Grappling with Style

1) Ribbon tied around hilt
2) Ribbon tied around glove holding hilt
3) Ribbon tied around blade
4) Sword is an extended ribbon

It's hard to pick the right look, but whichever you choose, carry it through.

Setting Aesthetics Particulars

If you have masers, is your science fiction necessarily a retro future? Some kind of maserpunk? Do the computers have to be quite large? Or can you just throw those in anything?

On Spaceship Construction

How many external windows do you think the typical spaceship would have? None, right? Zero? They are cool, but consider the advantages of an isolated atmosphere.

Addendum

The wings should also be baleful.

The Core Pegasus Fault

Pegasuses don't look tough enough. They should have eight wings and baleful eyes.

Addendum

So does "dull," which was a good move by the guy who invented it. I hope he got a nice bonus.

Words That Need More Synonyms

Door. Sure there are some, but "door" has such a dull sound.

The Simple Things

When you think about non-horse riding animals, obviously you go to lions, dragons, dinosaurs, and ostriches, but don't forget the humble camel. Camels are, one, stupid-looking, and two, ludicrous.

The Freshest Prefix

Adding magna- to everything is pretty tight, but don't forget about exo-.

Addendum

As for "execrable," I just hate the way it sounds. The speaker comes off worse than the target.

The Basis of Preference

I'd be more interested in a lot of books if the main character had a name more like Wild Scradzer. Rand and Locke just don't do it for me.

The Quandaries of Fantasy

Every fantasy writer sooner or later runs into the problem of whether he can call Chantilly lace that given that Chantilly is one of our Earth locations. On the one hand, it's a reference to non-fantasy stuff. On the other, so is lots of stuff. Getting hung up on that is like trying to cut off somebody's skin without getting any of the blood. Here are some points to consider.
- Who's the narrator? Even if you have an omniscient third-person thing going on, think about what kinds of references the narrator might make.
- What's the feel of the thing? Does everything have to be contained within the world, creating a sense perhaps of tension or urgency, or is it a breezier sort of story where digressions are allowed?
- Is there another way to communicate the information? Suppose someone has a pretty face and a ponytail, hanging down, a wiggle in her walk and a giggle in her talk. The reader will get the idea.

Goodbye to 2023

Now that the year's almost over, I can finally say something important. I think 2,023 is an ugly number. That 3 at the end is just no good. There's nothing on the front to balance it. 2,022 and 3,023 are both much better numbers, and 2,024 will be as well. 2,025 isn't great, but it's a small improvement.

Don't Make This Mistake!

Some people think that fantasy worlds shouldn't have rock and roll! Don't be one of them!

The Face on the Coin

The subjects had been of two minds for months, and all that changed on the day they were to hear the new king's first proclamation was who sat in which camp. The people drifted this way and that, swayed by arguments, portents, and simply their mood.
The reason they had for choosing this king was unchanged and powerful: He was the hero who saved the world. Whom did they owe greater gratitude? Who had more might to protect them?
The reason for wishing they had not was clear and direct: He had been raised to fight, not to rule. He knew nothing of diplomacy, had few connections, and required training in every aspect of finance.
The proclamation would presage what kind of rule was to come, whether a disaster of incompetence or a golden age with a god-picked hero at its head. Never had a new king been scrutinized so closely by the people when he came out in his rich robes.
"My subjects!" He raised his arms high in a rudimentary oratorical flourish. At least he had not refused instruction altogether. "It is the custom to print the new king's face on new coins." He lowered his arms. "This is the first custom I will ignore."
The tension could hardly be withstood, but the people listened to the rest.
"My subjects, I propose instead to hold a contest among the hottest chicks in the kingdom to figure out who'd look great on a coin and put her on it. Who's with me?"
The country's greatest reign began among ecstatic cheers.
Finis

Name Change Suggestion

"Space Elevator" is both prosaic and misleading. Let's switch over to "Cosmic Ribbon."

Addendum

But they're so portable! All right, lyres are back.

The Danger of the Classics

I know the old stories are full of lyres, but nobody likes them. We have to give up on lyres.

One Firm Preference

One thing I don't doubt is that for me, the most important part of fantasy is the characters. Namely, how huge their swords are.

A Contradiction in Personal Preference

I don't like fantasy races much. Not the classic ones such as elves and dwarves, and not fresh new ones such as welvs and duvvars. Are those real? I hope not, since I'm not trying to say anything pointed here. The problem is that when I think of fantasy I like, most of it has fantasy races in it. Does that mean I like those stories despite that element, or am I simply mistaken about my own preferences? The latter seems likelier than I want it to be.