I saw her as soon as I materialized in Golden Gate Park. She lounged on a blanket, waiting for the Jefferson Airplane concert. The crown of dandelions adorning her hair seemed familiar somehow. She turned toward me, perhaps sensing my stare—and I swayed on my feet, knocked dizzy by a rush of déjà […]
Dandelion Maggie & Trippin’ Steve Read More »
When the monsoon failed to arrive that year, the people of Ghoshpara began to mutter beneath their breath that someone had stolen the clouds. The ponds cracked into mirror-shards, the frogs turned mute, and the banana leaves drooped like weary hands. Only one person seemed untouched by the heat: little Mita, who walked
Girl Who Stole the Monsoons Read More »
There once was a boy who wished he had a brother, for he was lonely, his mom always at work or in bed or in court fighting his father, who’d gone to live with another family. The boy had seen magic in movies and figured he could do something about his loneliness. So
The hall around me echoed; a smell of wax and wet stone drifted through the air. Incense swirled, its twisting, grey mist drifted toward the vaulted ceiling. Thousands of candles threw flickering light onto the ancient pillars. The gold-etched spines of ledgers stretched back into the dim recesses of the Archive’s hallways.
The Archive of Names Read More »
Freya crouched precariously atop the mound of discarded metal. She toyed with the intricate pistons of a small gyrocopter engine, its brass casing glinting against the red rust of the sunset. She tugged the engine free of the surrounding scrap, sending it toppling towards her cart below, piled high with parts. To anyone
A Place in the Skies Read More »
Think of the start of a story as a dating profile. The opening often determines whether a reader or editor swipes left and moves on to something else or swipes right and keeps reading. Context, commitment, characters, conflict, and clarity can make an opening awesome. CONTEXT Context involves grounding the reader by establishing the setting
Constructing Awesome Openings Read More »
During a recent museum trip, I discovered how dazzling details make Takashi Murakami’s artwork magical. But you don’t have to incorporate a tiny self-portrait and a prized pet, like Murakami did in his painting Tan Tan Bo, aka Gerotan: Scorched by the Blaze in the Purgatory of Knowledge, into your own work to make it
The Dazzle Is In the Details Read More »
A “darling” is any part of a piece that isn’t essential. Darlings have the potential to steal the focus away from the heart of a story. Darlings can waste word count and break the special spell superb stories cast. Featuring, moving, or killing these beloved bits can free up word count, improve pacing, and keep
Focus Your Flash: Feature, Move, or Kill Your Darlings Read More »
They say there are rules for a reason. But who is this mysterious they, and do we really have to listen to them? Yes, and no. Helpful, right? When approaching writing conventions, there’s a complementary duality worth exploring. There are valid reasons we should adhere to established standards. There’s also a compelling argument for shaking
Breaking the Rules: Doing It With Intention and Style Read More »
There’s an odd phenomenon in literature: when presented with dragons and wizards in a mystical kingdom, the reader automatically accepts the fantastic elements. We understand the world offered is born wholly from imagination, and though we may not initially grasp the rules of this outlandish environment, we trust the author to show us how it
Metaphor or Magic: How to Get the Reader to Accept the Absurd Read More »