Let’s compare two scenes. I will not use any additional language trickery to make one better than the other. I don’t want to taint the results. The goal’s simply to show which is more frightening, so you can better construct a horror scene.
Continue readingCategory Archives: Advice
Never Stop Learning As A Writer
I’ve been a professional writer for a while now. It’s been long enough that I would need to do serious mental calculations to work out the exact time. But, even and especially as you get deeper into this, there’s no reason to ever stop learning new writing techniques.
Continue reading“The Sin” In Horror
This is not a universal rule, and I’ve seen exceptions to it—but I’ve been noticing a pattern in a lot of horror media. And it has to do with rules and taboos. Now, there’s the whole thing in classic slashers where a character does something (usually sexual) and then is murdered for it—but I mean something else. I mean something not full of outdated stereotypes and implications. Continue reading
Writing Is Simpler Than That
Storytelling is simpler than we let it be. What we consider cliché, what we consider trite or overdone, will work if it’s good storytelling. It’s the reason that superhero stories can have the same plot across the board but still succeed.
What is a structure, if not a template? What is a bacon cheeseburger, if not the same ingredients each time? Continue reading
I Wrote A Book in About 9 Days
I need to curb some excitement right off the bat because there are a lot of caveats to this. I did, yes, write a book in about 9 days, but there’s more to it than that.
So, first off, for those curious, I wrote the next book in what I am tentatively calling the “Actually Author Series.” They are my nonfiction books about the art of writing books and how to do it quickly. Continue reading
Sprinting To Amazement
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I write fast as it is. That’s a brag—I think I earned it. I’ve written more than a million words and I’m still in my twenties. That’s probably worth some credit.
But even I was not prepared for how effective writing sprints are for me.
Like, these things are absurd. Continue reading
I Swear Your Art Will Be Okay
Toiling away at your latest art project can take longer than it needs to take.
Let me repeat that: you can make art faster.
But how? Well, it’s possible for all sorts of artists and creators to get out creations faster if they simply let go of something: their need for it to be perfect. Continue reading
You Need Only Look
If you’re a writer in need of some story ideas, or a new creative that is interested in coming up with an idea for your first creation, or even someone experiencing some kind of block—though I’m not one to believe in writer’s block—then the advice I give is simple, the way forward is not complicated.
Look. Continue reading
The Law of Inconvenient Timing
Over time, I’ve noticed that the universe seems to follow a few oddly consistent rules. Stuff that’s just ironic and weird and silly. Now, a lot of this is certainly just a coincidence, but it’s still something fun I wanted to explore. Ever notice how it never seems to rain on the day that you explicitly plan to have an umbrella on your person? Yeah, this is going to be one of those.
And today’s law of the universe is the “Law of Inconvenient Timing.” Continue reading
Raw Writing
I promise I don’t mean this as a brag—that’s not my intention. It’s a simple symptom, byproduct, a side effect of something that a lot of writers strive to do—and, if you embark on your writing journey a certain way, you’re going to hit this too, and you should be aware of the potentiality of it. Continue reading
How To Make Anything Scary
I told you, long ago, how to make monsters.
But, now, specifically, I am going to spend a few moments on how to make anything scary.
Everyone is afraid of something.
And, to elicit fear, you only need to hit them in the right spot. Continue reading
Fuck That Little Voice
Imposter syndrome, fear of criticism, and creative blocks. Some more legitimate than others, but all real. I would know, I’ve had them. But, despite being a nervous, introverted, lessening-so-but-still-shy person, I’ve done a good enough job of being out there with my artistic work.
Those issues I listed come down to a little voice telling us we are failures, that we are about to get shanked by the world at large for our lack of talent. And, while I don’t know how to make myself able to tell a speech to a crowd, I have advice for how to slay this beast of a voice. Continue reading
NEW VIDEO: BAD Writer Habits
In another attempt of mine to make content, I thought I’d convert some of my favorite posts into little Youtube videos. If you want to listen to me say stuff, rather then read my words: this is your chance.
How To Dialogue
“So, what is that? That massive white mass?”
“What? That? Oh, that’s the pile of salt I bought to illustrate a point.”
“Really, Brandon?”
“Yep—made sense at the time.” Continue reading
Good Writer Habits
Okay, so, if you keep up with my newest posts, then you would know I recently covered a bunch of bad habits a lot of wannabe writers seem to have that makes them crash and burn before they really begin. And, in the interest of not only being negative, I thought I would offer some helpful habits that if used will—possibly—increase your comfort toward writing, and your output as a writer. Your mileage may vary of course, and some of these may seem outrageously obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times I’ve told these things to “almost writers,” and they did little to follow them.
Writing is about discipline, after all, and these actions take that same discipline to accomplish. But, though that might sound scary, they are not too hard to do, really. And, from them comes useful fruit.
So, with all that preamble gone and done, here we go. Continue reading
Coolerbs Writes 