Ryan Lanz's Blog, page 185

Five Things My Mentors Have Taught Me About Writing

by Meg D. Writing itself is a solo activity. Being a writer is not. We can teach ourselves how to write stories and read books and try to get better, but it’s working with other writers, and finding mentors to guide us, that make us great at what we do. I’ve had a lot … Continue reading Five Things My Mentors Have Taught Me About Writing

Hyperion – Book Review

Originally posted on The Book Review Directory:
? I finished reading Hyperion on the plane back home. This again is a (1989) book I had not heard of until I saw it in the Gollancz 50 series (which delivers at a low price the “best” 50 books in science-fiction and fantasy, like Patrick Rothfuss’s The…

Why Survival Skills Are So Important For a Writer

by Ned Hickson Over the years, my wife has gotten used to my (admittedly bad) habit of leaning over and whispering “expendable character” whenever I see someone who I know is going to die. I should clarify I only make these predictions while watching movies, and not, as a general rule, at the grocery … Continue reading Why Survival Skills Are So Important For a Writer

How a Reader Turns Into a Writer

by Daniel A. Roberts What turns a reader into a writer? We must understand that all writers are, and will always be, a reader first. It’s the primary ingredient, as we chose at one point in our lives to be a writer. For those who juggle words through the smithy of the human imagination, … Continue reading How a Reader Turns Into a Writer

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? – Book Review

Originally posted on The Book Review Directory:
? So, full disclosure: I’m a pretty big The Office fan, and I watch The Mindy Project. So, yeah, I like Mindy Kaling’s brand of humor. It’s sort of self-effacing in a girl power-ish kind of way. If you’re not familiar with her work, she’s basically a comedy…

How to Survive and Conquer NaNoWriMo

You might just want to know if you can do this. Is there time? Is 50,000 words a thing you can even do, ever? First of all: yes. Second of all, don’t think of it as writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Think of it as writing 1,667 words every day during … Continue reading How to Survive and Conquer NaNoWriMo

What You’re Promising By Writing a Novella

by S.E. Jones I like analysing things. I don’t think there areany particular rules that have to be followed in fiction, but I think understanding the effect things have on the reader is very useful. I think understanding that promises are made to the reader, that satisfaction is sought, and that particular things deliver … Continue reading What You’re Promising By Writing a Novella

Setting is Crucial to Your Story

by L.A. Murphy One of the most important things to consider when writing anything is the setting. Where, when and why are the questions I always ask myself when I write anything. Is the setting realistic? Too obvious? Too vague? Is it present, past or future? Is it in a little time pocket all … Continue reading Setting is Crucial to Your Story

Clockwork Angel – Book Review

Originally posted on The Book Review Directory:
? This one was a tough pick for rating between 4.5 and 5. I’m not a big giver of 5 stars, so I had to really think about this one. And it was a hard choice, but my rating would go to 4.5 stars. That’s not to say…

5 Tips for Writing Conference Newbies

by Monique Hall Last month I attended the annual conference for the Romance Writers of Australia. As a conference newbie, I felt a littlelike a deer in the headlights despite being well prepared by the the Queen of Newbies and her team of Wranglers. But this was onlybecause the experience blew all my expectations … Continue reading 5 Tips for Writing Conference Newbies