Finished up THE DOOM OF ODIN in the wee hours of 30 January 2023. Two years of work; two false starts. A pandemic where I was "essential" . . . and 117K words later, a book is born. I'm at the stage where I can't tell if it's a work of genius or a steaming... Continue Reading →
"Are you done yet?" I am not. BUT, I've written approximately 30,000 words since Nov. 29. I've finally struck upon a system of writing/composing that works for me (for now). And, the first 14 chapters are with beta readers while I put the finishing touches on the last 6. Will I hit my deadline of... Continue Reading →
Below is a graphic representation of my brain as of this morning: All the ideas and words are lining up to take their turn in the trench. Their goal is a small exhaust port the size of a wombat or a womp rat or something like that. Anyway, it's small. It's official designation is "THE... Continue Reading →
The struggle for any writer published these days -- whether traditional or indie -- is the simple act of getting your work recognized by readers. Writing is Art; Publishing is Business, and that business hinges on getting as many eyes-on as we possibly can. Views mean sales. Buzz means sales. A groundswell of interest means... Continue Reading →
There's much talk in fantasy circles about "systems" of magic. By system, I think writers and creators mean the codified elements of magic: where does it come from, how do you access it, how is it learned, what is its cost. It makes me think of science: "if you have access to W and know... Continue Reading →
One of the most common pitfalls when writing non-human characters, such as orcs, is the tendency to make them little more than humans in orc suits. Actors in costume. CGI’d monsters who do nothing different from their human counterparts. Now, part of this comes down to readability. Readers must have some common ground with your... Continue Reading →
"Where the hell is it, Scott?" That's a good question. Where is it? At the moment, it's 3/4s of the way finished, with the other 1/4 in a jumble of electrons and paper. I hope to have it finished by the end of the month, but I've also been saying roughly the same thing since,... Continue Reading →
It's no secret: historical stories are labor-intensive. Beyond the needs of the actual composition -- word choice, sentence structure, voice, tense, and so on -- much hinges on the details the writer chooses to reveal. Fantasy works on a practice called suspension of disbelief, the social contract between author and reader wherein the latter suspends... Continue Reading →
"At the beginning of October, in the year of the incarnation of the Son of God 1347, twelve Genoese galleys were fleeing from the vengeance which our Lord was taking on account of their nefarious deeds and entered the harbour of Messina. In their bones they bore so virulent a disease that anyone who only... Continue Reading →
Scott Oden 