The art of the in media res beginning in Tartan NoirA Tartan Noir story rarely waits for the detective to introduce themselves, explain the weather or describe the family history hanging over the case. It opens…
Writing Believable Grief in a Speculative SettingGrief becomes convincing when it changes the ordinary texture of a life. A character may command a starship, speak with the dead, or remember three possible…
The ethics of time travel in short fictionTime travel gives short fiction a powerful engine: a character can revisit a childhood decision, prevent a disaster or meet a version of themselves shaped by…
When Objects Carry a Story in Fantasy ShortsA cursed object gives a fantasy short story an immediate source of pressure. A ring, mirror, knife, doll or weathered keepsake can carry a history that reaches…
Crafting a noir atmosphere through sensory detailsNoir lives in the senses. A rain-darkened street, the scrape of a chair across a tiled floor, or the sour smell of old beer can suggest danger before a…
The Storytelling Muscle Flash Fiction DemandsFlash fiction looks small on the page, yet its compact form asks a writer to make decisions with extraordinary speed. In a few hundred or thousand words, a…
Writing Convincingly from a Non-Human PerspectiveA story told by a non-human narrator asks the writer to rethink almost every familiar storytelling habit. A dog, magpie, octopus, artificial intelligence or…
