Scribes & Archers

2024 Know the Novel: Part 3 – Words Written

Posted on November 26, 2024November 13, 2024 by R.M. Archer

Welcome to the final installment of the Know the Novel link-up, hosted by Christine Smith! This installment usually goes up in December, but I’ll be taking a hiatus through the month of December (and Thunder is already finished) so I’m getting an early start on Part 3.

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1. How did writing this novel go all around?

The first half was difficult; I dove right in after finishing Lightning and burned out not too far into Thunder, then kept trying to push on anyway until Sarah Grimm talked sense into me at Realm Makers and gave me permission to shift gears for a while. Once I did that–setting Thunder aside to work toward finishing my worldbuilding book instead–I was able to Continue reading “2024 Know the Novel: Part 3 – Words Written” →

Goal-Setting for Authors

Posted on November 19, 2024October 23, 2024 by R.M. Archer

As we near the end of the year, many of us are already turning our attention toward goals for next year. (If you’re like me, you started thinking ahead all the way back in September or October!) Whether you have what feels like an overwhelming list of goals, or just a few big goals that you’re trying to prioritize well, this post is all about how to set the right kind of goals as an author–and how to ensure that those goals serve the purpose you need them to serve.

The Purpose of Goals

First, it’s important to define what your purpose is for setting goals. If you’re someone who needs to complete every task on the list, then you want to be very clear on what you can or can’t achieve in a given time-frame so that you’re not causing yourself undue frustration. If you set goals so that you have something to push toward but you don’t Continue reading “Goal-Setting for Authors” →

2024 Know the Novel: Part 2 – Within the WIP

Posted on November 12, 2024November 11, 2024 by R.M. Archer

Welcome to part 2 of the Know the Novel link-up. If you’re looking for an update on how Thunder is going, you’re in the right place! Thanks, as always, to Christine Smith for putting this link-up together!

1. How’s the writing going overall?

Simultaneously faster and slower than expected. I’ve been Continue reading “2024 Know the Novel: Part 2 – Within the WIP” →

Book Review: Princesses, Spies, & Other Modern Lies by Hannah Carter

Posted on November 5, 2024November 1, 2024 by R.M. Archer

Twenty Hills Publishing is a fairly new publishing house that caught my attention earlier this year as a Christian publishing house that tries to emphasize Christian values and light-centered stories without requiring those stories to be 100% squeaky clean in every context. When I entered a giveaway over the summer, one of the entries was to sign up to one of their street teams, so I ended up receiving an ARC of Princesses, Spies, & Other Modern Lies to review and was glad to have the opportunity to read something from Twenty Hills Publishing.

(Required disclaimer that though I received a free copy to review, the following opinions are my own.)

What is Princesses, Spies, & Other Modern Lies about?

The country of Umbra is caught in a war between its magical history filled with spellcasters and the new modern revolution. At the core of this civil war is the missing princess, who is prophesied to end the war and put the spellcasters back in a position of power.

To figure out where the heir is, the spellcasters throw a ball and invite all twenty-year-old women to see if one of them is the princess.

Though she’s forced to attend, Hazel Cartwright has no magical powers, so she can’t possibly be the missing heir . . .

Right?

Princesses, Spies, & Other Modern Lies is a short story full of political intrigue, a missing princess, magic versus modernity, banter, and spies.

This story starts off with a very Anastasia-esque premise, albeit Continue reading “Book Review: Princesses, Spies, & Other Modern Lies by Hannah Carter” →

Developing Beauty Standards for Fictional Cultures

Posted on October 29, 2024October 15, 2024 by R.M. Archer

Beauty standards have been a topic on my “to blog about” list for a long time now, and honestly a topic that has intimidated me, lol. But I reached a point in my worldbuilding book where I had to push past that fear and write about them anyway, so here is some of my advice for developing your fictional culture’s beauty standards (and a sort-of sneak peek at my book)!

(As a side note, I find it amusing that this ended up coming out so soon after the release of the new Uglies adaptation. That was not intentional, but it does seem oddly fitting.)

General Beauty Standards

Before getting into your culture’s specific Continue reading “Developing Beauty Standards for Fictional Cultures” →