January 23rd 2012
The Skill List Project: Writing Descriptive Passages
This is another post in The Skill List Project: an attempt to list all the skills involved in writing and selling fiction, particularly science fiction and fantasy. As promised last time, we’re going to look at writing description, one of the most important skills in prose fiction. When you think about it, prose fiction primarily [...]
Older Posts
January 16th 2012
Competence is hot
By now everybody and their brother has probably seen the post by (SF Novelists’ own) Jim Hines, wherein he attempts to pose like the women on the covers of some fantasy novels. The results are suitably absurd — not because there’s anything wrong with Jim, but because there’s something wrong with the covers. He caused [...]
January 15th 2012
What’s Your Favorite Anecdote About Learning How to Write?
Mine is easy. It was in a college writing class many, many years ago. Not an MFA writing class, but the kind of writing class that pre-meds, business, and chemistry majors used to take, because deep in their hearts they didn’ want to be doctors, entrepreneurs, or scientists. They wanted to be writers. Creative writing [...]
January 5th 2012
Promotion, self-promotion, and all that jazz
See, here’s the thing – nobody likes a shill for their own stuff. For very excellent reasons. If a person – an artist – a writer – doesn’t seem to be capable of uttering six straight words without beginning the next sentence with “In MY book…” – well – there is only so much you [...]
December 23rd 2011
A Writer’s Letter To Santa
Dear Santa: First of all, I want to assure you that I have been very good this year. Really. I’ve done A LOT of writing; I’ve put my butt in my chair just about every day. (My butt’s actually a little flat and wide at this point for all the writing I’ve done. But that’s [...]
FREE EBOOK
Twenty-five First Chapters from Twenty-five Writers
SF Novelists proudly offers you OPENING ACTS, a free ebook presenting twenty-five first chapters across the spectrum of science fiction and fantasy. Twenty-five tastes, to tempt your appetite for adventure...to lure you into unknown worlds...and give you something new to read.
Download a copy in epub format (Nook, Sony, iPad)
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Featuring:
7th Sigma
by Steven Gould
Bone Shop
by T.A. Pratt
Bones of Faerie
by Janni Lee Simner
The Brahms Deception
by Louise Marley
Carousel Tides
by Sharon Lee
The Cloud Road
by Martha Wells
Dangerous Water
by Juliet E. McKenna
The Dread Hammer
by Trey Shiels
Flesh and Fire
by Laura Anne Gilman
Fright Court
by Mindy Klasky
The Heretic
by Joseph Nassise
House of the Star
by Caitlin Brennan
Indigo Springs
by A.M. Dellamonica
Jade Tiger
by Jenn Reese
Kat, Incorrigible
by Stephanie Burgis
Medium Dead
by Chris Dolley
Midnight at Spanish Gardens
by Alma Alexander
Play Dead
by John Levitt
Shade
by Jeri Smith-Ready
The Snow Queen’s Shadow
by Jim C. Hines
Spellcast
by Barbara Ashford
The Spirit Lens
by Carol Berg
TruthSeeker
by C.E. Murphy
Up Against It
by M.J. Locke
With Fate Conspire
by Marie Brennan
