There are a lot of Grand Epics in books, movies, and comics, the trick is to design them in such a way as to make them real to the reader. Believable enough within its own context to get the reader or viewer emotionally involved. Comic books have plenty of epic spectacle, but some of their …
Tag: writing novels
Permanent link to this article: https://www.maldene.com/uncategorized/5894
A Day in the Life of a Self-Made Novelist
Okay, so I suppose the first question would be, what do I mean by “self-made”. Well, technically I’m still in the process of “making”, but generally it refers to the fact that everything after High School English classes that I learned about writing and storytelling I taught myself from simply reading. And having an imagination …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.maldene.com/uncategorized/3186
Writing Tips: Elements Of A Great Story
Many writers have their particular strong points. Some are good at crafting a great plot, but are rather basic when it comes to the flow of the words. Others can make the characters come alive but couldn’t dream up a nail-biting plot if their lives depended on it. Still others may be able to craft …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.maldene.com/writing-tips/1954
Writing Tips: Emotion In Your Writing
Ever read a book that just got to you so much you found yourself crying or laughing, or cheering? Of course. Now, as a writer have you ever felt an emotion as you were typing up the scene? What did you do, use it or waste it? A lot of writers might decide to take …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.maldene.com/writing-tips/1949
Writing Tips: The Four Elements
Sometimes writing a good story can be a little bit like alchemy. You need the right mix of things to churn out a truly great story. But what are those basic ingredients? Well, like for the alchemists of old there are four basic elements that every story needs. Descriptive Prose. Dialogue. Character Development. Plot. Descriptive …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.maldene.com/writing-tips/1926
What Makes a Good Writer
A question that has been asked since about the time people first began to write. What is it that makes a good writer? A good author? What is that magic formula that sets great authors apart from everybody else. It may not be as complicated an equation as you think. There are three basic elements …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.maldene.com/writing-tips/1917
Characters of Maldene: Shong
Young, reserved, and with the most innate skill with the sword of anyone around, Shong is also friend and fighting buddy to Bronto. Between Bronto’s massive strength and Shong’s hyper precision with the blade, there is nothing this duo can’t stand up against. More than just a normal swordsman, Shong is also part acrobat. He’s …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.maldene.com/plot-talk/1906
I’ve been guest-blogged.
Well, I’ve had a chance to guest post on A Writer’s Tale, a site run by one Scarlet Van Dyk who is a pretty blond that sadly does not even live on the same continent as myself. At any rate, it’s a blog devoted to tips for writers so I gave her a few: my …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.maldene.com/news/1887
Maldene Behind The Scenes: The Alphabet
The world not only has its own language but its own alphabet as well. Completely alien characters that do not always match up exactly to corresponding English equivalents. For one thing, it’s entirely phonetic. There is no long and short version of the same vowel, but a different letter for each. Different sound means different …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.maldene.com/plot-talk/1884
Maldene Behind The Scenes: Why So Many Characters?
Just the first Maldene novel has somewhere around 8 main characters and a dozen or so more secondary ones, and later novels only add to that number. In fact, by the time all 13 novels are finished, the number has topped some 250 characters. So, why so many characters? When you have such a vast …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.maldene.com/plot-talk/1849