Tag: writing advice

The Space-Time Continuum: Make Our Garden Grow

By Edward Willett in Blog, Science Fiction Columns, Writing and Editing
October 7, 2022
6 mins to read
2 comments

This is the latest in my occasional column about writing science fiction and fantasy that appears in the Saskatchewan Writers Guild magazine Freelance. Authors who are regularly interviewed often profess to hate one particular question, the cliché of clichés: “Where do you get your ideas?” (One oft-quoted response to this question is that given by …

The Space-Time Continuum: Pros talk about rewriting prose

By Edward Willett in Blog, Columns, Science Fiction Columns, Writing and Editing
October 10, 2018
6 mins to read
Leave comment

Here’s my latest “Space-Time Continuum” column from the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild‘s newsletter Freelance… When I talk about writing (which I do, rather a lot), I’ll often say something like, “the most important part of writing is rewriting.” And I believe that’s true…but what rewriting means to an individual author varies. I’ve recently started a podcast, The …

I talk about worldbuilding!

By Edward Willett in Blog, Writing and Editing
June 8, 2018
1 mins to read
Leave comment

On Tuesday of this week I gave a presentation at the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild office, part of its Write After Lunch series of authors’ talks, entitled “Worldshaping.” The topic was what is usually called “worldbuilding,” but since my upcoming eighth novel for DAW Books (for which I just received the page proofs) is called Worldshaper, …

How to write YA fantasy: more story, less pretentiousness

By Edward Willett in Blog, Writing and Editing
June 11, 2016
24 mins to read
1 comments

On May 30 I gave a talk at the offices of the Saskatchewan Writers Guild for the Saskatchewan chapter of CANSCAIP, the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers (that’s their logo at left). The talk was live streamed and will eventually be on YouTube (I’ll post a link once it was) but here …

Answering some questions about writing

By Edward Willett in Blog, Writing and Editing
March 2, 2016
7 mins to read
Leave comment

I was recently asked, by someone on Facebook, several questions about writing, and I though the answers might be of general interest. And so here they are! How do you decide what ideas/characters/plots/etc. are good? Or which to keep? Hmmm. Of course, I think they’re all good. When I was starting out and writing everything …

Some writerly (in residence) advice

By Edward Willett in Blog, Writing and Editing
November 30, 2012
10 mins to read
Leave comment

From last September through May of this year, I served as writer-in-residence at the Regina Public Library, the latest in a long string of writers to serve in that position, which I understand is the longest-running program of its kind in any library in the country. During my nine months, spending one day a week …

Every book’s a stage, and all I really want to do is direct

By Edward Willett in Blog, Writing and Editing
November 28, 2012
7 mins to read
Leave comment

Regular readers of this blog (if such people exist) will know that I act as well as write, and have done since I was 11 years old and in Grade 7 at Weyburn Junior High School, when I was cast in the lead role of Petruchio in a one-act adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of …

How to become a science fiction writer

By Edward Willett in Art Columns, Blog, Columns
May 31, 2002
5 mins to read
Leave comment

Hello, my name is Ed, and I’m a science fiction writer. I’m the author of four young adult fantasy and science fiction titles, Soulworm, The Dark Unicorn, Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star, and Spirit Singer (all available at Book & Brier Patch as paperbacks; Spirit Singer is also available as an e-book from Awe-Struck E-Books). …

Write what you know?

By Edward Willett in Art Columns, Blog, Columns
April 12, 2000
5 mins to read
Leave comment

“Write what you know” is one of those tiresome bits of advice that beginning writers are forever having thrown at them. As a science fiction writer, I’ve always rejected this particular maxim out of hand, because, after all, I’ve never been a homeless street musician who ends up sharing a cheap hotel room with an …