April is one of the off months where NaNoWriMo participants organise a virtual writing retreat, or Camp Nano. The rules for Camp Nano are slightly different, because you don’t have to use the 50.000 word count, but you can pick your own. The threshold is lower for people new to writing to set up a writing habit since you can set it as low as you want. My advice is to still challenge yourself. You can improve your daily habitual word count by setting the bar a little higher, but not unattainable. It’s just like exercising. Read More
Camp Nano is going strong!
On My Mind: Visual versus Textual
In On My Mind topics are explored that are worthy of discussion. This week I’ll talk about the visual versus the textual, from a creator’s perspective. Did you choose between one or more crafts? Read More
Apples and Oranges (Or Why Comparing Yourself to Other Writers Doesn’t Work)
Competition can be healthy. It can drive us to improve ourselves, to make our work as good as it can be, but all too often comparisons do more harm than good. This week, Raven talks about a few things to keep in mind when you start looking at another writer’s work and comparing it to your own. Read More
This Is My Design: Flow
Getting into the zone. Every artist has heard this phrase, but what is it really? I take a closer look at the concept of ‘flow’ and how you, the artist, can use it to your advantage. Read More
This is My Design: Characters
Characters should be characters. Seems self-evident? Well, today Raven talks about how he goes about building his characters from the ground up. He also makes an utterly true point about popcorn, and you popcorn fans know it. Read More
Meeting Mystical Japan: The Warrior’s Soul by James Calbraith
Last month I started the ride through Yamato with the review of James Calbraith’s The Shadow of Black Wings. This week I’ll treat you to the sequel, The Warrior’s Soul. There will be spoilers to the first book and minor spoilers for this one. You’ll still be able to enjoy reading The Warrior’s Soul after reading this review. Read More
Disjuncture: An Excerpt by Raven van Dijk
As some of you know, I am currently working on what is technically a horror novel, but has grown into a cross between a ghost story, a spy novel, and psychological thriller. I, Raven, humbly present an excerpt from my upcoming novel: Disjuncture. Read More
This Is My Design: Dreaming
Raven talked to you last week about some of his sources of inspiration and this week I want to highlight the strongest source of mine: dreams. Read More
This Is My Design: Inspiration
“This is My Design” articles are about how we do things ourselves. More opinion, less objectivity. Today, Raven talks about inspiration – how he finds it, and what he does with it when he’s got it. Read More
Visiting Mystical Japan: The Shadow of Black Wings by James Calbraith
The Shadow of Black Wings is the first book in the series ‘The Year of the Dragon’, written by James Calbraith. It’s a young adult fantasy book, complete with dragon rides, magic, and demons. This series is an alternate history story set in Prydain, an alternate version of Britain, Qin, an alternate China, and Yamato, Read More