Andrew Michael Miller's Thought Backlog
Writer and working Agile professional. Author of Pancho's Fall.
Sometimes it hurts to look back and see things of which you are not particularly proud. As a creative person, it can be so hard to appreciate the work done in an earlier stage in your development. You look upon that work with veteran eyes, nitpicking any elements you made that you would do differently now in retrospect. Sometimes you become ashamed of it and want to hide it. After all, it doesn't represent who you are now, right?
Of the Ten Saints of the first company of the First Son who went forth to vanquish the demons from the land, there were many skilled warriors who fought in that crusade. Among them were two of the best bowmen of that age, Euric and Bulgar. Rivals in name only, these friends held each other in the highest regard long before the First Son ever came to the White Walled City. Though their friendship would ultimately meet a tragic end, they dedicated their lives to the service of the First Son, successfully joining seven excursions into the wilderness before their journey ended. To this day, aspiring archers pray for the inspiration of Saint Euric and Saint Bulgar as they hone their skill.
Here's a challenge for you to try to test out your writing chops! Taken from a short story-writing guest lecture on Brandon Sanderson's master class on writing science fiction and fantasy, from Hugo award-winning author Mary Robinette Kowal, this will not only challenge you to understand how to engage audiences quickly, it will help you say more with less words. In the lesson, Mary challenges aspiring authors to write three sentences that tell readers exactly what kind of experience they're in for by picking up your book. Can you rise to the challenge?
Through the vast history of Caelon, there is no more well-known symbol of healing than the outstretched arm of Lady Gailavira, the mender. Of the original companions of the First Son, known today as the Ten Saints, Gailavira's legacy has traveled far and wide throughout the years, with portraits and statues in her honor in many cities throughout the land. But what makes Saint Gailavira such a revered figure in the lore of both Torian and Warathi beliefs?
As a writer, you have stories to tell, but maybe you're not quite sure how to begin to get all that information in your head onto the page. This is where structure is important, and the best way to determine what your story structure should look like is by understanding the four different types of stories: milieu, idea, character and event. By deciding what kind of story you're telling, you should have a much clearer idea of how to tell it.