Strange are the Ways of Love
Lawrence Block tries lesbian fiction for the first time...
View ArticleThe Family Curse
Read the Frankenstein-inspired horror story, the first featuring book hunter Reno McCoy...
View ArticleA Destiny Earned
Read my futuristic re-imagining of the old Armenian folk tale, "The Gold Piece."
View ArticlePop. 1280
The sheriff of Pottsville is one crazy bastard, but he sure knows how to get around...
View ArticleAbout James W. Powell
I like to tell stories. Always have. My favorite method of telling those stories is through comics. Back in school, several of my teachers commented that my fiction read like screenplays, with clear...
View ArticleHello world!
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!
View ArticleWhat Editors Actually Do
I often work with aspiring writers who’ve put the final touches on their first novel or comic script. Many of these writers know their next step should be to seek out an editor, but the lack of...
View ArticleEditing and the Timid Writer
A young writer recently asked me to edit his novel. We exchanged a few emails to discuss what he needed, and it quickly became apparent how nervous he was about the whole endeavor. The novel was the...
View Article10 Questions to Ask an Editor Before Hiring One
Writing is a personal form of expression, and you want an editor who provides what you need in a way that fits your personality and writing style. While an editor might be a perfect fit for one...
View ArticleThe Easiest Way to Improve Your Dialog
In a perfect world, all dialog in your script or novel would do at least three things: Move the story forward. Give insight into the character’s feelings and motivations.Help your audience understand...
View ArticleFive Things to Know About Your Project Before Seeking an Editor
When you’re ready to hire an editor for your novel, short story, or comic, there are five key elements about you and your project that you need to understand. By asking yourself these questions,...
View ArticleAre You and Your Book Ready for an Editor?
I’ve worked with several writers who expressed a certain level of uncertainty about getting started. They weren’t sure if their story is ready, and after some discussion, I also sensed an underlying...
View ArticleQuieting the Voice of Comparison
In the summer of 2021, I ran a campaign on Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform that’s become such an integral part of the lives of independent comic creators. It was my sixth and most successful...
View ArticleImprove Your Narrative Pacing
Inadequate narrative pacing is one of the most common problems I see in the manuscripts I edit. For prose and longer comic scripts, pacing problems usually show up in the middle of the story when...
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