a lot of visual work when I prepare to write a novel, particularly maps. Ever since I was a child, I’ve…
Writing is an Act of Faith
It has occurred to me this past week that writing fiction is an act of faith. Not being a detailed pre-plotter, I can’t say with absolute certainty that this is…
Families & Fantasy
There is a dearth of families in fantasy. There are, of course, exceptions, but most of these are where said families and/or children are important to plot, character, or theme. …
Individuals, Society, Change, and Story
This article centers on a combination of seemingly disparate thoughts, so I ask for your patience as I bring them all together. The conclusion, I think, will be interesting.So the…
The Blessing that is Writer’s Block
In the last article, I discussed writer’s block and started looking at three major varieties I’ve identified. The first is a slog where you have a segment that just isn’t…
Wrestling with Writer’s Block
Though it may not be self-evident, this article is a continuation of the last article’s discussion on the journey versus the destination of story writing. Along that vein, I’ve been…