BY DENNIS R. UPKINS Originally published at 30UpTV Broadcast journalist Corey Graves said it best. There are trailblazers and there are earth scorchers. Gail Simone is definitely the latter. Like many of you, I was introduced to Gail through her run on the DC Comics series Birds of Prey, and became an instant fan of … More Gail Force: An Interview With The Indomitable Gail Simone
Originally published at Thagomizer Recently I was having a conversation with a couple of friends and acquaintances regarding the release of my novel, Hollowstone. As I explained the premise behind the book, they expressed it was a novel they would be very interested in reading. They then expressed that they don’t read books. As the … More Writing to the Non-Existing Audience
Originally published at Twinjas Book Reviews One of the questions I’m constantly asked (which admittedly I never get tired of answering) is what my process in terms of world building and developing complex characters. My approach to world-building and character development ultimately corresponds to my overall approach to storytelling. As a writer, I personally … More My Steps To Creating Characters And Building Worlds
Hat tip to my buddy Benjamin forwarded me this webcomic. I definitely appreciated what Shonda Rhimes wrote as I’ve lived Rhimes’s point on many a day. It’s great to dream, and the good book says that faith the size of mustard seeds can move mountains. But the Bible also says that faith without … More Shonda Rhimes: A Screenwriter’s Advice
My good buddy, the beautiful and brilliant Sisterspooky has a most excellent post on the value of bloggers and the roles we play in the publishing industry. As I stated on her blog in a reply comment: “This is a most interesting topic as I identify as much as being a blogger as … More The Value Of A Blogger
So over on Middle Child Press, Ankhesen Mie explains why artists being unemployed is not a good look. ________________________________________ I recently viewed a trailer for a film we shall not speak of here. In the trailer, the protagonist is a struggling writer who totally sucksis having money problems because he won’t buckle down and get a damn … More Ankh Speaks: The Day Job
And my girl Ankhesen Mie comes out swinging, HARD!!!!! __________________ After battling the worst bout of writer’s block I’ve had in a while, I finally rescued myself by coming to one of my momentous decisions: no more stories where love is a central theme, and no more sex scenes (unless they have a comical edge). … More The Heterosexist Narrative
So a little over a year ago, something very special happened. My novel Hollowstone was released. To say it changed my life forever would be a vast understatement. From traveling across the country to promote the book, to connecting with extraordinary people all over the globe, I’ve had so many wonderful experiences thanks to … More 21 Lessons Learned As A Debut Novelist
The following guest post comes from the very lovely and talented Jess Faraday, author of Affair of the Porcelain Dog, a novel that has been getting some serious buzz and some nice accolades. You can find Ms. Faraday on her official blog at http://jessfaraday.com/. _________________________________________________ The Writing Group: To Group or Not To Group Jess Faraday Hi … More The Writing Group: To Group or Not To Group
Pro-Tip for authors: If you receive a negative a review on your novel, story, DO NOT ENGAGE! Maybe the reviewer misread the piece. Maybe the reviewer is too dense to get your genius and is an idiot. Maybe the reviewer has a hangup on one issue and it’s blinding them to the overall story. Maybe … More A Novel Pro-Tip
DENNIS R. UPKINS 