| The Mumbling Sage |
Author has written 23 stories for Sci-Fi, Essay, Historical, Fantasy, Family, and Fable. UPDATE: Hello, all! Glad to see from my essay views you're still finding my advice on writing helpful! This summer, my job search is taking me to my first apartment in a big city (Washington, DC) and as a way to earn some extra money so I can maybe afford to eat after paying rent, I'm self-publishing a revised and expanded handbook for writers interested in getting their work published. It covers everything from finishing your story to marketing it to readers (which isn't as scary as you might think!). You can pre-order The Starter Guide for Professional Writers and help cover distribution expenses through my IndieGoGo Campaign: http://igg.me/at/pro-writers-starter-guide/x/447089 Also, I'm hiring myself out as a manuscript editor. My goal is to offer an inexpensive service that not only makes your current novel or short story manuscript stronger, but also prepares you with lessons and advice to carry forward into your next work. You can PM me or click the link for more details. BIG EXCITING NEWS: My book Aqua Vitae, from WolfSinger Publications, is now available on Amazon.com for Kindle and in print. It also has a Goodreads page. Hello, Readers. Welcome to the office of the Mumbling Sage. Please don't mind all the dust. At this point in life, I'm working more on selling stories rather than posting them on Fictionpress, but I still post essays here and manage the C2. I'd love for people to check out my published work, obviously (most of it is free online). You can find a complete listing and all available links to my published work at my website, Story Addict. I’m always available through email or PM, especially in matters of my C2, Pay it Forward. PM me if you would like to join that or the Doorways (fantasy that breaks the mold) C2. And if you’d like me to review your stories, it won’t hurt to ask. I’ve never said no before. Also, since I'm not active on Fictionpress very much anymore, I'm surprised to find that people are reading and favoriting my essays (I'm pleased, but surprised). If you want to leave a review for an essay (or anything of mine, really), I'd be very thankful to hear how you found me! Right now it's mostly a matter of curiosity. Needless to say, I'm grateful to anyone who takes the time to drop me a line, I love you all, etc etc. Now get out. | |||||
1. On RevisingSome tips to look for while turning a first draft into a second draft: the difference between 'words that do stuff' and words that don't. How to turn the latter into the former, and where to fit them in. Rated T for *'d out cuss words, don't let that scare you. Don't let editing scare you, either.Fiction: Essay - Rated: T - English - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,626 - Published: 11-8-12 - Complete2. Not Pain as You or I Would Understand It reviews"They don't feel pain!" Gnaak' exclaimed in exasperation. "Not anything like we'd call pain! Hells, every extraplanetary vacation, I try to take this family out for a pleasant dinner and…"Fiction: Sci-Fi - Rated: K+ - English - Humor - Chapters: 1 - Words: 683 - Reviews: 4 - Published: 6-29-113. The Guardian reviewsOn Corrone, a planet where money determines everything, slaves excavate the ruins beneath Corek and Lucuo streets for precious artifacts and treasure. But one of them is about to discover something far more valuable-and more dangerous.Fiction: Sci-Fi - Rated: K+ - English - Adventure - Chapters: 1 - Words: 3,539 - Reviews: 2 - Published: 8-22-10 - Complete4. A Very Fundamental Introduction to Publishing » reviewsHave a story, poem, or article you're thinking of publishing, or do you simply have a dream and no idea where to start? Here's the bedrock you can use to build the twenty-bedroom mansion or the house of cards your writing career turns out to be.Fiction: Essay - Rated: K - English - Chapters: 2 - Words: 7,013 - Reviews: 16 - Updated: 3-7-10 - Published: 5-22-09 - Complete5. Niri the WorldWalker reviewsA short story of prophecy, doubt, and disaster. Is Niri A'Tawn the foretold World-Walker, and what will it mean for the empire of Xeocib if she is? Contains excerpt from the prophecies of Dahuan of Ilnar, Prophet, for the reader's edification .Fiction: Fantasy - Rated: K - English - Chapters: 1 - Words: 3,843 - Reviews: 1 - Published: 10-6-09 - Complete6. In the Face of Eternity reviewsA prose poem The true epitaph of a human being does not lie in or on the grave, but in a place where for one moment, truly, they left their soul.Fiction: Fable - Rated: K - English - Spiritual - Chapters: 1 - Words: 241 - Reviews: 3 - Published: 6-17-09 - Complete7. Crushed reviewsSometimes you just have to abandon what's holding you back-if you can.Poetry: Family - Rated: K+ - English - Hurt/Comfort - Chapters: 1 - Words: 270 - Reviews: 1 - Published: 6-17-09 - Complete8. The StepByStep Guide to Writing Epic Fantasy » reviewsI've seen too many stories begin the same way. It makes me wonder if there's a guide out there, and if so, what it would read like... A series of observations on the genre that have probably been made before, but never by yours truly! Check