Writing Wild with Verna McKinnon

The Witcher Review I must confess I have been disappointed with the high tech fantasies and science fiction adaptations for a long time. Game of Thrones became such a disappointment (this is my opinion) and left such a bitter taste in my mouth, I will not even list my grievances here. I loved the film, John Carter (should have been  John Carter of Mars), but the world claimed it a flop. I think people will rethink this in the future, as it is a magnificent adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs. But in this era of expensive comic book films with super heroes in tights, I long for  good fantasy or science fiction film. Do not get me wrong, comic book films have a place, but there is a rich library of wonderful fantasy and science fiction literature going back decades that could be adapted today with the  current technology and  some great casting and writing. Enter, The Witcher.  I was happily surprised. I checked this out on Netflix with little hope. I knew it was based on a

  I have been a Geek Girl since I can remember. Science fiction, fantasy, horror (though not the gross stuff),  paranormal-it's all good. However, I have noticed patterns over time that irritate the hell out of me. They are also the same annoyances that plague even regular dramas and comedies, both literary and screen versions. Let me just say-this  must stop! Here is my list of grievances. 1. T he Girlfriend Death . She must die in the story, but it will be okay because our hero will have a sidekick. This got old decades ago, but they still force it down our throats. Most tragic science fiction or fantasy tales have the family/girl friend/wife/kids die in some tragic way. let's not forget slaughter of family or tribe. In the end, the hero manages to trudge on with his sidekick. Ugh. They used this a lot in Conan's TV and Film versions (hint: in the book series Conan's parents and tribe did not die. so he did not he need to seek revenge for it).  Why ar

   The Wonder of Tanith lee  The wonder of writing. The reason most of us stubborn authors stick to it is because we love the craft. It is an under appreciated craft.  Fantasy and science fiction, despite immense popularity, is also under appreciated. Without wonder and imagination, our lives would be bleak indeed. One of the great treats for an author or reader alike is finding an author to cling to and reread over and over. One of those authors for me (among many I worship at the alter of literature) was Tanith Lee. A long time ago, in a bookstore far away, I discovered Tanith Lee when I was browsing in a used bookstore in Omaha. It was the 90's and used bookstores were all the rage. Now they are hard to find. The comfort of bookstores has vanished in our culture. It is sad, though I know some are thriving, not enough. I love hard copies of books. The texture and feel of the book in my hand. The E book is fine, but it will never give me the joy of a worn

Dreams, Visions, & Wishes  A writer needs to dream. Stories spring from the imagination. It is the internal innocence which creates the tale and forms the author. When you strip away our dreams, you hurt the artists. One thing you must hold onto is your dreams, visions & wishes. Reject anyone who tries to take that away. Block the mean ones who try to put you down and belittle you. There is a huge difference between critiques and nasty jealousy. Fortunately, most writers are supportive of each other. The ones who hold you back are not your friends. So create and live. It is a myth that artists must suffer. A well-fed and supported artist creates. That is my truth. More later....in the meantime, read more fantasy and imagine. Cheers, Verna McKinnon

Writing is a process that's different for everyone. Objectives, goals, plans, outlines, and chapter revisions all take up time and most of my mental strength. I just realized I had not done a blog post in months. Am sorry, fellow fantasy fans. I will try to be better. I am writing a novel and planning two more. My brain is crowded with ideas so I must focus. Hence my absence from blogging. I love creating novels and fresh new characters. So I become absorbed in the process. I am nerdy about it as I compile and organize the character sheets and fantasy world plans. It is my geek girl life. It is a solitary act, as all writing is. But I like it that way. when I come up for air, I realize I have neglected things like blogging. I become lost in writing goals and time speeds on. So as a writer, you need to figure out what works for you. Organizing your time is essential. I enjoy blogging about my writing and my favorite genres of fantasy and science fiction, but my writing comes

Okay, this is my own take. This will also be a short blog. We all have an opinion about character deaths. Sometimes a character death is needed. Sometimes they are a trope overused and tiresome. I see it now in films and TV-let's kill this character and upset folks. Sometimes this is done in huge numbers. Isn't this great? Wow, look at all that violence and death. Sadly for me, it has become tiresome. If death is the only way to drive your story or you are only interested in shock value, you are missing something. Stop and think. Death can have meaning for a story, but be careful how you do it and why. Give it meaning if you must, but do not rely on character death. It has become a cheap and easy tactic that has turned me off some shows and literature. Why should I invest in a story if everyone dies? 

The Truth about Outlining Novels and the Pansters Revenge Outlining a novel can be great, but if it is not your thing, don't sweat it. Some must outline each and every aspect of a novel. I am a little more fluid, though I am organized. A solid compendium and knowing where my characters are stories are going is my solid base. I do a couple pages on what the story is and main characters. I work from there. There is no set rule. I generally have a firm grasp on word count and chapters. I tend to keep my novels between 95,000 and 100,000 words. I learned to hone the skill of writing 10 page chapters. This is just math, but it is crucial. You need a chapter to begin and end with interest. In the past, I used scene breaks, which works too. Often those scene changes can be set up in their own chapter, but it depends on length. A 10 page chapter framework helps you to figure out your characters challenges and threats to your hero/heroine. I have my character and world cha

A Loss of Sanity & Cookie Madness We need to review what it costs to write a book. Hence, my title for this entry to my novel quest series is A Loss of Sanity & Cookie Madness. It has been a while since my last post, but as you must know, I'm often busy writing. Currently it is my new novel in progress, The Bastard Sorceress . I have also been promoting my new novel, The Bardess of Rhulon, on social media. Plus I have a day job, a patient husband, and two petulant cats. Needless to say, my time is spread thin. This is the life of a writer. Our current culture does not allow us to fall off the grid like Hemingway, live in a dump, drink coffee in a cafe, and type out a manuscript on an old typewriter. Life is not so simple. We are all poor of course, unless we are lucky enough to have an income from other sources which allows us a luxury to write whenever, wherever. In reality, most of us do not. So we must contend with the slings and arrows of everyday li

The Trouble With Plots Hello fellow friends & writers. I have finally recovered from the holidays, so now back to work! My first post in 2019 is about plots. Plots are a baseboard. A basic foundation to your story. The trouble with plots is there is a finite number of the plots in the universe. Maybe nine. Or less. Anyway, people twists themselves into a frenzy trying to come up with an original plot no one has heard of before.  I have one word of advice: RELAX. Plots are simply a way to organize your story. It is the springboard from which your character's journey jumps off. It is how you can structure your novel. So relax. worry about creating exciting characters and dialogue. More to come in novel quest. So, keep writing and reading! Cheers, Verna McKinnon