Scribes & Archers

Story Idea Organization

Posted on October 22, 2024October 15, 2024 by R.M. Archer

As we hit the season of big writing challenges and you may be trying to decide what to write next or endeavoring not to be distracted by plot bunnies, it seemed like a good time to refresh an old (messy) post about my process for capturing, organizing, and prioritizing story ideas.

(P.S. Interested in participating in a fall writing challenge but not sure where to start? This post offers some alternatives to NaNoWriMo.)

Idea Receptacles

Inspiration can strike anywhere, so I have notebooks and Continue reading “Story Idea Organization” →

2024 Know the Novel: Part 1 – Introduction

Posted on October 15, 2024October 11, 2024 by R.M. Archer

Hello and welcome to the third annual Know the Novel focused on Lightning and Thunder! Y’all asked for a re-introduction post, so here we are, and today’s post will be a little different from the previous two because I’m primarily working this year on finishing Thunder while the past two years have been spent working on Lightning. I’m going to do my best in this post to focus on Thunder without giving away spoilers in the process. Thanks, as always, to Christine Smith for hosting the Know the Novel link-up!

1. What first sparked the idea for this novel?

While I was Continue reading “2024 Know the Novel: Part 1 – Introduction” →

Book Review: World-Building for Writers by H.C. Harrington

Posted on October 8, 2024August 28, 2024 by R.M. Archer

I recently discovered the existence of a couple of worldbuilding books I hadn’t previously come across in my searching, to my mingled dismay (that I had managed to miss them) and delight (that there are actually more authors writing about this topic). One was a series, and its collected volumes are huge, so it’s on the list to get later, but one was a reasonable impulse-buy price so I grabbed it, so here I am today with a review of World-Building for Writers!

What is World-Building for Writers about?

You Can Build A World

For many authors, there’s nothing that slows down their writing process more than world-building. Whether it’s deciding on what types of fantastic beasts to include in their stories or how to name characters and locations convincingly H.C. Harrington, Amazon Best-Selling Author of the Daughter of Havenglade Series, explains step-by-step how to create deep and engrossing worlds while saving time.

World-Building For Writers breaks down hundreds of examples of effective world-building from novels, films, and television to demystify the process, make it enjoyable, and help readers unleash the inner voice they never knew they had for creating worlds.

Prepare to enter the realm of your own imagination.

“In your hand is a map of creative imagination, good habits, and practical examples to ensure that you build a world that’s fun and functional, that births heroes, cultivates epic tales, and inspires awe in readers.”-Dustin Porta, author of The Dragon’s Hide

Review

Let me get the negatives out of the way first, most of which are fairly minor or Continue reading “Book Review: World-Building for Writers by H.C. Harrington” →

How to Choose Your Next Project

Posted on October 1, 2024September 18, 2024 by R.M. Archer

If you’re trying to decide what project to work on next, whether for a writing challenge this fall or simply because you’ve finished one project and you’re ready for something new, this post is all about how to simplify that process–both now and in the future. I’ve written on this topic before, but I wanted to put together an updated and expanded guide that better serves you. Note that these tips can also help if you’re choosing what project to work toward publishing or querying, though I recommend also checking out this video from Bethany Meyer if that’s the season you’re in.

Without further ado, let’s get into some tips for developing an effective story prioritization system!

Understand Your Rhythms

As you begin to develop a system for project prioritization, it’s key to know how you work best. This will help Continue reading “How to Choose Your Next Project” →

Book Review: Sailing Magic by Order of the Pen Press

Posted on September 24, 2024September 9, 2024 by R.M. Archer

I haven’t reviewed an anthology in a while, but while at Realm Makers I finally picked up a copy of Sailing Magic from Order of the Pen Press! This is an anthology that I’ve been really interested in since before it came out–in fact, I’d intended to submit a story to it myself but didn’t get around to writing one in time–and it was just as fun as I’d hoped!

About Sailing Magic

Ships are a timeless symbol of adventure, promising individuals the opportunity to explore worlds unknown. Sailing Magic features ten exciting stories that will take you on fantastical journeys to lands you’ve never seen before!

Continue reading “Book Review: Sailing Magic by Order of the Pen Press” →