Wally Midnight
@wallymidnight.bsky.social
Writing a fantasy series for stoned fans of Earthbound and Undertale.
Read THE TALES OF ORION: https://talesoforion.substack.com
Read THE TALES OF ORION: https://talesoforion.substack.com
Pinned
Wally Midnight
@wallymidnight.bsky.social
· Nov 18
Hall of the Penguin Emperor, Part I
In which the Majorellian endures a celestial encounter in the wasteland
talesoforion.substack.com
Hi Bluesky—I'm writing a series of big dumb heroic fantasy stories. Read the first chapter here: talesoforion.substack.com/p/hall-of-th...
#fiction
#fiction
When writing fantasy fiction, seek visual references that evoke the locations in your world.
For the desert setting in my latest story, I've leaned heavily into the Dusty Dunes from Earthbound.
Imagery becomes language...
... and language becomes imagery...
#fantasy #writing #worldbuilding
For the desert setting in my latest story, I've leaned heavily into the Dusty Dunes from Earthbound.
Imagery becomes language...
... and language becomes imagery...
#fantasy #writing #worldbuilding
November 29, 2024 at 11:00 AM
When writing fantasy fiction, seek visual references that evoke the locations in your world.
For the desert setting in my latest story, I've leaned heavily into the Dusty Dunes from Earthbound.
Imagery becomes language...
... and language becomes imagery...
#fantasy #writing #worldbuilding
For the desert setting in my latest story, I've leaned heavily into the Dusty Dunes from Earthbound.
Imagery becomes language...
... and language becomes imagery...
#fantasy #writing #worldbuilding
If you’re feeling bored this Thanksgiving... subscribe to my action-packed fantasy series on Substack!
New short stories every week!
Think: Conan the Barbarian—only set in the world of a Super Nintendo JRPG.
Enjoy!
talesoforion.substack.com
#FantasyAdventure #ShortStory #FantasyFiction 🪐📚
New short stories every week!
Think: Conan the Barbarian—only set in the world of a Super Nintendo JRPG.
Enjoy!
talesoforion.substack.com
#FantasyAdventure #ShortStory #FantasyFiction 🪐📚
Tales of Orion | Wally Midnight | Substack
Tales of Orion is a collection of serialized short stories about a wandering hero of the Sixteen Isles. Click to read Tales of Orion, by Wally Midnight, a Substack publication. Launched 10 days ago.
talesoforion.substack.com
November 28, 2024 at 10:02 PM
If you’re feeling bored this Thanksgiving... subscribe to my action-packed fantasy series on Substack!
New short stories every week!
Think: Conan the Barbarian—only set in the world of a Super Nintendo JRPG.
Enjoy!
talesoforion.substack.com
#FantasyAdventure #ShortStory #FantasyFiction 🪐📚
New short stories every week!
Think: Conan the Barbarian—only set in the world of a Super Nintendo JRPG.
Enjoy!
talesoforion.substack.com
#FantasyAdventure #ShortStory #FantasyFiction 🪐📚
When writing, look to *everything* for inspiration—not just other fiction works.
My fantasy adventure series takes as much influence from classic games like Earthbound and Pirates of Dark Water as it does from Elric, Kane, or Conan.
Whatever holds your attention...
#authors #fantasy #fiction
My fantasy adventure series takes as much influence from classic games like Earthbound and Pirates of Dark Water as it does from Elric, Kane, or Conan.
Whatever holds your attention...
#authors #fantasy #fiction
November 28, 2024 at 10:02 AM
An early evening writing jam:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRNp...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRNp...
Johnny Smith Quintet - Moonlight in Vermont
YouTube video by 60otaku4
www.youtube.com
November 28, 2024 at 2:52 AM
An early evening writing jam:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRNp...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRNp...
November 28, 2024 at 2:03 AM
When writing fantasy stories, build characters side by side with your world.
Inform their backstories with lore, magic, and the details of your setting.
Don't spend all this time developing a rich universe, only to populate it with people you might find in Omaha, Nebraska.
#fantasy #authors
Inform their backstories with lore, magic, and the details of your setting.
