Young man with sunglasses at desk writing with strange pen.

The Six Narrative Perspectives

As a writer who has been critiqued and often critiques other authors, point-of-view (POV) is a common topic. However, talking about POV is not enough because it is intertwined with the overall narrative perspective of the work. That perspective is a mix-and-match of several concepts that should stay fairly consistent …

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A humanoid robot posing like Rodin's The Thinker, sitting with chin resting on hand.

Creating Convincing AI Characters

You’ve got a brilliant idea for a story about an AI. Time to get writing. You sit at your desk. You boot your laptop. You dismiss those notifications about pending updates. You launch your word processor. You spend five minutes setting the font, paragraph indent, and line spacing. At last, …

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Big truck stuck on the edge of a cliff.

Eight More Common Problems for New Writers

2nd of 2 parts Writing speculative fiction is a nuanced craft that demands a blend of creativity, discipline, and technical skill. New writers frequently stumble over specific hurdles that can hinder their storytelling. Here are eight additional common problems beyond the typical advice: Weak Beginnings The beginning of a story …

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Truck about to fall into a giant pothole.

Eight Common Problems for New Writers

1st of 2 parts Writing speculative fiction can be a rewarding and challenging experience. New writers often encounter several pitfalls as they hone their craft. This blog post will discuss eight common issues and provide tips on how to overcome them. Point-of-View Slips One of the most common problems for …

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Books Every Writer Should Have

A fantastic source of knowledge and inspiration for writers is other writers. Those who have been through it before can share their knowledge and experience with those who are just starting out or new to a certain area. From planning, writing, and editing to querying, publishing, and marketing—and everything in …

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Woman approaching a maze made of books

Plot Devices: Twisting Your Plot

Whether you’re a “panster” with a predisposition to write your way straight into a sagging middle or a “plotter” who struggles to get the beats just right so you can sit down and write already, having a firm command of plot devices can be the game changer you need to …

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Assortment of propellors with a big one in the middle

Plot Devices: Propelling Your Story

Whether you’re a “panster” with a predisposition to write your way straight into a sagging middle or a “plotter” who struggles to get the beats just right so you can sit down and write already, having a firm command of plot devices can be the game changer you need to …

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Using Other People’s Work, Copyright Law for Writers

Use of someone else’s work, such as song lyrics, a quotation, or a character, in your story is subject to copyright law. Copyright protects the expression of an idea from unpermitted copying, modification, publication, or performance (“infringement”). Copyright only protects the expression of the idea, not the idea itself. J.K. …

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Two wrestlers, one flying through the air headed for slamming the other.

Submission Slammers

I write short stories. The investment is light, the turnaround is fast, and with every story, I feel my writing improves. While many members of Speculative Fiction Writers are developing novel-length manuscripts, short stories provide an excellent creative break. It might be just what you need to get unblocked. To …

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