Andrew Moore's Blog, page 45

Addendum

This does mean that Jimmy the Hand looks like Glover.

Ambiguous Sobriquets

I always figured "the Hutt" was a nickname, but it has been decided that while it is a nickname, it is simply his species, much like Jimmy the Greek. It makes sense, but I still like mine better. What really puzzles me is Ookla the Mok.

Addendum

"Demon credits" might actually be worse, but there's an ambiguity there that will detract from the horror till the reader becomes accustomed.

How to Inform the Audience of the Grim State of the Setting

"Demon dollars." That's the currency. It can't get worse than that.

The Weight of Virtue

The mountain most sacred to the gods disappeared one day. "Just as virtue has departed from the human heart, so too has this mountain left human sight." That was the divine declaration.
Humanity was distraught for months, for years, for decades, but over centuries it was decided that virtue was not so essential to living as was feared. Eventually its very existence was forgotten along with the mountain. A town grew up there in a location long considered to be forbidden, and the residents could not understand why it had not been founded earlier.
The town prospered because of its manifold reputable businesses such as gambling, usury, counterfeiting, and receiving stolen goods. One day, a vendor disposing of stolen goods called back a customer. "Sir, you forgot your change," he said, whereupon the mountain manifested and destroyed the wicked town except for the fence, who set up a guide service for hikers and hardly ever robbed the patrons.
Finis

How to Make Your Book More Cinematic

Now that we don't use physical books, you can put your text at a Dutch angle. How unsettling!

Character Description Reminder

Don't forget you can describe how loud different characters sneeze. But you probably shouldn't. Mostly.

Connotation Corner

Has anything good ever come from something described as "glistening?" Probably, but I think it's the minority.

Addendum

Whereas the wind sage on the eagle and the one on the arctic tern get along famously.

Natural Rivalries

I bet the water sage who rides on a dolphin and the one who rides on a jellyfish compete all the time, just complete loggerheads.