The LTUE 2023 Write-up: Day Three

Max Misc ,

Or, the final day.

And what a day it was. Guys, LTUE is a fantastic con. Awesome panels, wonderful people, so much writing energy coursing through its halls like the vibrant surges of a buzzing neon light.

Seriously, if you’ve not made it to LTUE before, you totally should. LTUE is incredible. And next year? It’s going to go even further. Why? Well, it’s a con named Life, The Universe, and Everything, and it’ll be year 42 for it. If you get that, it’s the kind of con you should be at.

Now, with that said … I am pretty beat. So I’m going to cut the preamble short and head right into the day three write up, because I’m ready to call it a night. As pumped up from LTUE as I am, it’s that kind of energy that can’t quite make up for the absolute exhaustion I feel from three days of pure con. At the same time, this energy will persist through the weekend and on through the next week. I am jazzed to finish off the newest Jacob Rocke adventure and then start work on Axtara – Magic and Mayhem. And hey, I even laid the grounds for the plot to Axtara 3 in my mind while I was attending this LTUE. Don’t worry, it’s not suddenly becoming a trilogy. Each book is still going to be standalone. I just love that dragon. She’s flying far, and she deserves it.

Anyway, hit the jump, and let’s go over what I went to today!

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The LTUE 2023 Write-Up: Day Two!

Max Misc ,

I am tired right now.

How tired? Near the end of the signing, someone handed me a copy of Shadow of an Empire to sign, and I asked them if they wanted a name to go with it. They gave me a name sort of like “Dave.” I said “And how do you spell that?” Puzzled, they spelled it out.

I thought for a moment, looked at them, and then went “Really?”

Now, they thought I’d misheard them because that hall was loud. But in truth … I was so tired that my brain had stumbled on processing the spelling of a very straightforward, four-letter name.

Yeah, it’s been a long day. But what a day!

Now, I actually didn’t make it to as many panels (outside of the ones I was on) as I did yesterday. Largely because a number of them were full by the time I arrived! In fact, one was full with several minutes to go! So good on that panel and those panelists, because it was a packed day! But I also spent some time walking around the con, talking with folks both old and new, signing books—and not just at the signing in the evening, either!

Basically, I kept really busy. I finally had to excuse myself to the green room because my phone was going to die, and I knew I’d need it later.

And I did … but we’ll get to that. For now, hit the jump, and let’s talk about some of the highlights from day two of LTUE 2023!

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The LTUE 2023 Write-Up: Day One!

Max Misc ,

It’s back, baby! 2023’s Life, The Universe, and Everything convention has officially begun!

And already, it’s taken some unexpected twists and turns. Before I dive into the details of some the panels I attended with the usual write-up, I do have some news.

First: I am beat. When you’re at a con for more than 12 hours, you get pretty wiped out, and day one of LTUE was just over the 12 hour mark for me. Pretty solid, but definitely something that can run down the energy levels. I’ll sleep well tonight!

Second: There’s something unexpected going on this year. Some of you may know that I give out little cards for my books, one for each title, with QR codes on the back. Things I can hand to people when they ask, the QR code giving them the first few chapters on their phone for free to read. Plus I give out bookmarks.

Anyway, this year, some of those cards are flying out. I usually put a small stack on the “freebies” table of bookmarks and a few cards, and at the current rate they’re vanishing, I might run right out of a few before the con is over!

That’s a good thing, but it means I didn’t order enough beforehand if so!

Anyway, as you might expect, the first day of LTUE was pretty rocking, as people settled into panels and the creative talk began. LTUE is just plain awesome, and I’m glad I was once again able to be there.

So, without any further ado, hit that jump, and let’s talk about some panel highlights!

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LTUE 2023 Starts Tomorrow – Here are Some Panels to Check Out!

Max Misc , , ,

Hey folks! Unless you’ve been living under a rock in the writing sphere, you’re probably all geared up and pumped for LTUE (that’s Life, The Universe, and Everything) 2023! I say this because 100% of the writing-invested people I know are, so the data’s pretty solid on this end.

But maybe your excitement isn’t quite as energetically apparent as those nearby or that you’ve been seeing online. Maybe this is your first LTUE, and you’re not sure where you’re going to be going or why everyone else is so excited.

