Think about some of your favorite books. What makes the story memorable? Was it the non-stop action? Maybe it was the extraordinary way a tired old plot was presented. Or maybe, it was the protagonist. Who were those characters? Why did they out in your mind? One of the most standout protagonists for me was … Continue reading DIY MFA: What’s in A Character?
It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve worked on my DIY MFA. Part of the reason has been the massive forest fire in my back yard. Fortunately, we had an unseasonable snowstorm that helped the hotshot crews to get critical fire-breaks in place. Temperatures are on the rise again, so our break might be … Continue reading DIY MFA: The Importance of Reading
As a fantasy writer, how do you unfold your world in a way that is interesting and makes sense to the reader? Some writers fold elements of their worldbuilding into the action and setting as the protagonist moves through their environment. Others describe the surroundings, then launch the action, not always explaining how some elements … Continue reading DIY MFA: Imagining a Magical World
The importance of June 19, or Juneteenth, in U.S. history, has come into sharp focus on the American landscape in the last couple of weeks. But why, exactly, is Juneteenth so significant? According to Wikipedia: “Juneteenth is an unofficial American holiday and an official Texas state holiday, celebrated annually on the 19th of June in … Continue reading Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom
(C) 2020, JJ Shaun Here it is Friday again. I spent the week getting my projects off the old computer and onto the new, and not a lot of time writing. I’ve downloaded a few of the games that have been sitting in the queue for a week or twelve and checked out a couple … Continue reading Use Experience to Build a Better Character
(C) 2020, JJ ShaunPutting game tiles together to create a unique playing field. I’ve been getting more into the heads of my characters lately. The introductory tale of this series of short stories centers on three young members of an uber-rich family. They get caught up in a set of circumstances they never, in their … Continue reading Playing to Write
(C) 2020, JJ ShaunPainting D&D miniatures while practicing "social distancing." People around the world are about to spend more time with their loved ones than they ever thought possible. In some cases, that will be okay, in others, not so much. Some people will be spending more time alone than anticipated. In all cases, now … Continue reading Pandemic, Week 1
The news for the last few weeks has been dominated by talk of a new virus not seen before in humans—coronavirus disease 2019 (SARS-CoV-2 or 2019-nCoV), commonly called COVID-19. What is a coronavirus? According to WebMD, “A coronavirus is a type of common virus that can infect your nose, sinuses, or upper throat.” Think, the … Continue reading Thoughts on a Pandemic
(C) 2020 JJ ShaunYoga Poses On Tuesdays, I spend an hour on my yoga mat with a dozen or so other hearty and aging souls on a mission to stay healthy. About eight to ten years ago, a lunchtime yoga class was offered at the job for a reasonable fee. I’d taken a yoga class … Continue reading Staying Healthy
(C) 2020, JJ Shaun For the past week, I’ve been busily building my D&D campaign on my imaginary fantasy continent, Adaran. I’ve decided the size of the staff of the Happy Harpy, my imaginary outpost between two major trade cities. So far, I’ve fleshed out about seven of the more prominent non-player characters (NPCs), and … Continue reading Building a New World
A piece of my scattered mind.
Tavern Tales
Poetry BLOG By Edge of Humanity Magazine
New Writing Engaging with the Sacred
50,000 Monkeys at 50,000 Typewriters Can't Be Wrong
J.J. Shaun 