Peter Swanson: Give Weird Things Room to Grow
During an interview with CrimeReads, mystery writer Peter Swanson talks about his career and why he doesn't outline his novels. While he has a...
How Dice Were Used In Divination
We generally limit our use of dice to table top games, but historically, they have been used in spellcasting and divination. Having evolved from...
2000 Years of Dragons
In a new episode of Lit Hub's History of Literature podcast, host Jake Wilson and writer Scott Bruce discuss how dragons have appeared in...
Worldbuilding in Hard and Soft SF
In a post on Writers in the Storm, Joseph Lallo tackles worldbuilding for science fiction novels, which can be a lot of fun while...
You Gotta Give ‘Em Hope
In a post on the SFWA blog, Holly Schofield wonders if modern science fiction needs to be continually dark or if we can expect...
How Do We Write About the Monsters Inside Us?
Writers and readers both love stories about extra-fictional characters - beings that don't exist in our world. Hobbits, superheroes, sparkling vampires, talking animals, Jedi...
Has Climate Writing Dried Up?
In an essay for Lit Hub, science and environment writer Heather Houser suggests that fiction on environmental and climate themes is becoming moribund. She...
Character Flaws Create Conflict and Tension
Hercule Poirot was vain. Sherlock Holmes injected cocaine. So many fictional detectives have alcohol problems that you'd think it's mandatory. The point is, your...
Curtains!: The Link Between Theater and Mystery
Some of our favorite mysteries are set in the theatrical world and murder is frequently a topic of playwrights. What's the connection? In an...
Time is the Writer’s Friend, Character’s Enemy
Whether we're anticipating a Happy New Year or dreading a deadline, our lives are governed by the clock. In a post on CrimeReads, Andrew...
