Category Archives: writing trends

The illusive pervasive theme

Posted on March 8, 2021 by knlistman

A website for identifying my writing doppelganger named Cory Doctorow when I used a sample from a short story and Kurt Vonnegut when I used one of my articles. As I tested different parts of a novel, the analysis said … Continue reading →

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Making criticism constructive

Posted on February 15, 2021 by knlistman

Using bad writing advice as gatekeeping to keep some people outside of writing circles seemed like a strange accusation to me. It was not something that I considered before, but as I continued to read the article, I recognized behavior … Continue reading →

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Writing rules to break

Posted on December 21, 2020 by knlistman

First write for yourself, and then worry about the audience. The best writers often had to transitioned from one culture to another. The discovery that their own world was not the only one provided them with a more unique voice. … Continue reading →

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What is the opposite of steam punk?

Posted on June 3, 2019 by knlistman

World building can be a challenge. Advice from someone well-versed in geology, history, or sociology will help when designing world differing from the one we inhabit. My desire was to create an alternate world in which civilization was advanced as … Continue reading →

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Charming characters can’t be trusted

Posted on May 26, 2019 by knlistman

The character with charm, with the twinkle in the eye, who speaks noble words with the perfect voice, who makes the impassioned plea to turn the crowd around– the character with all the traits of charisma that we desire—that character … Continue reading →

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Kick starting a story

Posted on February 9, 2019 by knlistman

Many writers believe that most readers will only read a novel that grabs their attention from the first page. A dramatic episode must unfold in the first paragraph. I witnessed a workshop in which writers were coached to do just … Continue reading →

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Present tense prose

Posted on February 2, 2019 by knlistman

Since the popularity of The Hunger Game series and the awards won by All the Light We Cannot See, a trend is fiction is the use of present tense. This style is touted as making the character’s actions more intimate … Continue reading →

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Stories for the new stars

Posted on December 31, 2018 by knlistman

Walking beneath the of faces of stars glowing from two story tall billboards, I glanced down at the stars embedded into the side walk—at least when they were not covered by the feet of the crowds on Sunset Strip. Above … Continue reading →

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