Author: JRVogt

I always enjoy seeing the maps that tend to accompany many fantasy novels these days. Some science fiction stories have them too, but more often you see ancient, otherworldly lands scrolled out on faded parchment, depicting magical territories, political divides and places known as The Forbidding Lands or little footnotes…

No, not me. Though some have called me crazy, which I take as a compliment, thank you very much. Madness is the spice of life, dontcha know? Ahem. Not that I want you to picture me breaking into maniacal laughter whenever I sit down to compose this blog, or work…

Still puzzling the title? I suppose the full of it would be: How to Tell Who WON’T Make It in Writing (and How Not to Be That Writer). This is more of an attitude check then actual craftspeak. Your attitude toward your writing, plus the way you handle criticism, and…

I swore I would never give in and take one of these online tests. I really did. I mean, honestly, aren’t these things just derivatives of all the psych-analysis tests that are out there so people can lump one another into more definable social borders (oh, you’re an IECJ? Well,…

Have you ever asked yourself that question? Or do you even consider yourself a professional writer in the first place? Do you delineate between the titles “writer” and “author” perhaps? I’ve seen all sorts of artificial definitions. A “writer,” according to some, is anyone who keeps a journal, a blog,…

I came across this handy laundry list of things to knock into your noggin should you be taking it upon yourself to hang up a shingle upon which is painted a parchment, quill, and a security blanket. Eight things new writers need to know as listed by Hugo and Nebula…

Just for your well being, because I know you wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight without knowing, here is the list of this year’s Philip K. Dick Award Finalists. Give them many congratulations, well wishes, and then go plot how to get yourself on this list sometime. You’ll notice that…

I want to look at some of the more common pieces of advice that people here as they float through the vast ocean of writing, publishing and so on. We come across this advice in the books on writing. We read it in writer, editor, and agent blogs (like this…

It’s Monday. The day you sacrifice on the altar of coffee with many slurps and burnt tongues and the white froth on the tip of your nose that is somehow a badge of pride to so many. Monday. The day of grumpy awakenings and shambling into work with glances to…

First, David Edelman is holding a contest over at his site, in which first and second place will win signed, personalized copies of Infoquake. The contest? To write the opening lines from a bad novel about Jewish Marxist werewolves in Bolivia. The contest runs for two weeks, ending promptly at…