A Narrative That Opens The Mind When it comes to Robert SIlverberg, it is a name that I’ve heard crop up when people talk about progressive science fiction books with unique ideas. However, until I found To Open The Sky in my local Oxfam charity shop, I hadn’t picked up one of his books until […]
To Open The Sky by Robert Silverberg – Sci Fi Book Review Read More »
Writing fantasy is thrilling and intimidating. As a seasoned author or a newcomer to the craft, crafting a believable fantasy world is no easy feat. The central element of any fantastic story is worldbuilding—it’s how believable the world is, how it operates, and how engaged it makes the reader. But worldbuilding from a blank slate
How To Write Fantasy Lore Read More »
When it comes to characterisation and successfully crafting compelling characters, culture is often woefully overlooked in modern narratives. Character and culture are two distinct but interwoven traits of a story that rely on one another to produce a cohesive and engaging story. All the best storytellers understand that without culture, you don’t have characters, and
Character and Culture: Using Culture for Characterisation Read More »
Ever since humanity looked to the stars and understood what they were, we’ve forever been wondering if we’re alone in the cosmos. Perhaps, one day, we’ll find out. But until that point science fiction writers love to run with the concept of alien civilisations making contact with humanity. As the knowledge base of scientists expands,
Alien Story Ideas (List of 50+ Ideas) Read More »
I am the voice of star struck poets, The call of the enchanted singer, The vision of the inspired filmmaker, And the rhythm of bards alike. What be I, I hear you ask? I am everything and nothing, The fate of a million dreams failed, The destiny of a million more realized. I am the wind to the sails of time, The current to
The Song of Your Stars | Poem by Stewart Storrar Read More »
It is the tree rustling in the shrill wind,The amber leaf that falls from the tree,The loose rock from the rigid cliff face,The rogue cloud in a clear sky.It is the smouldering ash,To the raging flames.The mighty sword,To the broken shield.What I am is your perfect chaos.The chaos you refuse to face. The poem, Unspoken
‘Unspoken Melody’ A Poem by Stewart Storrar Read More »
So, you have a quick five minutes to spare and through the miracle of Google (or Bing – but who uses that anyway) you have found your way here. Woo! Now let’s get to work spending those free five minutes with one of our short and sweet (or possibly not so sweet) situational writing prompts.
5 Quick Situational Writing Prompts You Can Do in 5 Minutes Read More »
The eternal flame of a thousand years,Of all that has come before you,And all that will succeed you,Burns like a totem to all that has been lost,And as a beacon to that which will be found,Become a phoenix of fires past,Risen up to forge a future from ash,To claim a life from death,To continue a
‘Ancestor’s Spirit’ A Poem by Stewart Storrar Read More »
JUdge Dredd VS Death Book Review I have been a long term fan of the Judge Dredd franchise. From flicking through old 2000ad annuals from the 80s during my childhood to browsing the character’s latest adventures in the local comic book store, the no bullshit hallmark personality of the futuristic lawman always owned a certain
Judge Dredd: Dredd Vs Death Book Review Read More »
The past few months we’ve covered various different ways to write things in books, be it a fight scene, writing character thoughts, or even writing time skips so that they flow naturally. Continuing this article tradition, we have another brief blog on how to write a text message in a book. Texting dialogue can –
how to write A text message in a book Read More »