Category: Writing Structure

Note, the header image was used non-ironically on another website. Tl;dr:  the Bechdel test comes up in discussions about women's roles.  It is a useless test.  It neither explains the role of women in the novel nor does anything to make the novel better, hence my ironic usage of the header image. For those unfamiliar… Continue reading The Bechdel test is stupid →

So, real talk here.  I've been in several book writing groups and some of the advice is good, most of it is bad.  This is a distillation of the advice that's good from the advice that's bad.  So, here's some book writing advice from someone who hasn't written a book, take it with a grain… Continue reading Writing advice for newbs →

Just finished Jeff Sproul's Sigil Online What did I think? Tl;dr: It's about 3 stars, higher if you really love power-based stories and superhero stories. The majority of the problems stem from the main character, his flat character arc, and some problems with the Superhero setup.  Where it shines is the powers, but make no… Continue reading Jeff Sproul: Sigil Online Review →

There's a joke amongst journalists.  "Journalism:  The pay is crap.  On the other hand, everyone hates you." There's a clear disconnect between what game journalists say about games, and what gamers say about games.  There's the same divide between movie critics and regular movie goers and books that people are reading on Amazon vs. what… Continue reading Damn the Reviewers, or why video game critics and movie critics are often at odds with the audience →

I've often criticized books for overpowered protagonists, failure to follow Sanderson's laws of magic, (which I will revise to Sanderson's laws of special powers), use of plot coupons, subversion without a cause, and conflicts between text and subtext. In order to further flesh that out, I will analyze three movies that illustrate this problem, as… Continue reading Why Hollywood Can’t Write Women: Wonder Woman, Force Awakens, and The Last Jedi →