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As a writer, my first area of interest is obviously my books, but for my blog I will try to address different writing issues or provide my own tips when it comes to writing or self-publishing.

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In a moment of literary genius...

1/31/2014

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I figured out how to fill in a plot hole and give my MC a better reason for her promotion.

Show don't tell has always been a problem for me when writing fantasy. How do you explain the history of the country or world without a detailed prologue or a lot of characters constantly thinking about the old days? I mean really, how many of us are talking to our friends or colleagues and thinking about U.S. history, the fall of the Roman Empire, or the politics in South America (unless, of course, you are a history buff or actually discussing something along these lines).

So instead I had my character take a little trip (a logical trip, not a random vacation trip) with her soldier trainee to meet the lord who sponsors their camp. This little trip helps to elucidate how (and why) you would have an awesome army camp without having it be part of the national government without a lot of out-of-place explanations or "thoughts" that are not realistic to how people really think. After all, the trainee is from a different camp, and lords like to talk, so I can inform my readers without an awkward info dump.

Hopefully the idea that this is literary genius is not limited solely to me!
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    My name is J.R. McGinnity, I am a former English teacher with a passion for writing fantasy novels with strong female leads.

    My time is spent immersed in books (reading or writing), hiking when the Midwest weather allows, and watching seasons of old TV shows.

    Follow her on Twitter @JRMcGinnity

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