Writing – Page 5 – J. L. Odom

On Styles

I have been discovering over the past few years of writing and revision that the types of literature that most influence my writing sometimes cause difficulties. What I mean is that many of them are not in vogue at all. I sometimes have difficulty dissecting these situations to discover whether I have merely been lazy andContinue reading “On Styles”

An Admittedly Silly Post

A slight gap in blogging due to a fun, if exhausting, weekend with family, and another Spartan race that made me sore and bruise-y all over. But I have something I want to write about. Normally I don’t go for screeds–I don’t find them edifying–but this one needed doing. Also, I am very tired, and haveContinue reading “An Admittedly Silly Post”

Regarding Emotions

Forewarning: This is rambly. The Anti-Emotions Campaign I have a conundrum when it comes to emotions in writing. I am, in fact, a very emotional person. Further fact: I HATE admitting this, and I used to loathe it when (as a child) anyone one of my family members would point out how emotional I was,Continue reading “Regarding Emotions”

Nose to the Grindstone

I have some feedback on my revisions and it’s back to work! I hope to be so much more disciplined with my time this go around so I can get it done much faster. I’ve already done most of the necessary think-work (this can be the biggest obstacle) and whereas I felt uncertain and nervousContinue reading “Nose to the Grindstone”

Scent and Sound and So-on

So I’m afraid I still don’t have any writerly news to offer. I do believe that this whole process will teach me patience and teach me to calm down. Waiting for something is stressful and distracting, which means I need to learn the discipline of putting that in-between time to better use and not worry soContinue reading “Scent and Sound and So-on”

War and the Military in Fantasy

A very merry (un)birthday to me! Yesterday, that is. I was in the Marine Corps for five years and Marines take their collective birthday (10 November) very seriously. If you’re in active service, there’s a slight spike in pride amidst the drudgery of everyday military life. If you’re no longer active, you feel warm fuzzyContinue reading “War and the Military in Fantasy”

Wounds and Water: Regarding Personal Experience

So I had to have emergency surgery two days ago, which I am grateful for (you know for the life-saving aspect, and all the fine methods of modern medicine which keep residual effects to a minimum), but which is frustrating for a variety of reasons. I was supposed to do a long obstacle race inContinue reading “Wounds and Water: Regarding Personal Experience”

The Little Things: Slang

One of the things I love is when a book does slang and idioms–whether real-world or made-up–very well. I can’t say I see it done well all that often, and I can’t say that I always do it as well as I would like. It’s a work in progress, but I think it’s one ofContinue reading “The Little Things: Slang”