Category: Craft of Writing
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Bringing my book universe to life with AI image generation (part 1)
Discover how author Kristen Pham uses AI image generation to visualize characters and world building for her upcoming superhero spoof novel Super Santa. Learn tips for creating consistent and hyperrealistic AI character models to inspire your own fiction writing process.
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Decoding fiction age categories from middle grade to adult
Confused about the exact differences between Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult fiction? Whether you are a reader searching for the perfect sci-fi or fantasy adventure, or a writer figuring out where your manuscript belongs, this guide breaks down the age categories, themes, word counts, and content guidelines you need to know.
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Where to find real science to build your sci-fi worlds
How do you make a fictional galaxy feel completely real? YA author Kristen Pham breaks down the secret to believable science fiction. From NASA space travel logistics to bleeding-edge DARPA military tech, discover the best real-world resources to ground your next sci-fi novel in actual science.
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How the world building in Scythe changed the way I write
I’ve been in a total book hangover since turning the last page of the Scythe trilogy. You know that feeling where the real world looks a little blurry because you’re still half-submerged in the one you just left? As a writer, I spent most of the series reaching for my highlighter—not just for the plot,…
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SIDE QUEST: From the journal of Lord Malakor the Unforgiving
Welcome to Side Quest, a series of posts I share on my blog from time to time that give you a peek into the weird ‘what if’ scenarios and playful thought experiments I use to keep my imagination fired up when I’m taking a break from my latest novel. Day 482 of the Eternal Gloom I am…
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Sidekicks with main character energy
As a writer, there’s a secret, terrifying, and exhilarating thing that can happen while you’re drafting: a character you intended for a minor role walks into a scene and refuses to leave. They show up with a fully-formed voice, a riveting backstory you never planned, and a perspective so compelling it threatens to derail your…
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Meet a few of the youngest stars of YA fantasy & sci-fi fiction writing
Do you ever have a story in your head that feels so huge, so epic, that you think, “Who am I to write this?” It’s a feeling a lot of writers have, especially when they’re young. But some of the most groundbreaking, imaginative, and successful books in recent years were written by authors who weren’t…