"In the original novels it tended to be people like them responsible for creating the dystopias in the first place, but they’ve somehow projected the blame onto the masses."
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...
Struggling with writer’s block in your science fiction or fantasy story? Here are some tips to revive inspiration and get back to writing! #WriteTip #WritingCommunity #BookSky
www.danvarrette.com/overcoming-w...
I bought the Canadian Oxford Dictionary (2005) in 2008, the same year Oxford closed its Canadian dictionary division. There's otherwise a Nelson Gage dictionary of Canadian English from 2013, which will be the basis for a new dictionary by Nelson and Editors Canada. blog.editors.ca/a-new-canadi...
Discover the best plot structures for novels, from the three-act structure to the hero’s journey. Choose the right one for your story. #writetip
www.danvarrette.com/ideal-plot-s...
Ron Vara is the new John Galt.
I know that "polar vortex" is the answer; this was a rhetorical question.
I'm done with this cold weather. Why is it only 0°C right now?
I don't watch a lot of TV, but with new seasons of The Last of Us and Andor coming out soon, I'm at the risk of falling behind on my shows. I still need to catch up on The Wheel of Time and Severance.
I recently read this for the first time myself, and I agree it's a science fiction novel still worth reading today.
I played Ruination for the first time last night. It’s pretty fun if you like combat/area control. I like the action selection/card draw mechanism. The combat’s dice drafting is better than I thought it would be. Also, the replay value seems high with the card drafting to build your abilities.
I see that the manufacturing jobs in the US eroded mostly over the course of fifty years. That’s not something anyone can fix even in a single presidential term. Also: robots.
Congratulations! 👏
Congratulations! 👏
A graphic with text reading "Shopping for Canadian-Made Books? Check out this list of Canadian-owned presses" at the top with a list of 66 members of the Literary Press Group. There is a checkbox near the top outlining what makes a book entirely Canadian-made: Canadian publisher, Canadian author, designed and printed in Canada, and warehoused and distributed in Canada.
What does it mean for a book to be fully Canadian-made? LPG publishers are committed to keeping Canadian stories, talent, and production close to home, checking all the boxes.
How writing multiple perspectives can contribute to the richness of the worldbuilding, character depth, and tension of your story. #writing #writetip
www.danvarrette.com/writing-mult...
I'm going to eat some tacos, then maybe play some Minecraft.
Incidentally, since almost all the physical books from major publishers in the US are printed in China, that probably just increased the price by 50%, which massively lowers sales and means publishers will do much smaller print runs.
Writing Battle has invited me to participate as a professional judge in the upcoming Wonder Battle starting on April 13!
The Wonder #flash #fiction stories will have 4 possible genres that participants will draw from: #Sci-Fi, #Fantasy, #Fairy Tale & #Adventure.
More here: writingbattle.com
A photo of Val Kilmer as Madmartigan in the film Willow (1988).
Madmartigan will forever remain the Greatest Swordsman That Ever Lived.
Val Kilmer (1959–2025)
POV HIERARCHY
This post depends on an understanding of the importance of one scene, one POV. If you’re not sure what I mean by that or are laboring under the misapprehension that “omniscient viewpoint” is okay, go here and catch up. I’ll also refer you to a previous post regarding how to determine…
Query Tip: when authors say this is the first book in a planned trilogy, what agents hear is, “I need you to sell 3 books in order to tell this story.”
And sure multi book deals exist but they aren’t the rule. “Stand alone with series potential”—as long as it really is—is your better bet.
These are the kinds of books I often recommend because they shouldn't be obscure, and they shouldn't be forgotten.
It's April 1, but we're not fooling — free subs are back! We've been hitting our monthly cap in less than a week lately, so if you've been waiting to submit for free, now is the time: okaydonkeymag.com/submissions/
(cont.)
I’m creating several starter packs for indie writers – one for each genre – that I then would regularly post links to. If interested in being in a starter back, please reply with your genre. #Indieauthor #authorsky #writersky #writingcommunity #authorsofsky #booksky
I've been reading a lot of short stories. I appreciate the smaller time commitments and the ability to explore a variety of genres and themes over a short period. I'm not sure whether this has made me happier, but it has led to some mindful reading experiences.
"[Science fiction] is always about now. It’s always a reflection. It’s a kind of fever dream, and it’s always about its own sociological context. It’s always an expression of the anxieties of the now. So there’s a category error in treating it as if it is 'about the future.'"
An orchid with several blooms. The flowers are white with pink in the centre.
I’m happy to report that after quite some time, one of my orchids finally bloomed again!
#orchids #houseplants #plants
I recently finished reading The Lottery and Other Stories. It was my first time reading Shirley Jackson's short fiction. The tension in her stories is so wonderfully subtle and elusive. I've also read The Haunting of Hill House, which is fantastic. It's exactly the kind of horror I enjoy.
Congratulations!
Finished reading: The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆
My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
#amreading #books #gothic #horrorbooks
