“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
— Walt Disney
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Posts Tagged ‘creativity’
Begin Doing… Whatever You Like
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, Thoughts, Writers on July 16, 2023| Leave a Comment »
On Writing Compelling Speculative Fiction
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, speculative fiction, Thoughts, Writers, writing on July 12, 2023| Leave a Comment »
J.R. Johnson On How To Create Compelling Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories
What does it take for a writer today, to write compelling and successful Science Fiction and Fantasy stories?
Click over to Authority Magazine for my thoughts! If you can’t access the file there, here’s a PDF (but the formatting is better at Authority!).
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Potential ! Limitless
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, Thoughts, Writers, writing on July 8, 2023| Leave a Comment »
“To go from this idea of limitless potential that you have as a young person — ‘Oh, I can do anything! Just give me the chance!’ — and then realizing, well, maybe you can’t do anything. But then what do you do? What do you do after that happens? What do you do after you realize that? Do you give up? Or do you try and make your art out of your own limitations?”
— David Duchovny
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What Makes Speculative Fiction So Great?
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, genre fiction, Thoughts, Writers, writing, yay on July 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Recently, I had a chance to talk speculative fiction with the good folks over at Urban Book Reviews. Check out my thoughts on what makes spec fic great, getting started as a writer, themes in fiction and more. Find the full interview here!
Meet This Author: J.R. Johnson – Urban Book Reviews
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Ready? Set? Try Something New
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, Fiction, Thoughts, Writers, writing on June 25, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Some thoughts on writing and practice and success:
They taught me not to fail – by Elizabeth Bear
A lot of writing advice books like to concentrate on all the things you’re probably doing wrong, it so happens, and tell you how not to do those things. This—along with modern school systems where the goal is Not To Fail—trains writers to think in terms of not doing things wrong, not making mistakes, etc.
…
I’ve often said that following all those rules about what not to do without developing a list of things you do right will turn you into the literary equivalent of a garage band, and the thing about garage bands is that they all sound alike.
And what if what’s new isn’t just the scary unknown, but something that could actually be great?
Quest for Craft: Season 1 | Episode 4: Malcolm Gladwell interviewed by Questlove
[Gladwell] Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking what the audience wants is mastery…. but actually they don’t want to see something done perfectly. What we want is something exciting. Something that challenges us and engages us.
…
[Questlove] Practice versus curiosity, what’s more important? Like most deep truths, the answer is not either/or, but both/and. Practice is key, but it only gets you so far. To level up, you need the hunger and openness of a beginner’s mind.
Yes, if you want to get good at something, practice. But, if you want to get great, if you want to add your voice to the world, step out of your groove and try something new.
Ready? Set? Here’s an example of something new.
Secret Agent Man Gayageum ver. by Luna Lee – YouTube
Fun, right? 🙂
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Absolutely, Positively
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, genre fiction, inspiration, power, progress, Thoughts, Writers, writing on June 16, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Martha Wells, creator of Murderbot, the recently published Witch King and other terrific tales, recently posted a copy of her co-guest of honor speech from WisCon. It’s worth reading.
It doesn’t always seem like it from our moment in time, but there actually has been a lot of progress in the science fiction and fantasy world during the 30 years of my career.
In it, she applauds how far we’ve come while pointing out the issues that remain, and that progress is “not a perpetual motion machine.” To keep moving up, it must be protected, cared for, and cultivated.
Which we can absolutely, positively do.
“Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings.”
— Ursula Le Guin
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Spring Fiction Sampler
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, @tordotcom, creativity, Fiction, free fiction, genre fiction, Writers, writing on June 14, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Tor.com has released its free fiction bundle, in case you want to explore such things!
Download the Tor.com Spring 2023 Short Fiction Bundle | Tor.com
Our Spring 2023 Short Fiction bundle features stories by:
A.C. Wise
E. Lily Yu
Eugenia Triantafyllou
Yoon Ha Lee
Kemi Ashing-Giwa
Jeffrey Ford
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Wildly Optimistic, Or, This Is What Happens When I Caffeinate
Posted in Food and..., tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, Thoughts, whee! on June 12, 2023| 1 Comment »
Today, for reasons, I am attempting to put in a full day’s work, work out, edit a story, and make not one not two but three different desserts. I don’t usually drink coffee or tea but decided that if there is a time to caffeinate, this is it.
Will I achieve my goals or watch my plans careen into a topsy turvy tower of uncompromising reality?
(cue dramatic music)
Tune in tomorrow to find out!
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Passport to the Future, Canadian Style
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, genre fiction, Kickstarter, Writers, writing, yay on June 8, 2023| Leave a Comment »
I belong to SF Canada, Canada’s professional speculative fiction organization for writers and others. A post popped up on the forum from another member, about a Kickstarter he was doing for the Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction. I particularly liked the fact that this is Volume One.
Yes, please.
Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction: Volume One by Stephen Kotowych
I backed it. So did a lot of other people, if the fact that the campaign funded in 45 minutes is any indication. It blew through five stretch goals and I imagine the creator is furiously dreaming up new rewards right now.
It’s a good problem to have. Can’t wait to see the results, and I hope that Volume One is the first collection of many.
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Question of the Day
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, genre fiction, Thoughts, Writers on June 7, 2023| Leave a Comment »
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