This is fine. Totally understandable. I first stumbled across LTUE when I was a college student, and wasn’t at all certain what was going on until I saw a sign on a door proclaiming the subject being spoken about inside an ‘in-depth study of Tolkien’s languages and how they both reflect and intersect with the world he created.’ Or something of that nature. I was intrigued, then excited, then hooked.

Anyway, if you’re planning at being at LTUE tomorrow and haven’t taken a gander at the official LTUE Program Book yet (that’s a PDF link, just for those of you on mobile), well, maybe I can get some of that excitement ramping for you. Because there are—as always—some cool panels to check out, and I’m going through the whole list and picking out a few of my favorites. Some are cool, some are fun, some are interesting, and some I’ll label critical, which just means there will likely be essential writing tips and elements discussed you’ll definitely want to attend if you’re concerned about the topic.

So hit that jump, and catch sight of a few of the panels that have caught my attention. Note that just because it’s caught my eye doesn’t mean there aren’t other awesome panels you may want to attend. These are just some of the ones I’ve noticed and am looking forward to, but I as of yet lack the ability to be in multiple places at once. See you at LTUE!

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Being a Better Writer: How to Use a Writing Resource Like LTUE

Max Being a Better Writer , , , , , , ,

Welcome back writers. I’d venture a guess that you’ll likely be able to guess what big event is going on this week simply by looking at today’s topic.

That’s right. LTUE, Life, The Universe, and Everything, which is the writing convention for writers, is happening this week. It’s a big deal. I’ve been readying myself for several weeks now, making sure that I’m prepared and ready to go when this Thursday rolls around. Which is going to be tricky, because my first panel begins at (shudder) nine in the morning. Which for me is in the range of “Okay, I’m awake, but what time is it?”

Never fear. I’ll be more alert than that. I’m adjusting my sleep schedule to ensure that I’ll be arriving well-rested and prepared to talk writing. If you’re going to be in attendance this year, then I do recommend swinging by the panels I’ll be on, as well as my other appearances. I’d love to say hello, and I’ll be dispensing nuggets of writing wisdom on request. You can see what panels I’ll be on at this link to last week’s news post.

Now, today won’t be the last time I talk about LTUE, as we’re obviously going to have the end-of-day write-ups that I share each year on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. But on Wednesday I’ll be posting my own highlights of the schedule, noting which panels I intend to attend or recommending those that might be useful for certain topics or concepts.

But today, we’re diving right in with a sort of special Being a Better Writer post, and we’re going to be talking directly about how to use a writing resource like LTUE.

See, there’s a lot that goes on at LTUE, but one thing that people sometimes forget when they’re in attendance is that first and foremost, LTUE is an educational con. Yes, it’s neat and fun to be able to meet some of our favorite authors and creators in the Sci-Fi and Fantasy space … but we’re not there just to meet them. And when they bring up that book that you really love or that scene that you thought was very cool, they’re not just brining it up because of that—though they definitely love it too. No, they’re bringing it up because they want to illustrate a point, or demonstrate something.

Yes, it’s easy to get distracted by “This is one of my favorite books, and I can ask the author about it when the panel opens up to questions!” But remember that the point of many of these panels—but not all—is to learn. For these authors and creators to pass on the knowledge won by hard sweat and tears. Or that they learned by attending LTUE long ago and have since adapted into their own understanding of writing.

So yes, today I want to talk about preparing for and attending a writing resource like LTUE. So that those of you who are attending get the most out of it that you can.

Don’t get me wrong: There isn’t really a “wrong” way to attend LTUE unless you completely decide against your own prior wishes to attend and learn nothing. One can attend just for fun. I just ask that if you do, realize that the majority who attend are there to learn and understand about writing as well as have fun. So they may ask questions about specific writing processes or situations they’ve been unable to solve in their own writing that you might not be as interested in if you’re there just to meet some authors you love. Just nod and let them ask: they’re there to learn.

And if you are as well—or if you’re going to be attending any similar convention—the you’re going to want to hit that jump. Because today, we’re talking about ways to get the most out of cons like LTUE, to grow your writing talents.

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One Week to LTUE 2023!

Max Weekly Updates , , , ,

Hey folks! Max here with a news update. Though a glance at that headline will tell you what’s dominating this news post.

That’s right, it’s Life, The Universe, and Everything 2023! Which kicks off next Thursday, exactly one week from today! It’s so close!

Being so close, I’ve already been getting my preparations taken care of. Just yesterday a big box of paperback books showed up for sale at the LTUE vendor hall. Two big boxes, actually, but I’ve repacked them into one big—and admittedly quite heavy—box. Hopefully I’m bringing the right amounts. Last year, paperback copies of Shadow of an Empire completely sold out before noon on the first day, a timespan of less than three hours. Axtara copies lasted until the last day before running dry, so I think I numbered them properly that year, but they’ve been selling a lot stronger elsewhere since then, so I upped the number anyway.

Basically, if you got left out of getting a copy of Shadow of an Empire in paperback last year, this year there will be a few more copies—though they’re still likely to go quick, so act fast! Axtara – Banking and Finance copies will also be in good supply, at least for a day or two. I think.

Point being, there will be books at the vendor hall for at least the first day. But that’s not all! I’ll also be at the book signing event, and I’ll be having some fun stuff for the occasion. Given that the majority of my sales are digital, I usually don’t sign a lot at the signing event. Though I do sign some. Mostly I just talk about writing and books to any that come by, and give out cards and bookmarks.

But this year, I’m upping the ante. This year, I’ve got prints of a few of my most downloaded covers. And I’ll be doing giveaways during the signing. So if you want a nice 24″ print of Axtara’s big ol’ grin to take home, swing by my signing booth on Friday, February 17th!

Now, with all that said about LTUE, we’re not done yet! Once again this year I’ll be paneling, and so here’s a reminder of my panel schedule, in case you want to come see me and a bunch of other experts chat about this stuff!

Hit the jump so that all this formatting doesn’t fill the main page or get broken on other sites that link to the primary.

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Being a Better Writer: Cursed Problems in Story Writing

Max Being a Better Writer , , , , , , , ,

Welcome once again writers! Just as with each Monday before it, it is time for Being a Better Writer to make its mark on the world! And this week, we’ve got an interesting topic to discuss. One that you might have heard in a different context—and if so, you and I probably watch similar video channels.

Really quick, though, before we dive into things, a reminder that LTUE is next week! That’s right! February 16th-18th is just around the corner! I’ll have a more in-depth post on this later this week, but for now, just keep in mind that the day is fast approaching! By now, you should know what LTUE is, but if not, I’m just going to drop a link rather than bother explaining it, since I want to dive into today’s topic. Partially because I’ve got a lot to get done today, and getting right to the meat of Being a Better Writer will save me time. And because there’s not really much to chat about in terms of news. Writing progresses, and that is that!

So then, with our update delivered, let’s spring right back to where we were a paragraph ago and get talking about these cursed problems.

I chose to put this topic on the list because personally, I felt it was a fascinating way to look at potential problems with a creative work. Especially when applied to writing. See, in writing it’s generally held that there isn’t a “problem” that can’t be overcome by a skilled enough author. And … yes, this is pretty true. Usually however, when we think of “problems” of this nature, we’re thinking of common bits of bad advice, like “nothing new under the sun” or “there are bad ideas.”

But a few months ago, as I was watching a GDC video on “Cursed Problems with Game Design,” I realized that the video was alluding to something that also applied to writing. My mind started working on it, and I realized this was something that I wanted to spend a BaBW post on. It would be a little strange, a little different, and a little contrary to most common ideals of writing … But that’s exactly why I think it should be something that’s kept in mind when we’re working out what our next story should be.

Now, that is the first warning of today’s topic, and there might be a few more. Today’s writing topic is a bit more conceptual than some of our other writing discussions. Because here’s the thing about cursed problems, before we even define what they are: they’re something that can seem achievable with just a little tiny tweak, meaning that we’re right on the cusp of being able to solve them.

Except we aren’t. Figuring out, then, what a “cursed problem” is as compared to a problem we can solve with a little work, is part of the puzzle.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. First, we need to define what a “cursed problem” is. And for that, you’ll need to hit the jump.

