Tag Archives: inspiration

Dreams

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Brian Bixby

I don’t remember most of my dreams, and I remember few in detail. I don’t think I’m missing out on too much. When I wake up from a dream and try to recall it, I usually find it is logically … Continue reading →

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The final chapter of Nightfeather: Ghosts

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Nightfeather: Ghosts, my Christmastime ghost story about Persephone Désirée Arabia Nightfeather Sanderson and the ghosts she encountered in Farnham, is now at its end with a final chapter. There’s not much more to say, except that if you haven’t been reading it … Continue reading →

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The writer’s happy lament; or, writer’s block as an aid to writing

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Brian Bixby

I have been suffering from writer’s block for a month. It’s not that I couldn’t write. I just couldn’t write anything that felt good. That, as it turns out, was a valuable warning sign. It told me I needed to … Continue reading →

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The imaginative editor: Lessons in writing, part 4

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Every writer needs an editor. Writers need someone to read what they wrote to see if the audience will understand and appreciate the writing. Trusted readers who can offer incisive criticism serve much the same purpose. Get yourself an editor, … Continue reading →

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Chekhov’s gun control: Lessons in writing, part 3

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Brian Bixby

In discussing writing with some other bloggers, we have recently been mentioning “Chekhov’s gun.” This is a rule cited by Russian author Anton Chekhov that if you include a gun in a story (Chekhov referred to a play), someone ought … Continue reading →

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Stories as constellations: Lessons in writing, part 2

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Brian Bixby

Some people will tell you it’s characters that drive a story, others that it’s plot. A few will even claim it’s ideas. Truth is that it’s none of these. It’s connections. Your story is made up of how you connect … Continue reading →

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Panzers and plodders: Lessons in writing, part 1

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Brian Bixby

They’re the two types of writers. Didn’t know that? Neither did I. Found this out when I was at Arisia, the Boston sci-fi/fantasy convention in January. You see, my hearing, like James Thurber’s eyesight, sometimes plays tricks on me. I … Continue reading →

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Chapter 22 of Dragon Lady, and my patron saint of digressions

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Brian Bixby

“Solomon Davis takes charge,” chapter 22 of The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge, is now available. The future leader of the Office of Occult Affairs arrived on the scene too late to prevent the holocaust in the previous chapter. What’s left for … Continue reading →

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Summer vacations on Winnisquam

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Brian Bixby

In The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge, and in a related blog post, I’ve written about how the wealthy of the Gilded Age erected “cottages” of up to one hundred rooms to spend part of their vacation time. It’s made me reflect … Continue reading →

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Query to readers: criticizing the writing of others

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Brian Bixby

I’ve run into an issue, and need help. I’m reading the blogs of several writers. Their experiences are varied, the quality of their writing more so. What kind of criticism should I offer them? My difficulty can be boiled down … Continue reading →

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