Don't spend all this time developing a rich universe, only to populate it with people you might find in Omaha, Nebraska.
#fantasy #authors
November 27, 2024 at 8:43 PM
In fiction writing, you may find yourself trying to decide between two different ideas.
Two stories. Two characters. Two actions. And so on.
Try combining instead.
You'll add simplicity and complexity at the same time.
#writingtips
Two stories. Two characters. Two actions. And so on.
Try combining instead.
You'll add simplicity and complexity at the same time.
#writingtips
November 27, 2024 at 11:15 AM
In fiction writing, you may find yourself trying to decide between two different ideas.
Two stories. Two characters. Two actions. And so on.
Try combining instead.
You'll add simplicity and complexity at the same time.
#writingtips
Two stories. Two characters. Two actions. And so on.
Try combining instead.
You'll add simplicity and complexity at the same time.
#writingtips
ICYMI:
The latest chapter of TALES OF ORION is live on Substack!
It's an action-packed fantasy story set in a surreal world inspired by Earthbound and mid-90s Saturday morning cartoons.
Exclusively for fans of weird writing...
#fantasy #fiction 🧙♂️
talesoforion.substack.com/p/hall-of-th...
The latest chapter of TALES OF ORION is live on Substack!
It's an action-packed fantasy story set in a surreal world inspired by Earthbound and mid-90s Saturday morning cartoons.
Exclusively for fans of weird writing...
#fantasy #fiction 🧙♂️
talesoforion.substack.com/p/hall-of-th...
Hall of the Penguin Emperor, Part II
In which the Majorellian indulges in waffles, coffee, and gleeful mayhem in a desert of lost souls
talesoforion.substack.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:57 AM
ICYMI:
The latest chapter of TALES OF ORION is live on Substack!
It's an action-packed fantasy story set in a surreal world inspired by Earthbound and mid-90s Saturday morning cartoons.
Exclusively for fans of weird writing...
#fantasy #fiction 🧙♂️
talesoforion.substack.com/p/hall-of-th...
The latest chapter of TALES OF ORION is live on Substack!
It's an action-packed fantasy story set in a surreal world inspired by Earthbound and mid-90s Saturday morning cartoons.
Exclusively for fans of weird writing...
#fantasy #fiction 🧙♂️
talesoforion.substack.com/p/hall-of-th...
Fun writing exercise:
Take an emotion your character is feeling and analogize it to a scene.
Instead of flatly reporting on their feelings, describe your scene for your readers.
Give us movement.
And a sense of place.
And don’t fear sounding weird.
#writing #authors #writingtips
Take an emotion your character is feeling and analogize it to a scene.
Instead of flatly reporting on their feelings, describe your scene for your readers.
Give us movement.
And a sense of place.
And don’t fear sounding weird.
#writing #authors #writingtips
November 27, 2024 at 2:57 AM
Fun writing exercise:
Take an emotion your character is feeling and analogize it to a scene.
Instead of flatly reporting on their feelings, describe your scene for your readers.
Give us movement.
And a sense of place.
And don’t fear sounding weird.
#writing #authors #writingtips
Take an emotion your character is feeling and analogize it to a scene.
Instead of flatly reporting on their feelings, describe your scene for your readers.
Give us movement.
And a sense of place.
And don’t fear sounding weird.
#writing #authors #writingtips
Latest chapter of TALES OF ORION is out!
This time, our hero encounters a talking lizard and a penguin biker gang in the world's most depressing diner.
🪐📚
#fantasy #booksky
Read the story: open.substack.com/pub/talesofo...
This time, our hero encounters a talking lizard and a penguin biker gang in the world's most depressing diner.
🪐📚
#fantasy #booksky
Read the story: open.substack.com/pub/talesofo...
Hall of the Penguin Emperor, Part II
In which the Majorellian indulges in waffles, coffee, and gleeful mayhem in a desert of lost souls
open.substack.com
November 27, 2024 at 1:25 AM
Latest chapter of TALES OF ORION is out!
This time, our hero encounters a talking lizard and a penguin biker gang in the world's most depressing diner.
