M.C.
How I Use Robert Heinlein's Rules of Writing
Writing short stories is a different animal than writing a full-length novel. Though some elements are similar—both require a plot and a...
top of page
Matthew Cushing
Speculative Fiction Author | Editor | Beta Reader
BLOG
Thoughts on all things Spec Fic
Search
M.C.
Sep 24
The Influence of William Gibson
(Photo: William Gibson at the Spook Country promotional tour in San Francisco, CA. Taken by Fred Armitage August 2007.) As a relatively...
M.C.
Sep 3
Author Support Groups
Writing is a solo occupation. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the author to sit their butt in a chair and put words on a page....
M.C.
Aug 5
Books Every Author Should Have
Important books every writer should have on their reference shelf.
M.C.
Oct 9, 2023
I'm Writing a... ?
So, you have an idea for a story and are putting it down on paper, but as you get the first few paragraphs written, you may think: How...
M.C.
Oct 9, 2023
id Lists - Write What You Love
Every author has been affected by writer’s block from time to time. It just happens. For whatever reason, we seem to run out of ideas. I...
M.C.
Oct 8, 2023
Speculative Fiction Is...
As the term Speculative Fiction becomes more widely used and accepted, there appears to be a division of the definition. Many believe...
M.C.
Jun 3, 2023
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...
M.C.
Feb 14, 2023
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...
bottom of page