it out!Fiction: Essay - Rated: K+ - English - Humor/Fantasy - Chapters: 3 - Words: 4,314 - Reviews: 26 - Updated: 1-31-09 - Published: 10-28-07 - Complete9. Guide to Things a Fantasy Author should Never Do » reviewsAfter much painful research, I have brought you a master list of 23 things that will never work in your writing. Ever. Ouch!Sorry, I sort of choked on the tounge in my cheek.Fiction: Essay - Rated: K+ - English - Parody - Chapters: 2 - Words: 3,250 - Reviews: 49 - Updated: 9-17-08 - Published: 7-10-07 - Complete10. Dialog Tags and SecondBest Words reviewsTwo issues I've seen frequently on the various writing sites I belong to. Some musings and advice.Fiction: Essay - Rated: K - English - Chapters: 1 - Words: 857 - Reviews: 23 - Published: 9-16-08 - Complete11. Good Prose reviewsProse: Literally, anything written that is not poetry. The text, the words on the page, the stuff the reader is actually reading. Here's what you need to make a reader want to read.Fiction: Essay - Rated: K - English - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,876 - Reviews: 11 - Published: 6-22-08 - Complete12. Description: The hows, whens, and whys » reviewsSome thoughts on description in fiction and how to handle it.Fiction: Essay - Rated: K - English - Chapters: 2 - Words: 3,703 - Reviews: 30 - Updated: 6-17-08 - Published: 5-16-0613. Prose Mistakes that Amateurs Make reviewsWant to make your writing sound more professional? View the nitpicks within-and learn to avoid them!Fiction: Essay - Rated: K - English - Chapters: 1 - Words: 2,548 - Reviews: 28 - Published: 5-15-08 - Complete14. Spirit Lake » reviewsIt seemed like a routine, if mystical, errand. Even if it did have strange company. But after this, nothing can be the same...for anyone. From the same setting as Heir to Life, though not a sequel.Fiction: Fantasy - Rated: T - English - Adventure/Romance - Chapters: 15 - Words: 26,398 - Reviews: 86 - Updated: 1-20-08 - Published: 5-11-0715. Parody: A Working Definition reviewsProvided as a public service to all those reading the essay section who wish to avoid making fools of themselves! If you aren't sure what a parody is, or have every found yourself shaking your head and saying 'This CAN'T be real', come on in and see it isFiction: Essay - Rated: K+ - English - Parody - Chapters: 1 - Words: 388 - Reviews: 6 - Published: 11-22-07 - Complete16. Burning You Way Through the Library reviewsA helpful, informative guide of what to scorch first, and why. Perfect for whenever you're stuck in a library and need some heat or light! Also known as 'what happens when the library pages get rebellious'Fiction: Essay - Rated: K+ - English - Humor - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,358 - Reviews: 11 - Published: 10-21-07 - Complete17. The Subtle Strife reviewsA discussion read: rant of subtlety and the lack thereof. I'd say more, but I don't want to clobber you over the head with it.Fiction: Essay - Rated: K - English - Humor - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,367 - Reviews: 8 - Published: 9-21-07 - Complete18. The Feng Shui of Review » reviewsAn entire essay dedicated to that FictionPress staple, the review. Everyone who reviews gets a special treat!Fiction: Essay - Rated: K - English - Chapters: 2 - Words: 2,261 - Reviews: 83 - Updated: 5-16-07 - Published: 2-15-07 - Complete19. Knight of the Unicorn » reviewsThe world may end tomorrow, but yesterday still happened. The fates of Earth and the planet Aracia are entwined at the end of all worlds. Set in the same universe as Aqua VitaeFiction: Sci-Fi - Rated: T - English - Fantasy/Spiritual - Chapters: 15 - Words: 56,127 - Reviews: 33 - Updated: 4-22-07 - Published: 5-2-0620. The Heir of Life » reviewsPerera the storyteller has disappeared, leaving a young ward behind. Now Renner must discover not only the whereabouts of his mentor but also the truth about himself. I am returning reviews on this storyFiction: Fantasy - Rated: T - English - Supernatural/Adventure - Chapters: 11 - Words: 14,120 - Reviews: 62 - Updated: 4-1-07 - Published: 1-3-07 - Complete21. How to Write a Fictionpress Summary reviewsIn this essay, I explain how a summary can draw the most attention with the most relevant and interesting information about your story. You can use up to 255 characters in your summary-make them count!Fiction: Essay - Rated: K - English - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,525 - Reviews: 35 - Published: 3-29-07 - Complete22. Selling My Soul Using DECA reviewsI'm selling my soul using the DECA retail merchandising associate level performance indicators! Watch me DEMONstrate my product. But I have a very limited target market...Fiction: Essay - Rated: K - English - Humor/Parody - Chapters: 1 - Words: 711 - Reviews: 6 - Published: 12-20-06 - Complete23. A Long Night reviewsIn World War II a chaplain's assistant in the South Pacific awaits a telegram bearing the Catholic Church's answer to a contraversal topic. This is a true story.Fiction: Historical - Rated: K - English - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,316 - Reviews: 5 - Published: 12-6-06 - Complete
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