🪐📚
#fantasy #booksky
Read the story: open.substack.com/pub/talesofo...
This time, our hero encounters a talking lizard and a penguin biker gang in the world's most depressing diner.
🪐📚
#fantasy #booksky
Read the story: open.substack.com/pub/talesofo...
In writing, it’s more than okay if you’re unclear about your story’s main theme.
Some writers will approach a story as if it were an argument to be proven.
Don’t be so dogmatic. After all, reality isn’t bound by uniform concepts. Life is too complex for that.
Aim for that complexity.
📚💙
Some writers will approach a story as if it were an argument to be proven.
Don’t be so dogmatic. After all, reality isn’t bound by uniform concepts. Life is too complex for that.
Aim for that complexity.
📚💙
November 26, 2024 at 2:16 AM
In writing, it’s more than okay if you’re unclear about your story’s main theme.
Some writers will approach a story as if it were an argument to be proven.
Don’t be so dogmatic. After all, reality isn’t bound by uniform concepts. Life is too complex for that.
Aim for that complexity.
📚💙
Some writers will approach a story as if it were an argument to be proven.
Don’t be so dogmatic. After all, reality isn’t bound by uniform concepts. Life is too complex for that.
Aim for that complexity.
📚💙
Writing tip: Perspective makes prose personal.
V1:
“Light bloomed around the bend. The halo expanded to reveal a sullen diner stashed between the mesas.”
V2:
“Light bloomed around the bend. Orion straightened up as the halo expanded to reveal a sullen diner stashed between the mesas.”
#authors
V1:
“Light bloomed around the bend. The halo expanded to reveal a sullen diner stashed between the mesas.”
V2:
“Light bloomed around the bend. Orion straightened up as the halo expanded to reveal a sullen diner stashed between the mesas.”
#authors
November 25, 2024 at 11:09 PM
Writing tip: Perspective makes prose personal.
V1:
“Light bloomed around the bend. The halo expanded to reveal a sullen diner stashed between the mesas.”
V2:
“Light bloomed around the bend. Orion straightened up as the halo expanded to reveal a sullen diner stashed between the mesas.”
#authors
V1:
“Light bloomed around the bend. The halo expanded to reveal a sullen diner stashed between the mesas.”
V2:
“Light bloomed around the bend. Orion straightened up as the halo expanded to reveal a sullen diner stashed between the mesas.”
#authors
“He was a wraith. A drifter. A destroyer…”
A fan of sci-fi and fantasy fiction?
Delve into the TALES OF ORION on Substack today! 🪐📚💙
Link: open.substack.com/pub/talesofo...
A fan of sci-fi and fantasy fiction?
Delve into the TALES OF ORION on Substack today! 🪐📚💙
Link: open.substack.com/pub/talesofo...
November 25, 2024 at 6:24 PM
“He was a wraith. A drifter. A destroyer…”
A fan of sci-fi and fantasy fiction?
Delve into the TALES OF ORION on Substack today! 🪐📚💙
Link: open.substack.com/pub/talesofo...
A fan of sci-fi and fantasy fiction?
Delve into the TALES OF ORION on Substack today! 🪐📚💙
Link: open.substack.com/pub/talesofo...
Many times, authors will write for a reader who doesn't exist: Someone who thoroughly dislikes reading, but might make an exception if you can make something explode on page one, line one.
Think about how you feel when you start a new book.
Excited, intrigued. Patient.
Seek that reader.
#writing
Think about how you feel when you start a new book.
Excited, intrigued. Patient.
Seek that reader.
#writing
November 25, 2024 at 5:50 PM
Many times, authors will write for a reader who doesn't exist: Someone who thoroughly dislikes reading, but might make an exception if you can make something explode on page one, line one.
Think about how you feel when you start a new book.
Excited, intrigued. Patient.
Seek that reader.
#writing
Think about how you feel when you start a new book.
Excited, intrigued. Patient.
Seek that reader.
#writing
Tip for fantasy or sci-fi writing:
Don’t give us your whole world, all at once.
Only define aspects of your lore if they’re relevant to matters at hand.
