Recent content by Graham M

One way to do it is to slip a clue in between other bits of information so the clue is overlooked.

There are some excellent suggestions here. For myself, the simplest thing I can do to improve my description is to consult the thesaurus and dictionary I always have to hand. From there, I can make the best word choice and polish later as necessary. I agree that descriptions should hold...

I think you hit it on the proverbial nail, Heliotrope: the key in using tropes (or 'literary conventions,' if you prefer) is to put your own twist on them so they don't become cliches.

As others have mentioned, a sort of mash-up of different appealing sounds can work if you're only looking for a word or two, or some names. If you're interested in creating an entire language -- which I prefer to do, personally -- I would recommend The Language Construction Kit by Mark...

I ran across this site by accident while perusing Pinterest, and decided to join. I'm working on a book with my brother (listed on this site as Wolf M), an urban fantasy that so far remains in the early stages. I'm a slow but avid reader, a nature enthusiast, and an identical twin. I hope Wolf...