You can’t go back to the past, or so they say. “The only way is forward. Futurism!” Most of us have rose-colored glasses for earlier eras, and rightfully so. Times really were better. They weren’t perfect, but our works had more meaning. A lot more. We were free to research, use critical thinking, and expressContinue reading “Enter the MetaModern-verse (Part 1)”
Tag Archives: fairytale
Perfection is a Sin
One of the biggest excuses in the procrastinator’s toolkit is a strive for perfection, endlessly editing and re-editing until what we’ve written is “perfect”. I was guilty of that. At the very least, I’d try making what I’d written bulletproof against most criticisms. The more bulletproof my writing was, the thinking went, the more confidenceContinue reading “Perfection is a Sin”
The Odds Are Against Us
It’s famously said we all have at least one book in us. But recently, I came across some troubling statistics: Statistics are a funny thing. They can be easily manipulated, and they are often used to manipulate you. Perhaps these numbers were paid for by oldpub and get floated around to dissuade would-be writers fromContinue reading “The Odds Are Against Us”
A Transactional Friendship
If a friend ever approaches you with serious concerns, it’s because he wants to communicate some understanding of what he’s been going through. And if your verbal response to that is: “It’s not my job to manage people’s feelings,” that’s not how friendships work. Your friend isn’t looking for you to “manage his feelings”, orContinue reading “A Transactional Friendship”
Indies Have Been Given a Fighting Chance
Look around the mainstream entertainment landscape. Seen any artists lately? I mean real artists. There’s a few still around here and there, but for the most part, the industries have failed us. They tend to hire the worst talent for the best jobs possible, and then let them continuously fail upwards. I don’t know aboutContinue reading “Indies Have Been Given a Fighting Chance”
The Zeigarnik Effect
To date, I have completed stories, but I have a much larger backlog of incomplete stories. Maybe I’m content unshelving my stories from time-to-time to work on them as my schedule allows. But would completing another story make me feel better? The answer is undoubtedly yes, especially if I complete my full-length novel project. OrContinue reading “The Zeigarnik Effect”
A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
Creative writers aren’t at risk of losing their jobs to AI anytime soon. And the old “1,000 words” saying may be the reason why. Is a picture worth 1,000 words? Well, let’s be fair: A picture could be worth a scene of words, which would likely land the wordcount anywhere from 700-1,500 words, especially ifContinue reading “A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words”
Taking Time for Yourself
Up until yesterday, I thought I had my priorities figured out. But sometimes, you’ve just got to work on your own stuff, take ownership of the time that’s been allotted to you. There’s an entire chapter in Screwtape Letters devoted to how the Devil Himself can easily turn “time” into “My Time”, and turn thatContinue reading “Taking Time for Yourself”
Writer’s Block: Writing Through a Tough Scene
Difficult scenes are perhaps the biggest part of my own personal brand of Writer’s Block. When I say difficult scenes, I don’t mean emotionally difficult, such as penning a beloved character’s death, a torture scene, or characters saying goodbye. What I mean is a scene that is technically difficult to write, from concept to execution.Continue reading “Writer’s Block: Writing Through a Tough Scene”
Devious Poetry (part two)
The “card twenty” refers to the twentieth Tarot card. And since this story is a depiction of “the history of magick”, the card is not being used for its intended purpose (a simple game). It is instead being repurposed for its now highly popularized, bastardized purpose of choice: divination. And the card itself is aContinue reading “Devious Poetry (part two)”
Nick Enlowe 