A litmus:
Readers track about one new piece of information per scene.
Unless you’d rather shove us into the deep end of the pool…
#fantasy
Don’t give us your whole world, all at once.
Only define aspects of your lore if they’re relevant to matters at hand.
A litmus:
Readers track about one new piece of information per scene.
Unless you’d rather shove us into the deep end of the pool…
#fantasy
November 25, 2024 at 8:17 AM
Tip for fantasy or sci-fi writing:
Don’t give us your whole world, all at once.
Only define aspects of your lore if they’re relevant to matters at hand.
A litmus:
Readers track about one new piece of information per scene.
Unless you’d rather shove us into the deep end of the pool…
#fantasy
Don’t give us your whole world, all at once.
Only define aspects of your lore if they’re relevant to matters at hand.
A litmus:
Readers track about one new piece of information per scene.
Unless you’d rather shove us into the deep end of the pool…
#fantasy
When writers think of causality in fiction, they often consider logic.
“What would realistically happen next?”
This question is overrated.
Causality starts with the POV character—their motivation, flaws, decisions.
“What would they do next?”
Dominos fall naturally from here.
#writingcommunity
“What would realistically happen next?”
This question is overrated.
Causality starts with the POV character—their motivation, flaws, decisions.
“What would they do next?”
Dominos fall naturally from here.
#writingcommunity
November 25, 2024 at 1:58 AM
When writers think of causality in fiction, they often consider logic.
“What would realistically happen next?”
This question is overrated.
Causality starts with the POV character—their motivation, flaws, decisions.
“What would they do next?”
Dominos fall naturally from here.
#writingcommunity
“What would realistically happen next?”
This question is overrated.
Causality starts with the POV character—their motivation, flaws, decisions.
“What would they do next?”
Dominos fall naturally from here.
#writingcommunity
When writing fiction, how much description is too much?
1. Consider the object you’re describing: Is it important to the story? Description implies emphasis.
2. Picture thought bubbles above your readers that visualize your described object.
Keep going until they all match.
#writing #writers
1. Consider the object you’re describing: Is it important to the story? Description implies emphasis.
2. Picture thought bubbles above your readers that visualize your described object.
Keep going until they all match.
#writing #writers
November 24, 2024 at 10:05 PM
More fiction writers should look into the topic of narratology.
It examines how stories operate on a microscopic level, and it helps answer a very important question:
“Why does all this work?”
A little dry, sure. Boring.
But sometimes you gotta eat your vegetables…
#authors #writingcommunity
It examines how stories operate on a microscopic level, and it helps answer a very important question:
“Why does all this work?”
A little dry, sure. Boring.
But sometimes you gotta eat your vegetables…
#authors #writingcommunity
November 24, 2024 at 10:41 AM
More fiction writers should look into the topic of narratology.
It examines how stories operate on a microscopic level, and it helps answer a very important question:
“Why does all this work?”
A little dry, sure. Boring.
But sometimes you gotta eat your vegetables…
#authors #writingcommunity
It examines how stories operate on a microscopic level, and it helps answer a very important question:
“Why does all this work?”
A little dry, sure. Boring.
But sometimes you gotta eat your vegetables…
#authors #writingcommunity
Easy method for revising fiction writing:
There are four types of paragraphs: action, description, dialogue, narration.
After your first draft, break your writing into distinct sections, based on these types.
Expand where needed.
This ensures every line has a purpose.
#authors #writing #fiction
There are four types of paragraphs: action, description, dialogue, narration.
After your first draft, break your writing into distinct sections, based on these types.
Expand where needed.
This ensures every line has a purpose.
#authors #writing #fiction
November 24, 2024 at 6:44 AM
“His car was kaputt. Vultures had already begun to circle. It was fifty miles to the nearest town, and he was three hours behind schedule. Things weren’t going well.”
(And we haven’t even gotten to the talking squid…)
Read my weird fantasy short: talesoforion.substack.com/p/hall-of-th...
#fiction
(And we haven’t even gotten to the talking squid…)
Read my weird fantasy short: talesoforion.substack.com/p/hall-of-th...
