Timeless or Tired? The Alluring Secrets of the Hero’s Quest
What exactly makes the hero's quest trope so enduring? And how do modern writers keep it fresh amidst a sea of traditional fantasy? Fantasy writers are reinventing quests in imaginative ways that surprise and engage today’s audiences.
Use These 5 Tips to Master Character-Driven Fiction
In character-driven fantasy fiction storytelling the characters drive the plot. It may seem obvious, but there are subtleties that aren't always clear.
How to Co-Author a Book with Your Spouse and Not Lose Your Minds, or Your Marriage
When people discover that Michael and I write books together, the reactions split fairly predicably between two camps...
When Words Feel Heavy: How to Write Through Depression
The goal isn’t to overcome depression to become a better writer, but to learn to write alongside it, with compassion for yourself and respect for your unique creative process.
Welcome Back – to the Dark Side: Exposing AI-Driven Book Marketing Scams
Hi all, Alesia here. I’ve come back refreshed after a hiatus from professional writing, excited about the new stories from Menelon that Michael and I are telling. As you have probably seen, we are working on a new character-driven “romantasy” series…
The Bad Writing Habits the Internet Wishes You’d Stop
Today’s writers and authors have to learn how to wear many hats in order to get their words in front of readers, but in my view, the worst is editing. I hate editing. I really do. Michael says I’ve got a good eye for it, and maybe…
How Do You Know If You’re A Writer?
How do you know if you’re a writer? It’s the question every writer asks themselves. I don’t know one who hasn’t, at some point in the struggle to get words on paper, just thrown down the pen or chucked the keyboard at the wall in…
For Your Action-Packed Weekend: Is Writer’s Block Real?
A link to a roundup of quotes from published authors, who have opinions about the question: Is writer's block real?
Reason, and Magic — Philip Pullman
“The universe of magic is a large place. It contains phenomena ranging from simple good luck charms to complicated systems of belief and practice such as astrology and alchemy, and it comes to us from prehistory, and from every part of the world,…
In Uncertain Times
I don’t know how else to put this. If you didn’t know it, you may want or need to know it, so I’m just going to write it straight-up: Michael and I have found ourselves in uncertain times. We’ve spent most of 2018 dealing with the…