+ Book, Comic Book, fantasy, Fiction, Opinion, review, Uncategorized
by Jim
I am super excited about this one. Being a huge fan of Tolkien, owner of two first edition novels of his, and avid fan of the movies… this is huge for me! The new novel is titled The Fall of Gondolin. It looks like Tolkien’s son Christopher Tolkien is trying to get everything out as fast as he can… given that he’s getting … Read More Heads Up, New J.R.R. TOLKIEN NOVEL!
by Jim
Hello. I am writing my first novel and have absolutely no clue about anything publishing related. Any advice you can offer on that subject would help greatly! K.W. Riley Hi there, I actually get this question an awful lot and with good reason. Publishing is a tough road to navigate. Please check out the links below. These are previous posts I’ve made about the … Read More The Ins and Outs of Publishing, A Directory of Advice.
by Jim
I’m not usually an instrumental guy. That being said, if I get something that really stands out, I have to share it. This one made it’s way on my playlist a few months ago. When to Listen: Scene description, especially outdoors. This could also be the right time to describe an epic battle. Readers, Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? … Read More From My Writing Playlist
by Jim
Hi all, So I’ve had some people come forward with interview requests and podcast guest appearances. I thought it’d be a good idea to put this out there for anyone who would like to have me on their show or conduct an interview on their blog. For Podcasts/Audio Spots: I typically do everything over Skype, though I can make myself available on other … Read More Podcasting/Interview Requests
by Jim
Hi Jim, I’ve been reading through some of your posts regarding avoiding politics, and escapism in entertainment. You seem to be extremely anti-politics in your advice. You use Marvel Comics and others as your primary example, but you do realize that they have always been political, right? Most of the mediums and genres you’ve addressed have historically been political. So I’m not really sure … Read More Social Commentary/Political Agenda in Writing, The Good and Bad.
by Jim
Before I get to today’s recommendation… I just want to say that searching for new music to whet my appetite is becoming a chore. YouTube recommendations have all but dried up… and honestly in my preferred genres, everyone is either trying to be the next Within Temptation or Nightwish. They all come off sounding incredibly generic and watered down by comparison. Then you’ve got … Read More From My Writing Playlist
by Jim
Hello all! So it’s been a couple of weeks now, it looks like sales are going well! Thanks BTW! So I know I haven’t been around in a while since I published Drakin and for that I do apologize. However I had some inspiration come my way… and actually managed to write out a full sequel in a matter of weeks. It’s really … Read More Drakin, where to buy, and what’s next?
by Jim
A metal band that thinks they’re a bunch of dwarves… and there’s nothing else that really needs to be said about that. My friend introduced me to these guys as kind of a joke… not knowing that I’d actually really start liking them. When to Listen: When writing high fantasy. Like anything to do with Vikings, knights, witches, orcs, etc. You can also use … Read More From My Writing Playlist
by Jim
So every now and then I go to my Youtube playlist and click on a couple of videos on the recommended list, hoping to find some new music to try out. Every now and then I come across a gem… other times, I wind up with a headache, questioning my existence. Finding this little gem is the result of the former. They’re fairly generic … Read More From My Writing Playlist
by Jim
Hi Jim, I’ve been working on my story for a while, but am having trouble coming up with new characters. I was wondering if you had any advice about how you create yours? By the way, I am a huge fan of Vlad from Soul Siphon. I love how you made him a salty old Soviet Commie! Thanks, Ty Hi Ty, Glad you … Read More Character Creation, The How To
by Jim
Hi Jim, I’m getting ready to publish my first novel. I’ve finished the rough draft and have given it to an editor. They came back with a critique and it honestly got me thinking. He said that my ending may shut readers off because of how sad it is. I will admit that my story doesn’t end on a high note, but now I’m … Read More Endings: Memorable is More Important Than Happy or Sad.
by Jim
Poor Rihanna, and I mean that literally. This is an artist who peaked way too early in her career. I’m not usually into this type of thing, but this song found a place on my playlist very quickly. When to Listen: Villain creation is a good place to start, but also during the creation of dark scenes. I like to listen to it at night … Read More From My Writing Playlist
James Harringtons Creative Work 