The Craft of Writing

Advice for New Writers, Keeping At It, The Craft of Writing, The SFWA Blog, Tips for Beginners

Telling Stories to Fix a Problem Telling Stories

by Clay Johnson

I’ve never been good at outlining before I write. If I know where the story is going, then the fun part is already done, and the writing becomes a chore. But this new thing, where I tell her a chapter, then think on it, smooth out the edges, and write it down, forced me into a mid-range style of outlining that really works for me.

The Craft of Writing, The SFWA Blog

What Makes the Monstrous

by Paul Jessup

Monsters and genre fiction go hand in hand. Or rather, claw in claw, if we’re being cheeky about it. From the mad  science creations and aliens of science fiction, to the supernatural and mythic of fantasy and horror, there are monsters everywhere, even from the very start.

Advice for New Writers, The Craft of Writing, The SFWA Blog, Tips for Beginners, Writing Technique

Developing Humanity’s Competitive Advantage for the Future Workplace:  Empathy Through Fiction

by Katherine Quevedo

A lot of discourse these days builds up the case for why the world needs more empathy. It’s not a hard case to make. When placed against the backdrop of artificial intelligence (AI) and the possible technological singularity, I believe empathy could become a source of competitive advantage for our species as a whole.

The Craft of Writing, The SFWA Blog

Novelist as Poet or Philosopher

by Sally Wiener Grotta

I write to understand. My characters and plots are formed in a subconscious that churns with confusion or concern about how the world functions (or fails to function). As I write the story my characters tell me, I find myself posing questions that “reflect and even explain the differences and forces that relate them all… hold them together… or tear them apart.” The journey is what matters to me.

News, The Craft of Writing, The SFWA Blog, Workshops and Critique Groups

The ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop to Offer a Limited Number of Sponsored Seats for Writers of Color

The ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop will take place at the Omni Southpark on Friday, August 3, 2018. This full-day workshop is presented in conjunction with ArmadilloCon 40, Austin’s literary science fiction and fantasy convention. The Workshop is ideal for new and emerging writers but is open to all.

Advice for New Writers, Information Center, Keeping At It, The Business of Writing, The Craft of Writing, Tips for Beginners

What to Write When You’re Not Writing

by Gargi Mehra

Writing when you’re in full flow is like living a dream. Who doesn’t love that feeling when the words spill out faster than you can type them? If you’re old school, the scratch of the pen as it flies over the pages struggles to keep pace with your thoughts.

The reverse scenario keeps writers awake at night.

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