We've all had those moments where we're just not inspired, or worse, inspired but its just not working. Actually, as authors we probably feel we live in permanent writer’s block with moments of actual writing.

In world-building, we have those moments of loss too, and they're strange ones - we know we've got a world, but there are these huge blanks. We know something goes there, but it stubbornly refuses to fill in.

Or perhaps you just feel uninspired. You kinda are building that world, but the mind's sluggish, the ideas aren't there. You need a kick-start, and you're not sure you're ready to kick. You could fill in your world, ...

January 2000, and as it shines like a faint red star in the sunset glow, Mars has never been more inspiring or frustrating. In the last few months not one but two probes have reached Mars, only to vanish before sending back even one image or crackle of static. ...

Once there were elephants in America.

There were elephants all over the world, in fact, save for Australia and Antarctica. There were many kinds of them. Today the existing elephants are warm-climate animals, but in the past there were mammoths -- hairy giants adapted to living in the ...

OK, yes, I wanted an impressive title because the actual theme of this column may sound as exciting as clipping your toenails. However, please trust me, put away the nailclipper, and read on.

You've put a lot of work into your world. You need to protect the information and the work. I'm not talking copyright (hey, I put up the notes and I even file the forms myself). I'm talking, yes, backup and protection of your world data and stories.

Of course everyone knows how to back up, right? It's obvious, right? Just save some files.

In my experience, sadly, it isn't obvious. Not for me, not for my friends, not for my co-workers. Recently a friend of mine lost almost his complete body of works, and ...

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