This is, for want of a better term, a curious little book. Three annotated stories from three authors, each of whom come at writing from a different aThis is, for want of a better term, a curious little book. Three annotated stories from three authors, each of whom come at writing from a different angle (character, worldbuilding, idea) combined with lots of more general advice about writing. It manages to be both high-level and very nitty gritty. Not so much for those who want a how-to, or even practical actionable tips, but it's full of little gems of "try thinking about things through this lens", and developing and trusting your instincts.
A fun little addition to the extended Powder Mage universe, and yay for a female protag. Perhaps not as elegant in its phrasing as it could have been A fun little addition to the extended Powder Mage universe, and yay for a female protag. Perhaps not as elegant in its phrasing as it could have been (and I think my version was missing its italics). And while knowing the wider universe gave more oomph to the story, I still found myself, at the 75% mark, wondering why, really, I was here. I just want so much more from stories than this sort of wordcount can really achieve, and that's entirely a problem with me, not the story. And that said, I will definitely be acquiring the rest of the Powder Mage shorts, because I want more ladies in this universe....more