Nathan Bransford - The Forums

Yes I am but I don't know what I'm doing yet. I usually participate in some fashion every year, though I don't always start a brand new project.

So this morning when I was doing everything except being productive because that's what you do when you start a 4 day weekend, I started reading this post on io9 called "The 7 Deadly Sins of Worldbuilding" and I had the strangest impulse to post it on the Bransforums. It's been a long time...

It's not a new trend. It kind of waxes and wanes, but like in YA and Middlegrade, it never really goes away. I don't really have a feeling about it one way or the other. Some work, some don't, but I think that is the same for all types of titles. I personally like when the one word title ties in bea...

I agree with all the advice that has been given. Huzzah! Great comments. The only thing I'd add is to definately not give up on betas because they are AMAZING. It's too easy to be too close to your work and not see the problems in it. Having said that, betas come in all shapes and sizes and it's a g...

It's a little bit old, but I highly recommend I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.

I tend to agree with you, Sommer Leigh. I've heard of the rule of three, but never thought much about it as far as writing goes. I don't tend to put a lot of focus on writing "rules", I usually just go with what feels right (or sounds right), as you say. There is something I'm wondering t...

I'd actually never heard of this particular "Rule of Three"; I'd always heard the Rule of Three of comedy, where you're listing things and you go: mundane, mundane, funny. And of course, in a movie like Elf, a plot twist will probably be funny. As for the Rule of Three of plot-relevance, ...

There are no hard and fast rules. So take the Rule of Three for what it's worth - a lot, sometimes, depending. Helpful, right? Here's what I do when I'm writing and when I'm editing. If there's a THING that is crucial to the plot but shouldn't be blinking neon lights, I circle it either metaphorical...

It's kinda funny that you didn't like his I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER because it didn't do well here in the US (at least not yet), but over in Germany it's a huge success. For some reason his work struck a cultural chord with them. The writing is fine and I liked about the first third of it. Then it p...

I have a love/hate relationship with Dan Wells. I LOVE his Partials series. It's really well done. I hated I am Not a Serial Killer (and I haven't read the others in the series.)

His Partials series is outstanding sci-fi though. I'd listen to whatever he had to say about writing.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater

I passed 50,000 and am working towards 60,000 tonight. I am hoping to end the month with 75,000.

You guys are awesome! I really appreciate your input. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do anything else to it for readers to know what I'm talking about. And you're right. There's always going to be someone who won't get it, sometimes even if there is extra explanation. Sommer, just so you know, I g...

I write because that's the career I chose for myself. I love writing and the whole process. I do it because it's a job, not a hobby. It's not cathartic or exploratory or anything like that for me. There are no muses up in my house. I like telling stories and I love having readers, but I really want ...

I doubt it's lazy writing so much as an accident. We think in modern metaphor and it can be difficult to switch to a time period we didn't live. It got missed during clean-up, but I don't think it's because the body of work didn't get a good editing or because the writer couldn't think of a better o...