Today’s article is a result of a conversation I had with Francis Mont, author of House Arrest. We were talking about worldbuilding in fiction. Particularly, we were talking about the challenges involved in creating an imaginary setting for your science fiction novel.
Interestingly enough, preparing this post required me to ponder on worldbuilding in fiction myself. As a literary-fiction author, I never really had to think about how to worldbuild. So, writing this post made for an interesting exercise.
A guide on how to worldbuild your science fiction novel is not about architecture. It’s about culture and society.(more…)
In today’s article, we’ll talk about symbolism in literature. Worry not, it’s not an academic post. Conversely, it’s meant as a simple but revealing how-to guide, useful both to inexperienced and seasoned readers and writers. I wrote this article wanting to offer a better understanding of how symbolism in literature operates, and particularly how to read it or write it.
Motivation for this post arose from a review of one of my works. Through the text of the review, I realized that the reader had missed several key aspects of symbolism in the novel. What made the case interesting, however, was that this was not a case of an unsophisticated reader. It was obvious that the reader was fairly experienced, skilled, and read the book for what it was. And yet, s/he missed these symbolic, allegorical excerpts.
Symbolism, allegory, parable, allusion. There are subtle differences between these concepts, but they all coexist under the grand umbrella of “metaphorical meaning”, as opposed to “literal meaning”. To keep this article accessible, I use terms such as “symbolism” or “metaphor” interchangeably, that is, referring to any expression of non-literal meaning.
Virtually everyone knows what this symbolizes, to the extent that its literal meaning (a blindfolded woman holding a pair of scales and a sword) is entirely ignored. Familiarity exists in an inversely proportional relationship with affective power. In simpler words, symbolism in literature that is harder to grasp, is also more rewarding for the discoverer.(more…)
A good horror story fascinates most of us. There’s something attractive about feeling a bit of fear in a controlled, safe manner. This also explains the lasting relevance of Gothic fiction. In today’s article I’ll show you how to write a good horror story.
I’ll start with a brief outline of what a horror story is (and what are the differences between a horror story and a Gothic fiction story). I’ll then tell you what are the secrets of a successful horror story, and how to make sure to include them in your own text.
