http://www.thepassivevoice.com/feed/
-
![]()
The 10 best science fiction and fantasy novels of 2023From The Washington Post: People sometimes say science fiction basks in optimism for a better future, while fantasy is about nostalgia for an...
-
![]()
The State and Future of Fantasy FictionFrom Jim Wilbourne: Have you ever wondered: what’s the real DNA of contemporary Fantasy and Science Fiction? What do they share, and where do...
-
![]()
Hagrid – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s StonePrompt: If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as...
-
![]()
Charles Dickens AIPrompt: a boat of dirty and disreputable appearance, with two figures in it, floated on the Thames, between Southwark Bridge, which is of iron,...
-
![]()
Charles Dickens Meets Mickey SpillanePrompt: rewrite “In these times of ours, though concerning the exact year there is no need to be precise, a boat of dirty and disreputable...
-
![]()
Jane Austen Meets Mark TwainPrompt: rewrite “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best...
-
![]()
Dashiell Hammett AIPrompt: write the first paragraph of a noir detective novel in the style of Dashiell Hammett Chat GPT 3.5: The night draped itself over the...
-
![]()
Instead of a Dark LordInstead of a Dark Lord, you would have a queen, not dark but beautiful and terrible as the dawn! Tempestuous as the sea, and stronger than the...
-
![]()
Character Type & Trope Thesaurus: Dark Lord or LadyFrom Writers Helping Writers: In 1959, Carl Jung first popularized the idea of archetypes—”universal images that have existed since the...
-
![]()
Lawrence of Arabia Review: Dreams of EmpireFrom The Wall Street Journal: The British explorer Ranulph Fiennes is the first person to have crossed Antarctica on foot and the only...
-
![]()
Secure Communications for Non-SpiesNothing to do with books, but definitely a device that will draw lots of attention in public places. Nothing discrete or...
-
![]()
Human NatureThank God for human nature. Without it, lawyers wouldn’t have anything to do. Joe Ellis, Attorney at Law, Cassville, Missouri, c. 1989
-
![]()
Let’s Rescue Book Lovers From This Online HellscapeFrom The New York Times: If you have not kept up with the latest scandal in the world of young adult publishing, it is a doozy. It involves a...
-
![]()
Bad Writing Advice: 21 Terrible Tips You Should IgnoreFrom Scribe Media: One of the first things you learn as an Author is that everyone has writing advice for you. And most of the advice is...
-
![]()
PseudoprofundityFrom Psychology Today: Around the globe, audiences sit at the feet of marketing experts, life-style consultants, mystics,...
-
![]()
Laws, Rules and PrinciplesFrom Oxford Royale: 1. Clarke’s Third Law Clarke’s Third Law is short and sweet: “any sufficiently advanced technology is...
-
![]()
If you’re interested in low wagesIf you’re interested in low wages, a bookstore ranks below retail clothing sales, except the hours are worse. Sue Grafton
-
![]()
Throwing the Book at Amazon’s Monopoly Hold on PublishingFrom The Nation: It’s a common trope in movies: A mob enforcer walks into a shop, looks around, and then says to the owner, “Nice place you...
-
![]()
46% of Americans didn’t read a book in 2023From Nathan Bransford: First up, some stats that are as bracing as the January weather outside (not really, I live in Southern California) to...
-
![]()
Avoid Random Acts of ContentFrom Jane Friedman: One way to attract and cultivate a loyal audience is by sharing compelling content. The goal is to build a relationship...
-
![]()
Marvel seems to be losing its powersFrom The Economist: In “The Avengers” (2012) Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), a spy, described heroes as “an old-fashioned notion”. Certainly...
-
![]()
It is not necessary to changeIt is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory. W. Edwards Deming
-
![]()
Everyone in the publishing industry should be watching CES this month. Because AI is not about us. We’re just a sideshow.From The New Publishing Standard: How many of us today are doing our job in the same way it was done late last century? More importantly, how...
-
![]()
In Tbilisi: Bookseller Tamara Megrelishvili on Sales TrendsFrom Publishing Perspectives: Tamara Megrelishvili is the founding managing director of Prospero’s Books and Coffeehouse on Tbilisi’s...
-
![]()
Record Number of Libraries Hit One Million Digital Lends in 2023From Publishers Weekly: OverDrive reps reported this week that a record 152 library systems and consortia across seven countries—including...
