Author: andrewmfriday

  • Five tips for new writers

    Five tips for new writers

    I still consider myself a new writer, but I was first published at twelve years old. I won’t tell you how long ago that was, but it was before Ronald Reagan sat in the White House. Here’s the thing: you’re constantly learning as a writer. You’re learning your craft. You’re learning how to use grammar…

  • Temptations to avoid when writing characters

    I’ve had a great time getting to know the characters in my SF novel. A plethora of minor characters run around in my story, but I have three main ones: Bandonn FarPacer-Technology genius; while growing up, forced to fight a war on his home planet; escaped the war, and wants to be an agent for the…

  • In honor of fifty years of YA novels

    In honor of its fiftieth anniversary, I read The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton again after about twenty-five years. Hinton has been said to single-handedly jump started the YA publishing market. I went through a period of reading YA novels. Most of Hinton’s–That Was Then, This Is Now; Rumble Fish–and tackled Paul Zindel’s books beginning…

  • Harmon’s Plot Embryo: A Writer’s Tool for both Outlining and Evaluating

    Harmon’s Plot Embryo: A Writer’s Tool for both Outlining and Evaluating

    I admit it: I just started watching Community. Yes, I know. Better late than never. I kept hearing how great the show was, but never got around to following it. Well, now, thanks to Hulu, I can binge watch while I’m cleaning house or laundry or whatever. Lately, though, I’ve been hearing about this “Plot…

  • Reading Roundup for 2016

    Here are most of the books I’ve read during 2016: Classics Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert…

  • I just discovered this neat website for fantasy writers

    I came across this online community for writers of fantasy called Mythic Scribes. Here’s how they describe themselves: “Mythic Scribes is a community of fantasy writers who are passionate about storytelling.  We provide a platform for new and aspiring authors, as well as a meeting place for writers and fans of the genre. By sharing…

  • The Reading Mediums

    Several years ago, when I bought my Kindle, I felt like I was betraying the book publishing industry. Maybe I was. I got over it quick, though, because I love the convenience of reading a digital book. Now I read books on my iPad mini either through the Kindle app or through the public library’s…

  • Why I’m Not Watching “The Walking Dead” Anymore

    I didn’t get into the AMC network show The Walking Dead until its fourth season. Dog sitting for some friends, I binge-watched over a weekend and got hooked. The next season would start in a few weeks, and I couldn’t wait. For the next couple of years I watched TWD faithfully. Then I got rid…

  • What I’m Reading …

    I have been a fan of Connie Willis for a long time. Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog are two of her books I love. I just finished rereading Doomsday Book for the upteenth time. This is  unusually, because only a few books have been written that I read more than once,…