This is a more "warm and fuzzy column" than some of my more technical ones. I suppose I can break with tradition now and then. Everyone needs balance.

I've addressed "attitude" in worlds and concepts, but rarely attitudes in authors. But there is one that I'm going to talk about and how it relates to worldbuilding.

The attitude than an author should "play god" in their worlds and stories.

Let's just say I think it's a bad idea.



LET THERE BE SPITE:
To put it simply, to put it bluntly, taking the attitude that you're ...

A lot of this column comes from my experiences in worldbuilding - playing and writing RPGs, a shared-universe project, and my past and current writing, quite a few years of it. I still recall my first universe - a bizare mix of mary-sueism, genetic engineering, weird religious stuff, and an interest in UFOs. I was about 11 when I created it.

However, I'm always learning new things. Art in a strange way isn't about success - it's ...

You probably do not look at the current spate of science fiction writings as anything other than imaginative and absorbing. Given the popularity of sagas such as Star Trek, Star Wars, Star Gate, Babylon 5 and their derivatives, I can hardly blame ...

Remember that really weird dream you had about Legolas? You might call it a fantasy, but write it down, it becomes "fan fiction." ...

When I was a young child I read everything I could get my hands on. I didn’t really understand the concept of genres, so I devoured any book that came across my path. Fantasy, mysteries, adventure-it just didn’t matter. They were all lumped together on the meager ...