What Words May Come... |
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The best writing advice you’ll ever receive is to toss the blankets (of advice) out with the giver (the critique). Don’t use adverbs, don’t use be verbs, and show, don't tell are three of the most oversimplified sayings in the writing world, and they are parroted like gospel in nearly every critique group. Here’s why they are the worst pieces of writing advice. First, adverbs. Sure, overusing them can make prose weak or lazy, but they exist for a reason. Sometimes they capture the exact nuance you’re after. Successful writers use them all the time (even King, who is likely the perpetrator of this awful advice). The solution? Draft freely, then in revision, check each adverb. If a stronger, more powerful verb works, swap it. If the adverb nails it, keep it. Simple as that. Second, be verbs. Too many “am/is/was/were” phrases can make your prose dull, but sometimes they’re the most natural, readable choice. You wouldn’t write “the sky exhibited blueness” when “the sky was blue” works perfectly. The fix isn’t banning them—it’s making sure you don’t lean on them as a crutch. Rephrase when a stronger option makes the sentence come alive. Finally, “always show, never tell.” This one is the worst offender, and while it's really "show don't tell," it gets taken to the extreme, and those who constantly harp on it are implying the absolute (you know who deals in absolutes, right?). If you showed everything, your book would balloon into a thousand pages of pretentious, purple prose and empty gestures. Telling is necessary: it summarizes, transitions, and adjusts narrative distance. Balance is key. Let your pacing guide you. If the story flows and isn’t bogged down in endless description, you’ve hit the sweet spot. The consensus? Don’t overuse weak crutches. Prioritize clarity, pacing, and emotional impact. Good writing isn’t about following rules—it’s about telling a good story. So write first, and treat these so-called commandments for what they are: advice, not law. 
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And insanely enough, this 64-page insert, complete with bogus summaries, wasn’t created by satire sites like The Babylon Bee or The Onion but by Marco Buscaglia. Well, it wasn’t exactly written by him either. Only after the article was published, somehow making its way past the “writer”, the fact checkers, the editor or editors, and layout specialist for multiple national newspapers, was it revealed that AI had created the entire list. And this wasn’t a list of unknowns either. These are authors with sizeable bibliographies, large followings, or even a Pulitzer Prize. If it wasn’t for the dedicated followers of these major authors, we may not have known about this so quickly or maybe even at all.
Open ChatGPT, and it also warns you that it makes mistakes and prompts you to check the provided information. Why? Well, despite its name boasting its intelligence, it’s not that intelligent. It scours the World Wide Web or its own internal database for information, information that we humans provide. It’s only as good as it’s trained to be. But what does this mean for other news outlets or the articles that have been published? I have my theory, but I think that’s for you all to decide on your own.
“I have ever been prone to seek adventure and to investigate and experiment where wiser men would have left well enough alone.”
While fantastical in invention, Burroughs gives plausible reasons for John Carter’s success. The lower gravity on Mars, or Barsoom as the Martians call it, combined with John Carter’s seasoned soldier physique, makes him significantly stronger and more agile. This, and his ability to quickly adapt physically and mentally to the Martian environment, puts him at a great advantage. Just as with any of ERB’s other stories, A Princess of Mars is well-written, well-paced, and does not fail to wholly entertain.
I'm always either late on posting or MIA. Either way...
Time will tell where that’s concerned, I suppose. The kids are active, imaginative, and really excited about the class. In the past, I’ve balanced many responsibilities while teaching, and this will be the first year that I won’t be teaching any other classes. This is also the first year I’m using my soon-to-be-published curriculum. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s almost ready. Fingers crossed that this will be the best year yet.
Favorite Fiction: The Naked Sun (Robot Series book two ) by Isaac Asimov review by Will Kirkpatrick8/13/2024
This society, though superficially free of the worries of the modern world, is completely alien to both us as the reader and Baley as the detective. As we follow Baley’s investigation, it’s hard not to notice Asimov’s commentary on technological overreliance, isolation, and dependence on robotics. It’s eerie to think that this was written in 1956. The ways he questions the implication of technology on human interaction feel just as home today (almost 60 years later) as I’m sure they felt then. The relationship between Baley and his robotic assistant Daneel is another area of prescience. In the world of robotic assistants, where exactly should the lines be drawn? I was particularly unsettled by an early scene where Daneel “protects” Baley (who has agoraphobia) by preventing him from viewing the open sky. This scenario predicts our current reality, where tech giants often create algorithmic bubbles and social media feeds, shielding us from broader perspectives and potentially manipulating our experiences. The Naked Sun is not just a classic science fiction tale; it’s an exploration of human nature, societal constructs, and our complex relationship with technology. Asimov’s incisive commentary on these themes is as relevant today as ever, making the novel a timeless piece of literature that challenges and enlightens. In conclusion, I can wholeheartedly recommend The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov. It’s a captivating read that will provoke thoughts about the modern world and leave you pondering long your own technological habits.  A millennium into the future, two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the Galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. On the beautiful Outer World planet of Solaria, a handful of human colonists lead a hermit-like existence, their every need attended to by their faithful robot servants. To this strange and provocative planet comes Detective Elijah Baley, sent from the streets of New York with his positronic partner, the robot R. Daneel Olivaw, to solve an incredible murder that has rocked Solaria to its foundations. The victim had been so reclusive that he appeared to his associates only through holographic projection. Yet someone had gotten close enough to bludgeon him to death while robots looked on. Now Baley and Olivaw are faced with two clear impossibilities: Either the Solarian was killed by one of his robots–unthinkable under the laws of Robotics–or he was killed by the woman who loved him so much that she never came into his presence! You’ve heard the story before: an orphaned boy, raised by a wise old man, comes to a fuller knowledge of his magic and uses it to fight the great evil threatening his world. But what if that hero were destined to become the new dark lord?
In the beginning, Annev doesn’t realize he is being sought out by wicked gods who only want to use him for his unbelievable magic abilities. As a baby, Annev was orphaned by the academy’s hands and eventually taken in by his pseudo father and mentor Sodar, where he attends that very same academy, Chaenbalu. Here, he is brought up to believe that all magic and its users are inherently evil. Chaenbalu trains its students to detect and retrieve very dangerous magic artifacts and at whatever cost necessary. In his training to become an Avatar of Judgement, Annev is pitted against the other students along with his friends in hopes of being able to leave the academy. If he fails, he will never leave Chaenbalu again and never be able to marry the one he loves, Myjun.
When both groups arrive at the outpost, they find that it is already taken by a faction of dark elves called the Moredhel. Through a tentative agreement both forces work together to avoid thier own annihilation and temporarily band together to defeat thier common enemy. “A shrieking battle cry echoed on the wind, a spine-tingling scream that sounded like the baying of the wolves closing in on their prey.”Honored Enemy is a fantastic military fantasy with Feist and Forstchen setting you right into battle and right behind enemy lines in a world rich with danger, culturally unique races, and underlying family and political conflicts. The world is vast and expansive, even if this particular novel focuses less on the overarching riftwar and more on character relationships and the struggle of friendship through adversity. Can one truly trust their enemy when both need each other to survive?
It appears that Moderator X had direct and unchecked access to the teens of this program as it was never regulated by any other adults. The teens themselves took to their own website to discuss the abuse and eventually eleven other NaNoWriMo users informed the staff at headquarters. This happened back in May 2023. Headquarters simply denied the allegations even though there was sufficient documentation and some members have reported that any discussion on the topic led to their being silenced, deleted, and essentially shadow banned for months. When the board of directors stepped in on November 7th, they reviewed a four-page document noting that Moderator X had “already been identified as problematic” which also outlined earlier concerns about Moderator X. It is unknown how long the staff has known of Moderator X’s misconduct. Despite the staff being knowledgeable of this behavior, Moderator X was not removed, no safety measures were put in place, and their behavior on forums began to deteriorate during the following weeks. It wasn’t until six weeks later that the moderator was removed for unrelated violations. After this time, Moderator X used various alternates to continue to communicate with the teens of the Young Writers Program. While there has been some language from the board of directors that give us pause, it should be understood that the board members are not paid for their work. They are regular Joes just like most of us who have our own hobbies, jobs, and families. And while a call for the dismissal of any staff involved has been voiced the board must adhere to US labor laws. I do hope that over the coming months we receive honesty, transparency, and action from the organization that many of us have held dear. Without this institution, many novels would have gone unwritten, and many friendships would never have been forged. You can check out the statement issued by the board of the directors HERE. A.S. HardinBuilder of worlds, creator of people, aspiring author or more realistically an avid reader and skilled procrastinator. From sci-fi to horror, I've explored it all. As of late, I find myself diving into the depths of rare and out-of-print sci-fi and fantasy. Join me on this literary journey!
Dracula is one of the most renowned horror stories of its time and beyond and is told as a collaboration of journals, letters, newspaper articles, and ships’ log entries. It opens with Jonathan Harker’s journal detailing his trek from Exeter to the Carpathian Mountains to work as an estate agent for Count Dracula. Harker recounts many odd and frightful events along that journey such as howling wolves, strange dreams, frightened horses, and several people crossing themselves when they hear of his destination.
This past Friday was the last day of co-op where I teach creative writing. This was my second year teaching and several of my students from the year prior decided that they wanted to attempt a novel writing class. So this year that’s just what we did. In total I had nine students, including four from the year before, and they each tried their hand at writing a fifty-thousand word manuscript. Many of them succeed but all proved they had the dedication to learn what it would take to get past the dreaded blank page and put words down that others would eventually read.
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