My fellow DAW author Joshua Palmetier has taken it upon himself to coordinate something called The Query Project. He’s asked a number of published authors to post, on September 12, one of their actual query letters that led to them getting a publisher or agent, and comment on the art of writing queries in general. …
Tag: writing
The World Science Fiction Convention – the science column
Long-term readers of this column will know that, every so often, I go off to science fiction conventions. I’ve done it again: I just finished attending the 66th Annual World Science Fiction Convention in Denver. It was, as WorldCons almost always have been for me, a wonderful experience…although that experience has changed over the years. …
Denvention: Day 1
It’s the morning after the first day of Denvention 3, the 66th World Science Fiction Convention. So far, so good! We got into Denver on Tuesday and were able to register right away (once we found the convention: the Denver Convention Centre is one of the largest buildings I’ve ever been in and is capable …
The writer formerly known as Ed
So I had this dream last night in which SF writer John Scalzi decreed that henceforth he would only be known by the single name SCALZI (always in all capitals). This got me thinking that perhaps I could leap ahead to that level of fame myself and decree that henceforth I will only be known …
First lines
Io9 had an interesting post on great first lines in SF*, which prompted Scott Westerfeld to post the first lines of some of his novels, which… Well, you know where I’m going with this, don’t you? Here are the first lines of my novels. Are they great? Hard for me to judge. But they each …
They also write who only sit and wait
So yesterday I sent off two sample chapters and a synopsis to my agent, Ethan Ellenberg, for a new young adult fantasy tentatively titled Blue Fire. Now I’m waiting to see if he thinks it’s in good shape to start submitting to publishers, or if he thinks I should work on it a bit more. …
Juvenalia III: Romance!
You asked for it (OK, maybe you didn’t, but you’re going to get it anyway): here are romantic scenes from my three high school novels, The Golden Sword (Grade 10), Ship from the Unknown (Grade 11) and The Slavers of Thok (Grade 12). For those joining the party late, I’ve previously posted the opening pages …
Juvenalia II: Action!
Proceeding with my sudden urge to bare all…er, literarily speaking…I present three action scenes from my high school novels, beginning, once again, with The Golden Sword. This is from page 144 of the manuscript, quite near the end: *** Suddenly there was a cry of triumph from the doorway and Cotin spun to face Kyle …
Juvenalia
One of the panels I’m scheduled to be on at Denvention 3, the World Science Fiction Convention in Denver August 6 to 10, is called “Writers reading from their juvenalia.” Juvenalia is defined by Merriam-Webster as “compositions produced in the artist’s or author’s youth.” But not everyone who reads this blog will be in Denver. …
Gripping new trilogies ‘r’ us
In the wake of discovering yesterday that I’m apparently writing a “gripping new trilogy” (who knew?) I thought I’d see who else has written gripping new trilogies. Other books described, on the pages linked to below, as the first in a gripping new trilogy (although in each case the phrase almost certainly originated with the …
Scientific evidence reading fiction is good for you AND for society
From the Globe and Mail: A group of Toronto researchers have compiled a body of evidence showing that bookworms have exceptionally strong people skills. Their years of research – summed up in the current issue of New Scientist magazine – has shown readers of narrative fiction scored higher on tests of empathy and social acumen …
Bruce Sterling’s SF workshop lexicon
I don’t know how I’ve missed this all these years. I know a lot of the terms–I’ve used them in workshops and more recently in all the work I’ve done with young writers–but I’ve never seen them all brought together in one place, even though this Workshop Lexicon, compiled by Bruce Sterling, has been around …
My latest live walk and vlog
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