Enchiridion

Books and Literature, Media Literacy and Analysis, On Reading

Balancing the Problematic and the Emblematic in Classic Literature

Previously, I've touched on some of the benefits that come from reading classic books in your preferred genre. Sci-fi classics. Fantasy classics. Romance classics. Horror classics. Because society becomes more progressive through time, however, these older books are going to present outdated and obsolete societal views. Some to the point where they do start to… Continue reading Balancing the Problematic and the Emblematic in Classic Literature

Books and Literature, Writing Theory

Why Read Genre Classics if they Come With So Many Problems?

Itโ€™s not uncommon for the hobbyist reader to completely abandon classics and more retro or vintage literature once theyโ€™ve moved on from reading for academic purposes. Why not? So many new books come out a year that just getting through all the new releases youโ€™re interested in is a task unto itself. But then, on… Continue reading Why Read Genre Classics if they Come With So Many Problems?

Books and Literature, Media Literacy and Analysis, On Reading

I Don’t Think Some Classics Readers Actually Like Books

Harsh opinion, but if someone says โ€œI like/read classicsโ€ with no additional clarification, I donโ€™t trust them in terms of actually knowing what kinds of books they like. The more they insist that โ€œclassicsโ€ are โ€œsuperior,โ€ the more that trust diminishes. And itโ€™s not even really because of the pretension that tends to haunt those… Continue reading I Don’t Think Some Classics Readers Actually Like Books

Books and Literature, World Building, Writing Theory

Creating a Queernorm Fantasy Setting: The Language Around Attraction

In the real world, when it comes to language about queer identities, we often find ourselves in a bit scuffle with pre-conceived linguistic notions. Whatโ€™s the actual difference between pan and bi? What are the different ways non-binary identities (genderfluid, genderqueer, agender) interact with each other? What about the micro-labels that pepper the asexual spectrum?… Continue reading Creating a Queernorm Fantasy Setting: The Language Around Attraction

Queerness, World Building, Writing Theory

Creating a Queernorm Fantasy Setting: Exploring True Gender Equity

I made a decision very very early in honing my writing as a craft. I was never going to center a story around what someone of a certain gender could or couldnโ€™t do.Youโ€™re not going to read a story from me about a young girl who has to pretend to be a boy to join… Continue reading Creating a Queernorm Fantasy Setting: Exploring True Gender Equity

Queerness, World Building, Writing Theory

Creating a Queernorm Fantasy Setting: Disabling the Link Between Reproduction and Sexuality

In an effort to create a queernorm fantasy setting, one of the things I found myself doing was experimenting with ways to dislodge reproduction from gender and sexuality. Why? Because, collectively, we struggle with the idea of โ€œnon-reproductiveโ€ coupling. This manifests in different measures with childless couples and same-sex couples. While the former has their… Continue reading Creating a Queernorm Fantasy Setting: Disabling the Link Between Reproduction and Sexuality

Queerness, World Building, Writing Theory

Creating a Queernorm Fantasy Setting: Genetic Restructuring

Something that came to me, in a study of biology, was how much more interesting a fantasy setting would be if some of the sapient peoples in the world I was creating didnโ€™t adhere to the typical reproductive binary. From this thought process came how I ended up writing hermaphroditic goblins and a whole planet… Continue reading Creating a Queernorm Fantasy Setting: Genetic Restructuring

Books and Literature, Reviews, Wrapups and Reviews

May Reads and Reviews

Check the end for promos, free books, and special sales. The Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy: What Animals on Earth Reveal About Aliens and OurselvesDr. Arik KershenbaumNon-fiction Biology, 2020 From Storygraph: "Using his own expert understanding of life on Earth and Darwin's theory of evolution - which applies throughout the universe - Cambridge zoologist Dr.… Continue reading May Reads and Reviews

Fan Theory and Transformative Works, fandom

How does fanfic emerge?

James Cameronโ€™s Avatar is still the top grossing movie of all time even fifteen years after its release. Itโ€™s followed in the top five by Avengers: Endgame, Avatar: The Way of Water, Titanic, and Star Wars: Episode VII. While Marvel and Star Wars, as properties, have massive transformative fan communities around them, the James Cameron… Continue reading How does fanfic emerge?