
For my “writer self,” cracking (or clicking) open a new fantasy novel is one of the most exciting ways to spend my free time.
It’s also one of the most terrifying.
After all, I don’t really know what I’ll find inside, and encountering a badly-crafted story is more than disappointing. It’s downright painful.
I’m sure you could name many issues that hamper your literary enjoyment, but for me, one the biggest is subpar dialogue. I encounter it in books both traditionally and self-published. The story concept may unique, and the plot clever. The prose may even be compelling, well-paced, and active. Overall I’m intrigued…
Until the characters open their mouths.

