On Writing – John A. Underwood

Inspirations

The Voidstrider books are pulp. They’re meant to evoke the same experience as the old stuff, the Lensman books of E.E. Smith for example. (Roger Jon Grey got his name partially from “Gray Roger,” villain of Triplanetary. And that’s one of the dozens upon dozens of easter eggs in the series.) Those books, if you’veContinue reading “Inspirations”

Musing on Worldbuilding

One goal of the Voidstrider books is creating a universe I can play in for decades to come. The central story of the Saga, as it currently stands and as it is planned out, chronicles humanity’s turbulent expansion into that larger stage. It’s an origin story, I guess. When I first started, the idea wasContinue reading “Musing on Worldbuilding”

50k on the WIP

Yesterday, I passed the 50,000 word mark in my standalone cyberpunk novel work-in-progress. 50k always feels like the most significant milestone in the drafting process, for some reason. I’m not sure why. In my head, if not necessarily in physical reality, 30k is 100 pages; 60k is a novel, although not a particularly robust one.Continue reading “50k on the WIP”

Considering Novellas

I’m generally not great with short stories. My mind wants to make things too complex to be constrained to 8,000 words or less. Novels take time, though.

Soundtrack

I write to music, always. I must have Noise. For a number of years, I’ve leaned toward instrumental music. Anything from classical (with a preference for the baroque) to drum and bass, so long as there isn’t a voice human or synthetic worming its way through my earholes and into my precious thought jelly withContinue reading “Soundtrack”

Sudden Inspirations

I posted recently about some writer’s block adjacent concerns, wherein I have a chapter that I’m unsatisfied with and consider unfinished but have decided to attempt moving on with the next chapter anyway. It’s difficult for me to do. What happens is what happens, but only after it happens. Until it happens, it hasn’t happenedContinue reading “Sudden Inspirations”