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For Readers: To the Point

Reviews

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Nathan Smith: “how to write a short but useful reveiwz?” It’s a great topic. So often, a review is nothing more than a summary with spoilers. So what should a useful review include? What should be left out? And what do you, as a reader, most like to see? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat

For Readers: Making the Dish

pasta

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFers Hank T Cannon and John Allenson: Have you every read a fantasy etc where food descriptions are a significant part of the story and then tried to make the dish or an approximation? For example: https://hobbitmeals.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/hobbit-recipes/ Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat

For Readers: Procreation

Procreation word cloud

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Ryane Chatman: “I know we have talked a lot about mpreg. Is there anything else you have found that is amazing in the way of procreation?” Interesting question. We have dealt a lot with mpreg, but that generally only appears in MM romance – what about the other colors of the queer rainbow? How does procreation work in a sci fi setting with an FF relationship?How about paranormal babies from a trans MTF character? There are many other paths to explore here. What have you read? Writers: This is a reader chat … Read more

For Readers: Talk About James Tiptree Jr.

James Tiptree Jr.

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Kari Trenten: “Also, I’d love to have conversations about specific authors, whether it’s Plato or J.R.R. Tolkien, their particular works.” Today – James Tiptree Jr. For those who don’t know about her (from Wikipedia): Alice Bradley Sheldon (August 24, 1915 – May 19, 1987) was an American science fiction author better known as James Tiptree Jr., a pen name she used from 1967 to her death. She was most notable for breaking down the barriers between writing perceived as inherently “male” or “female”—it was not publicly known until 1977 that James Tiptree … Read more

For Readers: Warnings and Triggers

Warning

FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Denise Dechene: This came up in a group: A lot of books have warnings or listings of possible triggers. Do you think that books today have too many of these and do you think too many warnings affect sales? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat

For Readers: Talk About Tolkien

Tolkien

FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Kari Trenten: Kari says: “Also, I’d love to have conversations about specific authors, whether it’s Plato or J.R.R. Tolkien, their particular works.” Sounds like a great idea to me. Let’s kick it off with a look at J.R.R. Tolkien. How did he achieve such in-depth worldbuilding? What are your favorite works of his? Do you like his work? Hate it? Why? Why did he have three initials? Join the chat