Tag: fiction

From My Writing Playlist

One of the few welcomed changes to the Star Wars classics. I was never a huge fan of Yub Nub. That being said, they ruined the scene this song was in by replacing Sebastian Shaw with Hayden Christiansen. RUINED ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL SCENES! When to Listen: If it wasn’t already plainly obvious, this is a post-final battle song. It fits in so many … Read More From My Writing Playlist

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Drakin, where to buy, and what’s next? #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

Hello all! I hope everyone has enjoyed The Drakin Series!! Please don’t forget to leave me a review on Amazon once you’re done. That really helps me out a lot. Copies of these books, as well as my others, can be purchased on Amazon by following this link: James Harrington’s Author Page They’re also available at Barnes and Noble, as well as many other … Read More Drakin, where to buy, and what’s next? #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

Suspending Suspension of Disbelief!

Hi Jim, I have a little problem that I was hoping you could assist me with. I’ve had quite a few people read my story and the overall criticism is that one of the characters isn’t believable. They keep saying that the way the character behaves and the things she does, don’t fit in with the story. This really bothers me as this is … Read More Suspending Suspension of Disbelief!

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A Drakin Question!? (SPOILERS!)

Hi Jim, I haven”t quite finished reading Drakin, but was really curious about something. First of all, congratulations on getting your book published, that’s quite an accomplishment! I really liked your character, Jagger. It really seems like you spent a lot more of time and focus on Raiya, but Jagger seems like the nice guy who would give you the shirt off his back. … Read More A Drakin Question!? (SPOILERS!)

Dimensional, One Dimensional Characters

I’ve heard, and said a lot of negative things about the writing of characters that are too one-dimensional. I don’t want it to seem like I’m against such a character, I’m not. There are a lot of great characters out there that are lacking in dimension. Perhaps one of the most famous examples would be the character Javert from Les Miserables. In fact, it … Read More Dimensional, One Dimensional Characters

From My Writing Playlist

Ah an oldie, but one from I musician I loved back in college… and still do! I don’t think you can qualify him as metal, but who cares? Beyond his music, he’s also wonderful to his fans. I had the opportunity to see him live and then waited two hours in line to meet him after the show. It took two hours because he … Read More From My Writing Playlist

Writing Time Travel: What Works and What Makes No Sense.

It’s said that if you bend but one shade of grass, you run the risk of altering history… I see a lot of stories, shows, and movies dealing in time travel, how it ‘works’ and the consequences of using it. I usually try not to write about it in my stories for a few reasons… One, time travel is a headache to figure out. … Read More Writing Time Travel: What Works and What Makes No Sense.

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Being Preachy Doesn’t Sell.

Hi Jim! I’m hoping you can help me here as a lot of your posts have been about political ideologies making bad stories. I want to write a fictional story with a moral and a political message, but upon rereading what I’ve already written, I’m worried about it being too preachy.  Do you have any advice for me? Thanks! Leah Hi Leah, Good question. … Read More Being Preachy Doesn’t Sell.

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The Ins and Outs of Publishing, A Directory of Advice. #Writing #Author #Advice

Okay, so it looks like I’m still getting a lot of publishing questions. These are recurrent questions I get on a regular basis, and while I want to try to respond to everyone who reaches out to me, I don’t want my blog becoming redundant. So I think I’m going to repost this on a weekly basis from now on to help people navigate … Read More The Ins and Outs of Publishing, A Directory of Advice. #Writing #Author #Advice

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Expert Consulting on Fantasy?

Hi Jim, I have a question maybe you can help with. I’m trying to write a fantasy novel dealing with biological warfare, but I don’t have a lot of scientific or medical knowledge. I don’t want it to sound like I have no idea what I’m talking about, but I want to try to explain the mechanics of how certain things work in the … Read More Expert Consulting on Fantasy?

From My Writing Playlist

Okay, I love Hammerfall, but this version is too good to ignore. When to Listen: The primary struggle of the hero. Listen to this when your hero is coming face to face with their biggest issue. This does not necessarily mean the final fight. This could be an internal – emotional struggle that the hero most deal with.   Readers, Do you have a question about … Read More From My Writing Playlist

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Drakin, An Empire of Ashes Sample Chapter #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

Synopsis: Two hundred years have passed, and the Red War has become a distant memory for most. Dragons and humans now live together in peace… but one powerful woman who has been deranged by her own history unleashes her vengeance on a helpless population. Now, the world’s only hope for survival rests with Kaori, a naïve and wayward princess of the Eastern Empire. Having … Read More Drakin, An Empire of Ashes Sample Chapter #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi