Writing Archives

What is LitRPG? LitRPG—short for “Literary Role-Playing Game”—is a fantasy and science-fiction subgenre built around worlds governed by explicit game-like mechanics. Characters exist in settings where abilities, power, and progression can be measured, tracked, and often displayed through an in-world interface commonly called “the system.” Unlike stories that merely reference games, LitRPG integ…

A new wave of ‘gentle fantasy’ is captivating readers who crave wonder without the war The first time I spotted Legends & Lattes at my local bookshop, I experienced a flutter of recognition. Here was a fantasy novel about an orc who retires from adventuring to open a coffee shop. No dark lords. No chosen ones. Just someone building a small business and finding community. As a cozy mystery …

The beginning is not always the optimal place to start a story. Many authors have found that nonlinear storytelling, with its shifts across time and perspective, can deepen reader engagement and create a more layered narrative experience. Nonlinear novels do not follow events chronologically. Instead, authors may move forward and backward in time or develop parallel timelines that unfold in con…

If you’re writing a story, you’ll need secondary characters to flesh out the world you’re building. Otherwise, it’s a pretty dull world. You need sidekicks! Sidekicks are indispensable for asking or answering questions of your heroes. At the very least, they give your main characters someone to interact with. Are there differences between sidekicks, ensembles, and partners? Do you need them if …

“Grief is the ultimate thief of creativity.” —Sweta Vikram According to the Hospice Foundation of America, grief is “a reaction to loss, and like a fingerprint, it is different for everyone.” The anticipation of or death of a loved one or an animal companion, the loss of a relationship, a job, or your independence, perhaps due to injury or illness, may trigger a grief response. Before my friend…

Oh, how the industry loves a shiny new debut author! And wasn’t instant success the dream for most of us? And longevity! Don’t we all want to be that author whose readers wait with breathless anticipation for our latest and greatest? But while publishers may fall all over themselves for the fresh face or the perennial bestseller, the fact of the matter is, publishers can’t round out their catal…