Curses allow for a lot of creative flexibility in how they are implemented and what they force upon the characters and the world. It’s a classic tool for writers to initiate the plot and start the story, either an outcome or the cause of the inciting incident. Sometimes it can be more of a metaphysical … Continue reading How to write a Character with a Curse
Category: Musings
Trying to Focus in a world of Distractions
Hello everyone! As some of you have probably surmised, I’ve been having a hard time staying focused and making progress on several of my projects. It’s a strange mix of brainfog, exhaustion and the plethora of distractions that feel more gratifying or easier to do than working on passion projects. For the longest time I … Continue reading Trying to Focus in a world of Distractions
Half-Year Progress Review
Hi Everyone! We’re halfway through 2025 and the idea of that is honestly quite terrifying to consider. Time seems to be going by so quickly that it’s hard to imagine how much time has passed. In my mind, 2025 still feels like it started not long ago. My own feelings aside, time does not wait … Continue reading Half-Year Progress Review
How to Write Effective and Characterful Voice and Dialogue
The way characters talk to one another and even themselves is something that often makes or breaks the flow of a story. Dialogue is often a reflection of a character’s personality but also how they view and interact with others. It’s a way of illustrating how they view the world in a manner that is … Continue reading How to Write Effective and Characterful Voice and Dialogue
Reflections on Inspiration, Motivation and Discipline
Something I noticed during my break was how difficult it was to start on something and stay focused. Working on three separate projects, it’s hard to divide time and effort equally amongst them. I’ve found that lately I’ve been guided more by motivation than I have been by consistent practice and routine. It’s not necessarily … Continue reading Reflections on Inspiration, Motivation and Discipline
Update and Progress on Books and Manga
Hello Everyone!March has been quite a month of development. I’m sure most have noticed that I haven’t posted any book reviews recently. I’ve mostly been focused on getting the worldbuilding established for the science fiction novel I’m working on, but I’ve also been working on the story for book 4 of The Legend of Nariko … Continue reading Update and Progress on Books and Manga
Adding Mystery to Worldbuilding
There is an old adage in storytelling that “show, don’t tell” is always important. There’s a lot of ways to interpret this saying and most of the time those interpretations are correct. The concept of showing the ideas and concepts in a story are usually always more impactful than simply stating it outright and explaining … Continue reading Adding Mystery to Worldbuilding
Thoughts on Science Fiction Worldbuilding vs Fantasy Worldbuilding
While working on a science fiction novel, I knew that there would be different approaches to the worldbuilding than fantasy but the approach feels a lot more arduous in a sense. Where fantasy worlds often revolve around a sense of logic to how people approach things, science fiction universes feel like they require more worldbuilding … Continue reading Thoughts on Science Fiction Worldbuilding vs Fantasy Worldbuilding
How to Write Prophecies in Stories
Prophecies can be a very tricky to write as often, when it’s used, it’s a very core aspect to a story. A prophecy can guide and mold a story to form a certain way but writers often misinterpret how best to implement a prophecy into a story. The main thing to consider about a prophecy … Continue reading How to Write Prophecies in Stories
Inspiration and Originality
A couple days ago my friends made me watch Your Name for my birthday as they were aghast that I had never seen it. After having watched the movie, I completely understood why. It was absolutely beautiful and one of my favorite romance stories of all time. What was a nice coincidence about the movie … Continue reading Inspiration and Originality
Raph's Cozy Musings 