Posts
Posts
Notes, essays, and updates organized as a straightforward archive.
Recovery and Editing
A candid post about returning to writing after school and weighing the difficult choice between traditional publishing and self-publishing.
It’s been a long road…
A personal update on finally reaching the end of an MFA program and turning that reclaimed time back toward writing and publishing.
LibertyCon FenCon and Literary Citizenship
I thoroughly enjoyed LibertyCon 34 and FenCon XVIII, where I spoke with a lot of authors. What's more, I got a chance to discover the actual meaning of literary citizenship.
The Loss of a Legend
A brief tribute to Nichelle Nichols and the lasting inspiration her work and presence brought to science fiction.
Is it science or magic?
A reflection on Clarke's law and the importance of giving speculative technology consistent rules so it feels plausible rather than arbitrary.
How the present may shape the future
A science-fiction writer considers how current spaceflight developments might shape the future history of an imagined universe.
Universal Encyclopedia
A case for keeping a shared reference guide for series fiction so timelines, technology, rules, and setting details stay consistent.
A Mask and Rights
A pandemic-era essay arguing that small public-health inconveniences are a reasonable way to protect other people's right to life.
Write where you're comfortable
A reminder that writing works best in environments that support focus, comfort, and mental well-being rather than constant stress.
Where Reality Meets Fantasy
An exploration of how real ships, spaces, and lived experience can inform the design of believable starships and science-fiction settings.
Time! Where's the time!
A look at the challenge of finding writing time while juggling work, school, and life, and why making time matters.
The Past for the Future…
A reflection on how history, technology, and real-world parallels can strengthen fiction and give imagined conflicts greater weight.
What a world we weave…
A discussion of worldbuilding that starts with concept, then expands through history, society, everyday life, and the perspectives of individual characters.
Breathing Life into your Characters
A practical look at building believable characters through concept, background, and the defining events that shape who they become.
Experience as Research
An argument for using safe, firsthand experience to deepen research and make scenes feel more immediate and convincing on the page.
Thoughts on Fiction Writing
An introduction to this writing series, focused on research, internal rules, and building a believable speculative-fiction setting.