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The Book of Urizen (Your Reason) by William Blake, published as an illuminated manuscript
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" I clicked on an advert on Facebook and came to your site. And proceeded to read through your entries like the creeper I sometimes am. I think you should just publish your blog entries. You know how "the Princess Diaries" got adapted for a movie. Yours would be so much better. (And sorry to compare you to such a worthless book.) Anyways, just a thought. " Read more
by Christine on To Publish a Sumerian Novel and other 2010 Resolutions

"Your Muse is clearly feeling passive-aggressive (what self-respecting Muse wouldn't, when forced to regurgitate Marketing copy for an enterprise software brochure?) - it's throwing things (like Spanish dictionaries) at you, hoping you'll notice and stop neglecting it or feeding it menudo. If you thought throwing it in the washer was a bad move, you really ought to read "Eradicating Edna," my unfinished NaNoNovel over on Scribd. Now THAT's Muse abuse!" Read more
by Holly Jahangiri on Murdering My Creative Writing Muse with Seven Random Words from Dictionary

"No, I meant THIS BLOG is interesting. (In my previous comment I should have put a full stop after "hunter" and capitalised the "i" in "interesting".) I may be a shameless self-promoter but I would never preempt the opinion or judgement of my readers -- both of them! Nor ever presume to instruct or dictate what people ought to think or feel. So, let me try again: I find this blog, unpublished guy's blog, interesting (and useful re the writerly trade). (Of course I'm pleased you find Cosmic Rapture interesting. Thanks for stopping by.) MM" Read more
by masterymistery on Xtreme Creative Writing Styles: Hyperminimalism

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Writing and Publishing Fiction


Nearly serious fiction related diversions for the casual or more active writer.

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Unpublished Guy Blogs
Posted by: Unpublished Guy on 1/20/2010 | 2 Comments

My credo, divorced from reality: Don't brag about your lightning fiction writing pace, for Slow and Steady won the fiction publishing race.
My credo, divorced from reality:
Don't brag about your lightning fiction writing pace,
for Slow and Steady won the fiction publishing race.

Posted by: Unpublished Guy on 11/15/2009 | 0 Comments


How Do You Astrally Project to a Fiction Writer's Conference?
Cotton Underwear is the Key.

In order to complete my being publishable check list, I had planned to attend the Ann Arbor Book Festival's Fiction Writer's Conference on Saturday, the 14th. Unfortunately, I was a bit short on cash (or credit for that matter) as the conference approached and I had a decision to make.

Posted by: Unpublished Guy on 1/19/2009 | 0 Comments
I have read stories that have started off rather badly in my opinion with an extended physical description of the main character. In some cases, every new character is introduced with an extended physical description. Of course, these descriptions include a distinguishing trait, because somewhere someone said that would make the character more believable.

I have found quite the opposite to be true, where the distinguishing trait more often results in a crazy character circus of individuals with strange mannerisms, deranged senses of fashion, and obscure disabilities and ailments. They unintentionally become self-conscious caricatures of a character description that don’t contribute to the story or even the character. These quirks have the same effect as wearing a loud tie—memorable but not palatable.

Posted by: Unpublished Guy on 1/13/2009 | 3 Comments

Way back when I was more earnestly learning the craft of writing, I was reading through several different books on writing fiction. Almost immediately, I felt that I was reading the same book over and over again. It was if they were all cribbing from the same set of Cliff Notes. Show don’t tell. Give your characters a distinctive trait.

Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers was different, both philosophical and practical. Academic and grounded. Finally, a guide to writing that went beyond storytelling abstractions or superficial suggestions on character development, plotting, point of view, and themes.

 


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