There's the hero and the side kick—then there's the familiar. Unlike the side kick, the familiar is a small, but still important figure in a story. A familiar assists protagonists throughout the plot. Often, a familiar is akin to a mascot, which drives a message home to the reader. Done right, a familiar leaves a …
Continue reading The Familiar: A Look Into Fictional and Ancestral Tropes
The muse is a curious entity that pops out when least expected. It is the source of an artist's creative power. Like an infinite well of possibilities. But to receive from the muse, one must nourish it in return. Sadly, many writers, artists, musicians, and others overlook this. I don't proclaim to be a health …
Fall time has been a busy time, full of its rewards and stressful events. Below is a short update on what I've been occupied with. Work My move to a full-time job has been quite tedious to say the least. Working 45 to 50 hours a week (mandatory overtime) in a high physical job has …
Fantasy Timelines are sometimes overlooked when it comes to worldbuilding. Not every story needs one. With epic fantasy, however, timelines are invaluable. After attending a Realm Makers Conference lecture on fantasy timelines, I've some notes to share on the matter. Thanks to Jill Williamson for her information. What Are Fantasy Timelines? A fantasy timeline is …
Many of us aspiring fiction writers hope to be the next Stephen King or J. R. R. Tolkien. While achieving this comes with great prestige and power, there's also a cost. Attending the RealmMakers conference helped this sink in. The panelists at the conference spoke about the issues of being a published author. It isn't …
A traditional dish: clabbered oatmeal with cinnamon Taking a break from writing affairs, I've explored some ancestral recipes that return me to my Celtic roots. One of them is clabbered milk. Clabber is raw milk left to sit at room temperature. What is Clabber? Many may balk at the idea, but cultures have drank clabber …
It's hard to believe that we're at the end of July. As we turn towards August, I've some news to share. My New Job The writing craft isn't great for making money—unless you're the next Stephen King or Brandon Sanderson. But after six years in retail, I've finally achieved full-time! This comes with excellent benefits, …
Within each genre, e.g. fantasy, there are sub-genres called niches. Today's topic is Elven Fantasy! It's one of my favorite fantasy niches, as it is for a fellow blogger who follows this blog. Elven Mythology Growing up, I was enthralled with the lore from books like LoTR and games like the Elder Scrolls. Elves, in …
When it comes to querying, some writers dread the process. Unlike a manuscript, query letters are business. Similar to writing a cover letter for a job interview, this is a first impression to an agent or editor. Below are my notes from a recent RealmMakers webinar and some past research. Thanks to Alice Fugat for …
After listening to a detailed webinar on blurbing, it's had me reexamine my own blurb. Book blurbs may seem like a nuisance for some writers, but they're essential to marketing a book. There's a structure to it. It hits the SEO hard and attracts readers. Below are my notes from the webinar. Credit goes to …
Ethereal Seals 
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