sffworld.com - kenplumsteel

Reader reviews and comments

06-18 - Paradigms by Chris McKenna
06-17 - Iron Tower by Dennis McKiernan
06-16 - The Errant King by Wayne Thomas Batson
06-15 - Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson
06-14 - The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson
06-13 - The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind
06-09 - Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb
06-09 - Dreamers, The by David Eddings
06-09 - The Lost King by Devorah Fox
06-09 - Honor Among Thieves by Elaine Cunningham

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News

Time Traveled Tales edited by Jean Rabe, the 2012 Origins Anthology Goes Kickstarter for Wide Release

The authors from last year’s Origins (2012) anthology, Time Traveled Tales, have come together to run a Kickstarter campaign... read more
Rob B June 17th, 2013, 01:03 PM

Game of Thrones in HD available on blinkbox July 15th

HBO's Game of Thrones fans will be able to buy the third series of the fantasy series on blinkbox following its Sky Atlantic airing – months ahead of its DVD and Blu-ray release.
... read more
June 17th, 2013, 10:15 AM

Categories:
Other

Extract from Neil Gaimans The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Neil Gaimans new book The Ocean at the End of the Lane is to be released on June 18.

A brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror... read more
June 13th, 2013, 04:07 PM

Categories:
Excerpts
Articles
Lucid Writing Advice IV by Antavius S. Flagg

Published on June 4th, 2002 12:46 PM

Categories:

Writing

The five ways of creating a fantasy world

Create a good idea of your fantasy world
Naming characters, places, and religions.
Knowing when not to go too far
Remembering what you created
Creating a history of your world.
It would seem that writing fantasy would be easy, but yet there are an abundance of challenges that the writer must face. This article will give you a better grip on tackling the aspects of creating worlds, and the people who populate them.

CREATE A GOOD IDEA OF YOUR FANTASY WORLD

No world that is to sustain life exists without water, unless the people who inhabit it are completely bizarre in design. I’ve ...

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A way with worlds: 48 - Apocalypse How by Steven Savage of Seventh Sanctum

Published on September 3rd, 2001 02:55 PM

Categories:

Writing

Yes, it's a corny title. I couldn't think of anything else. Besides, a certain film with a similar title recently got re-released, and I couldn't resist.

Though, when it comes to creating post-apocalyptic worlds, corny is usually the order of the day. I won't mince words - I find most post-apocalyptic storyworlds hideously silly and overdone. For every "Canticle for Liebowitz" there's a lot of after-the-end drivel. ...

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Self-Publishing Digs Deep Into Your Pocket: But The Rewards Can Be Gratifying by Marrissa R. Dick

Published on February 26th, 2000 06:10 AM

Categories:

Writing

Are you trying to self-publish your work through traditional measures? Do you constantly have publishing companies telling you that your work is not what their looking for? Do agents snub you because you're not a known author? ...

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A way with worlds: 38 - Parallel Earths by Steven Savage of Seventh Sanctum

Published on March 27th, 2001 02:41 PM

Categories:

Writing

Parallel Earths are a classic element of writing, almost as commonly accepted as aliens, faster-than-light-travel, magic, and cyberspace. Indeed, my entire Xai project is based on the idea of parallel worlds - so it's a subject close to my heart and a few other vital internal organs

Writing parallel Earths however is more difficult than it seems. It's easy to slap a few changes on our world or on a particular time period - but this doesn't mean it produces a consistent, coherent, or believable ...

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Lucid Writing Advice III by Antavius S. Flagg

Published on April 17th, 2002 12:39 PM

Categories:

Writing

The five things that creates a good scene

Narrative
Making sure it’s necessary
Description of events and surroundings
Believable dialogue
An outcome that empowers and moves the story
The scene is the most vital part of a story. It is the vein in which the life of the story flows. If one scene is cut, or disrupted in a way that dulls the reader, then all life is drained away. There is no imagination. This article of Lucid Writing Advice should at least give you a hint to creating a good scene.

NARRATIVE

If the scene is the vein, then the narrative is the blood of the manuscript. The creation of good narrative will make any story a good read. Fantasy writers fall into a common trap by given pages upon pages of inactive narrative as the opener of their manuscript, ...

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Recent Forum Posts

Blood Song (Raven's Shadow 1) by Anthony Ryan

I'm also usually put off by this type of read - ie another fantasy with lords, kings, deception and revenge - but the reviews have got me interested (and
Westsiyeed Today, 05:14 AM

Reading in June 2013

Stopped about half way through Stephenson's Snow Crash - I can appreciated the ideas and the action that happens from page one, as well as the fairly
Westsiyeed Today, 05:12 AM

The Positivity Cover Art Thread

AmethystOrator Today, 04:57 AM

2013 Upcoming Releases-Fantasy & Horror

Amazon, but not B&N, now has Words of Radiance (Book Two of the Stormlight Archive) listed for January, so we might have to wait a couple of months
AmethystOrator Today, 04:54 AM

Short sci-fi story of mine podcast on Beam Me Up Podcast site

The Beam Me Up Podcast site has just podcast my short sci-fi story: “The rise (and rise) of Grey Power.” Worth a listen as Paul Cole is such a great
David Scholes Yesterday, 11:47 PM
Advertising
June Flash Fiction Contest

In the Northern Hemisphere the coming of June marks the beginning of summer. In Japan this is the season of ghosts. Across the country people visit haunted houses and tell scary stories because what better way is there to cool down than a strong dose of “the chills”?

Haunting

This is the theme of the month.

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Recent Blog Posts

Cybersp@ce

“Wow,” was all Nick said, as he watched the huge alien spacecraft stop when it arrived over their location at S-4. It was beautiful, a circular, saucer-shaped craft. It had considerably more detail...
JWHorton June 9th, 2013 07:58 PM