M.C.
Deep POV and Emotion
Conveying character emotions to the reader is one of the most difficult aspects of writing. A form of “show don’t tell,” the author must...
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Matthew Cushing
Speculative Fiction Author
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M.C.
- Feb 14
A.I. - A Boon to or Death of Imagination?
Advanced algorithms already influence many aspects of our lives, from ads to product recommendations to telemarketers to design...
M.C.
- Aug 9, 2022
Pacing & Paragraphs
Having spent the last three years as a member of a robust online critique group and the last year as judge in a novel contest, I’ve...
M.C.
- Mar 22, 2022
Music as Writing Inspiration
When sitting down to write, the right environment and mood has enormous implications on both my creativity and productivity. Dual...
M.C.
- Dec 5, 2021
Write Your Story
If there’s any one, core piece of advice I can give to new writers—or any writer for that matter—is to be true to yourself and write your...
M.C.
- Nov 10, 2021
Pitching Experience
Okay, so maybe not that kind of pitching... I recently attended my first writer’s conference, the Colorado Gold Rush produced by Rocky...
M.C.
- Jul 25, 2021
Editing - From Rock to Diamond
So, after months (or years) of work, you’ve finally completed your novel and enjoyed the momentous occasion of typing “The End” on the...
M.C.
- May 20, 2021
2021 Roswell Award - An Experience
In the fall of 2020, the upcoming presidential election weighed on my thoughts, as it did for many Americans. Well before any votes were...
M.C.
- May 6, 2021
Adverbs - The Ostracized Part of Speech
In talking with many authors, opinions regarding the adverb run deep and strong. Many tout the “get rid of ‘em!” philosophy while a few...
M.C.
- Mar 25, 2021
Formatting a Novel for Print Publication
If deciding to self-publish a print, or hard copy, version, the novel must be prepared for publication. Completing the story is just the...
M.C.
- Dec 14, 2020
First Encounters Anthology Published
First encounters with the unknown call forth exciting tales full of magic, horror, humor, and suspense. What happens when aliens,...
M.C.
- Sep 2, 2020
Starting Small
If you’re like me, you love to write and hope to turn that passion into a career at the keyboard. You probably have several ideas for...
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