Tom B.

Comment Threads

• hugo.fisher commented on Books I've written
  Something I don't think you've blogged about IIRC: Crossovers (not collaboration). Have you ever thought about trying it with a couple of your settings? Have agents or editors suggested it to you? Any general thoughts?...
• ARNOLD commented on Books I've written
  So...that gives me two routes for entertaining diversion via Web Search " the Robert McKee method for screenplay " and " Stephen King's "On Writing", " I’m not usually as analytical as this these days but it does seem to me that the under wiring should be invisible to the average reader - in which category I include myself - and that the 'theme' is ..Well it sounds uncomfortably close to “The moral of The Story is ..." moral lessons which used to set my teeth on edge when I was a child....
• zhochaka commented on Books I've written
  I find that I am a little wary of those who prescribe writing methods. We're all different. But the good things, which are common to this blog and the better sort of writing workshop, are those which come through a dialogue. The low-level mechanics, such as the first/second/third person approach are useful, but they are not what makes a good story. I can see how the same events could be described in three different ways. First person is Bob Howard. Second person might be Angleton, but is he pleased with what Bob did? Third Person suggests Bob wasn't there, and...
• jvospost3 commented on Books I've written
  I recommend July 13, 2010, Scribner 10th Anniversary edition of the book (ISBN 978-1-4391-9363-1), featuring an updated reading list from Stephen King, tales of battling drug addiction, gory details of near-death, and painful recovery through writing, from local yokel he could have invented as a character. Robert McKee method for screenplay is for beginners. Power users (studios, big-name screenwriters) pay up to $20,000 per screenplay to be evaluated by a proprietary algorithm with database of thousands of focus groups, which tells one: "for your target demographic, the hero should have a side-kick. And lose the bowling scene."...
• SFreader commented on Books I've written
  And what themes was life throwing at you whilst you were writing these books? Consider this a gift to future undergrads taking "EngLit 101: Collected Works of Charles Stross - Themes and Memes"...