My thoughts on writing
Your character is furious. Bile rises in his throat and half chokes him. And you write: ‘How dare you,’ he said angrily. He stamped his feet. His heart pounded. Your reader gets the idea, but they feel nothing. You’ve told them there’s an emotion, but you haven’t let them experience one. There’s a massive difference….
Your first line has one job. Persuade the reader to read the second. There’s no need to be clever. No need to introduce your magic system. No need to set up the plot. That first sentence just needs to start the reader’s eye moving. One word of caution: writing speculative fiction makes that one job…
Writing is a journey. And my journey with Lightmaker began when I reacted to a modern myth. What was that myth? Simple: the idea that ‘natural means better’. Before you accuse me of a ‘Pave the Amazon’ lunacy, I’m really seeking to challenge sloppy thinking. If someone says natural stuff is better, I’ll ask why….