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Character Motivations – Connecting the Past to the Present

Posted on January 23, 2018February 5, 2018 by R.M. Archer

Character backstories can sometimes be glossed over when you’re designing a character, because you get so tied up in the now, but really, the past and present of your character are far more closely linked than you might realize. You can’t just skip backstory, because it’s an integral part of who your character is now.

Past and present are interlinked in a number of places in characters, but there are three sections that I think are the most closely tied together, and those are Continue reading “Character Motivations – Connecting the Past to the Present” →

Short Story Sunday – Bag of Beans

Posted on January 21, 2018February 5, 2018 by R.M. Archer

I’ve still been working on short stories for this month’s collection (which unfortunately has been moved back to sometime between the 25th and 30th) and still didn’t have time to write a new short story for the blog, but I have the first short story of next month’s collection, The Mirror-Hunter Chronicles, which I describe as Disney meets A Series of Unfortunate Events. Enjoy. :)

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Hello there. I’m Solem Anders, but most likely you only know me as “the man who sold Jack the magic beans.” While this is true, it’s hardly all I did in regard to the incident, and I do, in fact, have a name. That I merely sold Jack a bag of magic beans is a common misconception at this point, and only the first of quite a few. Now I’d like to set the record straight, if only for your entertainment. Continue reading “Short Story Sunday – Bag of Beans” →

Short Story Sunday – Lost Girl

Posted on January 14, 2018February 5, 2018 by R.M. Archer

I’m afraid I didn’t have time this week to write a new short story for the blog, but here’s one that will be going in the upcoming short story collection I’m publishing (hopefully on the 20th). Enjoy. :)

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Nya strode to the railing of the upper deck, her booted footsteps pounding on the wood. Waves lapped against the hull and a night breeze ruffled the feather in her hat. All eyes below turned to her. For a long moment there was silence.

“I have found a map to Peter Pan’s hideout,” she announced.

A great cheer went up from the crew. It was followed by questions like “where is it?” and “how far is it?” and “let’s take it!”

“All of your questions will be answered as we get there. Put on your hats and gloves. We raid Pan’s hideout tonight!” Continue reading “Short Story Sunday – Lost Girl” →

Character Interview: Charette Audrian

Posted on January 10, 2018February 5, 2018 by R.M. Archer

Charette is an Elf from Shae-Nir, Kaloris, but she lives in the capital of the country, Cron Hatal, because she doesn’t care much for Shae-Nir’s values and she much prefers the company of humans with less of a moral code. The phrase “femme fatale” fits her rather well. Continue reading “Character Interview: Charette Audrian” →

My Top 5 Tips for New Writers

Posted on January 9, 2018February 5, 2018 by R.M. Archer

When I think back to my early writing – the really early stuff, back when I thought that five pages was long enough to be a novel – I see a gigantic mess. Flat characters, rushed plots, things that little seven-year-old me didn’t think through that are now really creepy (like the fact that one of my characters accidentally had two wives), and fairytale romances. I have a document of those old stories and titled it “The Cheese Factory.”

I can’t save you from cheesy stories or flat characters – and honestly you’ll run into those through your entire writing career Continue reading “My Top 5 Tips for New Writers” →