I am of the general belief that revisions can wait until the book is done. Finish the rough draft, take a break, come back and rework the story accordingly. My reasoning for this is pretty straightforward: you don't know what you've got until you've finished it. Though, yes, you can certainly revise as you go … Continue reading The Hedgehog and Feast for Crows – Incomplete Series Troubles?
Themes of Strength and Weakness
Robert Baratheon, Eddard Stark, Jamie Lannister, Tywin Lannister... What do all of these characters have in common? Power and strength. These are the guys who have the guts, the glory, and/or the gold.Arya Stark, Tyrion Lannister, Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen... Here are the underdogs. They don't have the strength, they don't have the political clout, … Continue reading Themes of Strength and Weakness
When the Learning Curve is Steep – Sometimes HBO Can Help
Confession time: I watched the entire first season of the Game of Thrones HBO series before I read the books. I know. I know. It was very Impure Reader of me. I should be thrown on the hellfire that awaits those who use CliffsNotes to write research papers. (Yeah, I know! There are people out there that do that! … Continue reading When the Learning Curve is Steep – Sometimes HBO Can Help
Westeros The Super Map!!!
Oh, this is good, people. For those of you who love Game of Thrones you must go check out this kickass map of George R.R. Martin's fictional world!You may now go about your business.
It’s a Kind of Magic
You know, for a fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire doesn't have tons of magic. In plenty of fantasy, the magic is front and center. Magical creatures, magical people, magical wars, magic, magic, magic...But, Martin plays it subtle. In most of the first book, there's hardly anything magical at all. A hint here … Continue reading It’s a Kind of Magic
Scene Breaks: Martin Doesn’t Do ’em
Recently, in the critiques I've been giving for my writers group, I've taken to pointing out that we, as a group, don't generally use scene breaks. (Have you ever noticed you start pointing out bits and pieces in other people's writing that you think you might need in your own? I do that. A lot.) This strikes me as … Continue reading Scene Breaks: Martin Doesn’t Do ’em
As Seen on TV!
Whenever you translate a book to TV or a movie, there's danger that it won't translate well. However, there are times when it translates beautifully, and it seems that is more often the case when books become a series than just a one-off movie. More time for plot and character development and the nuances that … Continue reading As Seen on TV!
Giving Characters Their Arc
I'm always hesitant when it comes to a Dramatis Personae list anywhere in a book. What it means to me is this: there are too many characters to handle. It means there are too many threads to follow through to a full conclusion. It means that there is so much information gathered in the text … Continue reading Giving Characters Their Arc
Character Twist
In honor of George R. R. Martin's complicated characters, this week's writing prompt is all about character twist. One of the my favorite characters that I love to hate is Jamie Lannister. He starts off as a total creeper and then you see a few more things that really make your skin crawl. I mean, … Continue reading Character Twist
March Mentor: George R. R. Martin
I was first introduced to George R. R. Martin a couple of years ago when someone said, "Hey, I got this really good book. Do you want to read it when I'm done?" That book was A Game of Thrones. For those of you who are familiar with it, you know it's not a slim … Continue reading March Mentor: George R. R. Martin