Some useful websites to educate you about Self Publishing

If the publishers just aren’t biting at your epic novel, maybe it’s time to take the DIY route! Here are a few websites to help you…

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If it looks and smells like a potato… Using (and not using) made up words!

A zillion(ish) Sci Fi and Fantasy books use made up words with varying success.   I think we can all agree, though, that when you read something that you can’t understand it is frustrating - When using made up words you must be careful not to alienate the reader too much!   Here are a few tips to take into account when cooking up some new words…

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Sci Fi Concept: Terraforming

Being realistic, the majority of planets are not habitable.   In fact, the chances you’d find a habitable planet are similar to that of finding out that James Brown is performing on a UFO to some funky aliens as we speak.   But if you want to keep your story realistic *and* colonise other planets - have a look at Terraforming.

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5 constructive things to do to kill your writers block

Gah!   Not another finger-twiddling, brow rubbing moment when you just can’t come up with the next awesome idea you need!   Try these excercises to get your cogs a-turning!

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Treason - Book Review (Why you don’t want to be a Human Newt)

The Book “Treason” by Orson Scott Card is awesome.   It was his second novel, I believe, which contains more by way of raw ideas than Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook.   One thing I notice about his writing style is how he loves to put his characters through hell…

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The importance of Sci Fi OR Fantasy.

If you are a writer of this kind of speculative fiction, you have a choice to make.   It might seem restrictive to class yourself as a “Sci Fi Author” or a “Fantasy Author”, but it has to be done - when you publish your first book, the book shops need to know which shelf to slot you in!

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What’s in a name?

Coming up with names for your characters can often be one of the biggest stumbling blocks when it comes to writing your novel. Too regular and it seems out of place, too obscure and the reader will be left struggling to pronounce it 15 chapters later. So here are a few things to help inspire you to create that perfect character name!

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I have a cunning plan…

You can have the best story ever floating around in your head, but with no structure it is more likely to come out as a tangled mess of ideas than an instant bestseller.   What you need is a plan!

Here is one method I use to plan my story writing…

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Introduction

Welcome to UnAuthordox!   A blog about writing Sci Fi and Fantasy based stories.   Here I will be blogging with tips to improve your writing style, things to help you find inspiration when you’re running low and recommended reading material.

My name is David Brown.   I’ve written stories since I could hold a pen, the majority of which involved some sort of mythical being or spacey technology.

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