Recent content by Ban

My fault, I wasn't precise with my usage of "modern." In this context I used "modern" to refer to the mid-to-late 20th and 21st century, though you're right that modernity is a broad term that in less colloquial terms starts far earlier than what I meant (say the early industrial age). In that...

I reckon a lot of readers and writers of (especially modern) poetry share that mentality, but for myself, I appreciate the skill required in fitting a narrative, setting and message within the confines of a clear scheme. I find that there is an admirable restraint there. Then again, my own...

Each poem is its own entity and requires its own considerations, but in general I follow the concept of: Strong rhymes Strong symbolism Strong meaning If one of these can't be satisfied due to the nature of the poem, you need to double down on the others. That's the fault I find in a lot of...

Those would make the setting clear. I focused mine on overarching themes, but if I were to do these exercises for marketing instead, my focus would also shift to the visual elements. Gone with "nature" and "civilisation", and in with "snow", "fjord" or "brandy." Specificity seems the smartest...

You already have a good start Lowan, but do you reckon you could whittle those down even further to singular words/themes?

Not quite. There isn't a Manichaean "versus" in my book, where one side or force represents either perspective. Each of my characters and the setting as a whole plays with the dynamics I listed in some manner, and are personified by them, but the thing with dialectics (as a unity of opposites)...

For my Strongman story the most apt terms I could come up with are the following: Stand-Alone: Preservation, Strength, Glory, Masculinity, Acceptance Dialectics: Nature-Civilisation, Grandeur-Simplicity, Sacrality-Mundanity

A question I have been asking myself is how I would describe my current (and to a great extent past) works if I could only do so via singular, standalone terms (i.e. "prestige", or "temptation"). And continuing from that thought; What's the lowest amount of terms I could use to encapsulate the...

You know you're a writer when the word "plotter" makes you thinks of pants instead of schemes.

I'd communicate this to the reader right away. You can still have it be a twist for the characters themselves, but when it comes to genre fiction, there's a limit (I feel) to the force with which you can throw your curveballs without pestering the reader. People buy and read these sorts of works...

Speaking of the French. With some ham and butter, I'll go for this diet: French bakers recapture world's longest baguette title – DW – 05/06/2024

You know you are a writer when you have a nuanced opinion on whether the giving or receiving of critique has greater educational value.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll bookmark it. Sounds like it's up my alley.

I recommend you read the book. It's not long and it leaves an impression.