What’s the best book on writing? A common suggestion is Stephen King's memoir ON WRITING. But I don't think there's a single "best" writing manual. What matters is finding guides with the most useful advice for YOU and your writing style.
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Author Alix E. Harrow talks about her new fantasy novel, THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES. We discuss her creative approach for this historically-inspired period piece, the trouble with second novels, and using archetypes from classic mythology.
Leigh Bardugo is the author of the young adult fantasy Grishaverse novels (Shadow & Bone, Six of Crows). THE LIVES OF SAINTS is a collection of Grishaverse religious folklore, a physical manifestation of an item from her stories.
THE SIN IN THE STEEL (Tor Books) is the debut novel from author Ryan Van Loan. We talk about his Sherlock-meets-Pirates fantasy world full of dead gods and shapeshifting mages, and the influence of his military career on the novel.
The Storytelling Craft of Science Fiction & Fantasy
FICTITIOUS is a YouTube show and podcast that delves into the craft of Science Fiction & Fantasy storytelling through interviews with authors and other professional writers. These conversations examine the writing process, techniques, and work habits of passionate creators and explore their most recent, and most popular, works.
Fictitious is hosted and produced by Adron Buske, co-produced by Wendy Buske, and is a Nerd For A Living production.
More Recent Fictitious Episodes
THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER (Orbit Books, out now) is the debut novel from author Andrea Stewart. We discuss her writing process for this engaging fantasy adventure and creating the unique magic system that powers her world.
BALLISTIC KISS is the 11th book in Richard Kadrey's SANDMAN SLIM urban fantasy series. We discuss the books' mythological influences, creating arcs across a large series, and how he finds new things to explore with a long-running character.
THE BOOK OF M author Peng Shepherd discusses her award-winning debut novel. We talk about her discovery writing process, and how this dystopian fantasy reflects our own pandemic-afflicted reality.
The MurderBot Diaries author Martha Wells talks about the latest novel in the series, NETWORK EFFECT, her discovery writing process, and building a sci-fi universe around a unique protagonist.
Author Emily B. Martin discusses the inspiration and creative process behind her adventurous, Western-flavored eco-fantasy novel, SUNSHIELD (Harper Voyager).
Author Alina Boyden breaks down her writing process for the historically-inspired Fantasy debut, STEALING THUNDER (ACE Books), which she describes as 'trans-girl Pretty Woman with dragons in the Mughal Empire'.