#fiction
November 23, 2024 at 9:43 AM
“His car was kaputt. Vultures had already begun to circle. It was fifty miles to the nearest town, and he was three hours behind schedule. Things weren’t going well.”
(And we haven’t even gotten to the talking squid…)
Read my weird fantasy short: talesoforion.substack.com/p/hall-of-th...
#fiction
(And we haven’t even gotten to the talking squid…)
Read my weird fantasy short: talesoforion.substack.com/p/hall-of-th...
#fiction
In fantasy writing, magic is what violates the basic laws of physics.
To do this, we must spend something.
If we can levitate, what lifts us off the ground?
If we can read minds, what unlocks the subconscious?
Is it a rare resource? Common?
How is your world different, either way?
Start here.
To do this, we must spend something.
If we can levitate, what lifts us off the ground?
If we can read minds, what unlocks the subconscious?
Is it a rare resource? Common?
How is your world different, either way?
Start here.
November 23, 2024 at 6:13 AM
In fantasy writing, magic is what violates the basic laws of physics.
To do this, we must spend something.
If we can levitate, what lifts us off the ground?
If we can read minds, what unlocks the subconscious?
Is it a rare resource? Common?
How is your world different, either way?
Start here.
To do this, we must spend something.
If we can levitate, what lifts us off the ground?
If we can read minds, what unlocks the subconscious?
Is it a rare resource? Common?
How is your world different, either way?
Start here.
Good tip for fantasy writers:
You don’t need to rename every inch of your world.
If a character rides a horse, call it a horse.
If a character casts an alchemy spell that conjures spirits from bricks of gold… well you might need a name for that.
Unfamiliar language, unfamiliar things.
#fantasy
You don’t need to rename every inch of your world.
If a character rides a horse, call it a horse.
If a character casts an alchemy spell that conjures spirits from bricks of gold… well you might need a name for that.
Unfamiliar language, unfamiliar things.
#fantasy
November 23, 2024 at 12:27 AM
Good tip for fantasy writers:
You don’t need to rename every inch of your world.
If a character rides a horse, call it a horse.
If a character casts an alchemy spell that conjures spirits from bricks of gold… well you might need a name for that.
Unfamiliar language, unfamiliar things.
#fantasy
You don’t need to rename every inch of your world.
If a character rides a horse, call it a horse.
If a character casts an alchemy spell that conjures spirits from bricks of gold… well you might need a name for that.
Unfamiliar language, unfamiliar things.
#fantasy
We writers use genre to develop ideas for our stories and find an audience... but how are genres even classified in the first place?
The answer is more complicated than you'd expect.
There are three major schools of thought when it comes to understanding fiction genres:
#writingtips #authors
The answer is more complicated than you'd expect.
There are three major schools of thought when it comes to understanding fiction genres:
#writingtips #authors
November 22, 2024 at 10:49 PM
We writers use genre to develop ideas for our stories and find an audience... but how are genres even classified in the first place?
The answer is more complicated than you'd expect.
There are three major schools of thought when it comes to understanding fiction genres:
#writingtips #authors
The answer is more complicated than you'd expect.
There are three major schools of thought when it comes to understanding fiction genres:
#writingtips #authors
Writers have all heard the expression “enter scenes late, exit early.”
The trick for starting a scene “late” is to identify the first action your viewpoint character takes that actually advances the plot.
Write it down.
That’s your first sentence.
#writingtips #writers #writingcommunity
The trick for starting a scene “late” is to identify the first action your viewpoint character takes that actually advances the plot.
Write it down.
That’s your first sentence.
#writingtips #writers #writingcommunity
November 22, 2024 at 8:52 PM
Writers have all heard the expression “enter scenes late, exit early.”
The trick for starting a scene “late” is to identify the first action your viewpoint character takes that actually advances the plot.
Write it down.
That’s your first sentence.
#writingtips #writers #writingcommunity
The trick for starting a scene “late” is to identify the first action your viewpoint character takes that actually advances the plot.
Write it down.
That’s your first sentence.
#writingtips #writers #writingcommunity