Author: Outpost Dire

Twenty-year vet writer of novellas and tomes; the grittier, the darker, the more the characters must go through, the better. In the bleakest of worlds, characters shine all the more! I'm a wandering Texan who served Uncle Sam for four years and got to see the world, but I found my way back to my roots, and once again, in Texas, I've come to roost.

NaNoWriMo: The Good, the Bad, and the Writing

As promised, the NaNo post. Keep in mind that this is the first time I participated and only found out about NaNo in September of this year. Now that we have ventured past the initial "thank-the-tiny-gods-that's-over" phase, or for you comic fans--I like to refer to this as The Infinity War--we can proceed with settled … Continue reading NaNoWriMo: The Good, the Bad, and the Writing →

Risk the Reader; Expose the Character

Yes, you read that title right. Exposing the character can risk the attachments the reader has made to your protagonist, but also increase their value. Risk makes life exciting and frustrating all at once. Maybe you put your heart on the line and come away with ache. Perhaps you like the thrill of gambling? Risk … Continue reading Risk the Reader; Expose the Character →

An Old-Fashioned Opinion: Prologues, Epilogues, & Epigraphs

Let's talk about some of my favorite things, but like my aversion to simple and repetitive dialogue tags, my opinion seems to be in the minority. Perhaps I am a little old fashion, but there isn't anything wrong with that. I believe in holding doors open for a lady, paying for that first date, and … Continue reading An Old-Fashioned Opinion: Prologues, Epilogues, & Epigraphs →

Flawed to the Core: Building Character

Think back to a movie where the character unexpectedly came to life. What memorable role was it? Who was the actor? How did that person seem larger than life? Thinking back to movies where the actor went beyond the expectations are seldom, but they are with us forever. Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight … Continue reading Flawed to the Core: Building Character →