Page 2 of 18

How to Write a Frame Story that Works

What a frame story is, why they’re hard to get right and how to write one that works.

633 Squadron – Novel and Movie Review

633 Squadron, written by Frederick E. Smith and published in 1956, was the source novel for the classic 1963 war movie of the same name. Although it’s not…

Is AI-Generated Art Ethical?

You’ve heard about AI-generated art. Maybe you’ve even played with some of the commercially available AI art tools. But are we really artists if the AI is doing…

Why You Should Join a Writing Group

So, you’ve heard about writing groups? Maybe you’re even thinking of joining one. Good, because if you want to write and publish a novel, then joining a writing…

Red Sparrow: Movie Review

Red Sparrow released in September 2017, starring Jennifer Lawrence, and directed by Francis Lawrence, is a noirish espionage-thriller about a Russian ballerina forced to become a seductress for…

Deus Ex Machina: What it is, Why it’s Bad and How to Avoid It

In order to understand what a deus ex machina is, first we need to go back in time. In fact, we need to go all the way to…

Swastika Night: Book Review

Swastika Night was written by Katharine Burdekin and published in 1937 under the pseudonym “Murray Constantine”. It is remembered primarily as the first novel to portray a world…

Vanity Publishing – What It Is and Why You Shouldn’t Do It

You’ve probably heard the term “vanity publishing”. But what is it exactly? Everyone seems to think it’s bad, but why is it a problem? What’s the difference between…

The Probability Broach: Novel Review

The Probability Broach, an alternative history novel about a libertarian utopia, was written by L. Neil Smith and published in 1979. I think The Probability Broach  is the…

Come Into My Parlour – Novel Review

Come Into My Parlour, written by Dennis Wheatley and published in 1949, was the sixth of Dennis Wheatley’s novels featuring secret agent Gregory Sallust—a series that critics sometimes…