PinnedInUp To SpecbyAspiring Reader·Aug 17The biggest problem in self-published fantasy isn't bad proseIt's pacing—and even successful books get it wrong. Here's how to spot it in your own work.A response icon61A response icon61
PinnedInHooked on BooksbyAspiring Reader·Feb 23, 2024The Origins Of DuneBefore you watch part 2 of Dune, learn about the inspirations and origins of Frank Herbert’s classic SciFi novelA response icon100A response icon100
InUp To SpecbyAspiring Reader·2d agoWhat Fantasy Authors Told Me About Drawing MapsI drew my fantasy world before I knew the story. Later, I asked working authors whether I'd wasted my time.A response icon20A response icon20
InWorldbuilding WednesdaybyAspiring Reader·Oct 28I Read Dune at 15 to Look Smart. I Reread It as a Dad.Teenage me saw a story about becoming a hero. Adult me found a story about the people who have to watch himA response icon37A response icon37
InUp To SpecbyAspiring Reader·Sep 18The Hobby Wasn't Reading Anymore. The Hobby Was Books.How I spent thousands on special editions and found peace with it.A response icon21A response icon21
InUp To SpecbyAspiring Reader·Aug 3Did George RR Martin Kill Epic Fantasy?Why Larry Correia's viral attack on George RR Martin isn't really about The Winds of WinterA response icon8A response icon8
InUp To SpecbyAspiring Reader·Jul 13Klara and the Sun Isn’t About AI. It’s About Loving Someone Who Will Outgrow YouThe trailer looks beautiful. But it’s missing the quiet devastation that made Ishiguro’s novel unforgettable.A response icon6A response icon6
InUp To SpecbyAspiring Reader·Jun 10Writers Keep Making Characters Blind, Then Giving Them SuperpowersFrom Daredevil to Dune, speculative fiction loves disability. As long as it doesn’t actually disable anyoneA response icon9A response icon9
InUp To SpecbyAspiring Reader·May 1What to do with your failed short stories?Some advice from someone whose written, failed, and published short fictionA response icon10A response icon10
InUp To SpecbyAspiring Reader·Feb 13Are Fantasy Adaptations Too Woke?Ask any online critic, and the reason why so many fantasy adaptations bomb is that they are too liberal. Is it true?A response icon3A response icon3
