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Author: Deven Kane

Author of dystopian and urban fantasy tales. Plays the bass.
the Dark Side

the Dark Side

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(Dissident flash fiction #1)

“Dystopian … Ah yes, the dark side of science fiction.” (anonymous comment)

I like writing dystopian stories. As they say, “a candle shines brightest in the darkness.” In a dark, daunting, and dystopian setting, the actions of the few who refuse to be cowed into submission become truly heroic.

For example, there’s no super-powers involved. No special abilities. In a dystopian world, heroes are ordinary people, called upon to accomplish extraordinary things.

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5 Best Practices for Writing Groups

5 Best Practices for Writing Groups

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One of the best decisions an aspiring author can make is to join a local writers’ group. Camaraderie and encouragement are nourishment for the soul.

Writing groups also provide a golden opportunity for skill-sharpening. Constructive critique — giving and receiving — is crucial to becoming a better writer.

Here are some “best practices.”

1. Bring a printed copy of your WIP (work-in-progress).

This shows that you take the group’s time seriously. You came prepared. You’re not scrolling through your device, hoping a passage will catch your eye.

Feel free to preface your reading with what you’d like critiqued: dialogue, pacing, world-building, character development, or all of the above.

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Book promotion during COVID-19

Book promotion during COVID-19

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There’s been a surprising amount of discussion — accompanied by a certain level of angst — about book promotion during the current pandemic.

The concern seems to be about the optics of promoting a new book you’ve written while readers may be struggling financially due to layoffs and stay-at-home sheltering orders.

Writers are understandably concerned about appearing heartless, callous, or tone-deaf about the real struggles faced by an overwhelmingly large swath of the population. Nobody wants to be lumped in with the selfish profiteers who bought up all the hand sanitizer for resale. Or those hoarding enough toilet paper to supply a Martian colony for a year.

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Frog Time: do the hard thing

Frog Time: do the hard thing

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“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning, and if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” ~ Mark Twain

It was a (briefly) pleasant discovery to find it was a writer — Mark Twain, at that — who came up with the “eat the frog” fable. Until I learned that Twain, like Lincoln, is often credited online with things he didn’t actually say.

Social distancing in the COVID-19 era, in turn, provided me with a choice opportunity to whip up my own Amphibious Barbeque Cookout (ABC).

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Frame this one: Rejection Letters

Frame this one: Rejection Letters

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“Did you keep your first rejection letter?”

That’s an awkward question. My answer usually begins with the caveat: “Okay, please keep in mind, I was only thirteen at the time …”

(Spoiler alert — I didn’t.)

I vaguely recall wandering around the schoolyard at recess, feeling sorry for myself and lamenting the untimely demise of an otherwise promising writing career. (Ah, the self-centered melodrama of the adolescent mind.)

Fast-forward to 2020. A fresh rejection letter arrives, and really makes my day.

A statement like that deserves some explanation.

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New Year’s Hat-Tip: a tribute to influencers & encouragers

New Year’s Hat-Tip: a tribute to influencers & encouragers

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The beginning of a new calendar year — let alone a new decade — is an excellent opportunity to stop and reflect.

It’s a chance to honor some of the significant people who have shaped us by their encouragement and belief in us.

As a young writer, I spent a great deal of time by myself, as most writers do. My high school provided exactly zero (0) classes in Creative Writing. If there were other aspiring writers in my vicinity, we shared a common anonymity.

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Write/Query/Pitch: Setting Goals for 2020

Write/Query/Pitch: Setting Goals for 2020

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When it comes to writing, I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions. Most resolutions in my world have more to do with becoming a better humanoid.

If — on the other hand — the topic is “setting writing goals for a new year,” count me in.

Creative writing goals range between a no-brainer (Write. Edit. Revise. Repeat.) and the steely-eyed demands of setting Measurable Productivity Goals.

My learning curve on queries and pitching “live” over the past couple of years has been informative. I’m still scratching the surface—probably more than I realize—but what I’ve learned will impact my goals for 2020. More on that later.

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