George R R Martin’s now famous analogy of the architect and the gardener distilled the craft of novel-writing into two distinct creative approaches. I would suggest this is a particularly useful analogy when thinking specifically about worldbuilding – the manner in which writers go about creating a fictional universe for their story to live within. … Continue reading On worldbuilding: The Nihilistic Architect and the Negligent Gardener
Writing
What Photography Teaches Us About Writing
Before a photographer takes a photo, a lot of considerations run through her mind: composition, white balance, light sensitivity, aperture size, and more – all the variables that will help her achieve the most accurate exposure of the scene before her. She’ll also look for ways to impart her own impression of the image – … Continue reading What Photography Teaches Us About Writing
Diary of a NaNoWriMo Virgin
NaNoWriMo, ah yes. To some, it is just a baffling not-quite-word that clogs up the Twitter trends every November. To others, it is a golden chalice; to partake from its wine is to enter a nirvana of creative solitude. For a month, the belly of the whale is home to you, your laptop, and your … Continue reading Diary of a NaNoWriMo Virgin
The Problem with Ideas-Driven Fiction (And How to Fix it)
Theme folds in meaning to our writing and gives a recognisable shape to the underlying structures that form the narrative. Without theme the narrative can feel flat or disjointed, but a strong theme provides an overall consistency that holds everything in place. Scenes, characters, and events take on new poignancy, attracting deeper sympathies. Most importantly, … Continue reading The Problem with Ideas-Driven Fiction (And How to Fix it)
Monsters in Eden 