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What Has Being a Better Writer Done for You?

Max Misc ,

Hey writers and readers! Max here with a quick query.

I’m putting together some new stuff for LTUE 2023, and that includes redoing some of my old cards. Some of you undoubtedly found your way here or to one of my books because of them, but for those who don’t know, I give out cards with cover images and free samples of the book via a QR code on the back.

I have a similar card for the site itself. Because, you know, Being a Better Writer brings in a lot of viewers, and it’s a resource for a lot of writers out there.

But how to convey that? Well, like books, games, and other products, user review is a pretty good indicator. So this weekend, I’m asking you, readers: What has Being a Better Writer done for you?

And that’s pretty much it. I’m looking for small quotes from folks that read Being a Better Writer about Being a Better Writer. How it’s helped, what it’s been good for, how long you’ve been reading, whatever comes to mind.

Might as well make it a full feedback post. If there’s something you don’t like, comment with that too. I’ll leave this post up for the weekend and see what gets said.

Even if I don’t use a direct quote for the site cards, it’d be good to reflect what people here think.

Comment below!

Book Twitter is a Strange Place

Max Misc , , , , , ,

I mean it. Book Twitter is a weird place.

And yes, that’s already acknowledging that Twitter is a flaming cesspool. Which was true long before Musk got his hands on it. It definitely hasn’t gotten any better, but my brief examination of the book side of things the last few weeks was … Well, let’s just say it kind of felt like watching The Godfather or reading about The Sopranos.

Book Twitter is a very strange place.

Okay, let me give you some context. Normally, I ignore Twitter. I only have an account at all for two reasons, the first being that I didn’t wish anyone else to claim my name and start making posts and tweets under false pretenses—which is sadly something the book world has to worry about—and the second being that one fan has requested that I keep the Twitter account going because that’s how they keep track of the goings-on of my site.

Those are the only reasons I have it. Occasionally I’ll dabble in tweeting something specific for a book, or occasionally it has come in handy when needing to contact tech-support somewhere, but by and large, Twitter is something I ignore.

Oh, and it’s a flaming cesspool, if you haven’t heard. Twitter is insane. Even checking out my “feed” (which is supposedly content you’ll “like,” but Twitter seems to have a very different idea of what a rational person would like, and it’s only gotten crazier under Musk) a few times a year was enough to convince me “No, I have nothing I need here.”

But these last few months, I decided to actually look at the book-side of Twitter. I was following a project that interacted with “Book Twitter,” which until now I’d avoided, and I finally got my look at it.

It’s an utterly odd place.

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Being a Better Writer: PLS Explain Book

Max Being a Better Writer , , , , , , ,

Or, recognizing disparate audience expectations.

Welcome once again writers, to another Monday, and therefore another installment of Being a Better Writer. This week we’ve got an interesting topic for all of you, one that doesn’t get talked about much even inside writing circles, but in my personal opinion should be acknowledged more. In addition, it’s a topic that like our last few seems to be gravitating toward audience, making our recent string of posts discussing such a bit of a trend.

Now, as usual, before we dive into things in earnest, there are a few small news tidbits that we need to talk about. The first is that either today or tomorrow will see a version 1.01 update for Starforge. A few attentive fans have caught a few typos that slipped past our editing team—not out of the ordinary, especially for a 500,000+ word book—that have now been fixed, and we’ll be pushing that fix out ASAP. Anyone who downloads the book to read after that fix goes out will get the tweaked version, while those of you that have already downloaded your copy via a storefront will just need to refresh it. It’s not a lot of fixes, however (about six or seven across the whole book), so that’s why it’s a 1.01 update. But it will be going out soon.

Second, we’re nearing the end of Topic List #21. Which means that in the coming weeks we’ll be hosting a topic call for new Being a Better Writer topics to discuss. So put your thinking caps on and starting thinking about what writing concepts you’d like to hear about that BaBW hasn’t discussed before, or perhaps needs to discuss in a new fashion.

I know, that’s daunting. At this point Being a Better Writer totals some four hundred or so posts. But the world of writing is vast, and we’ve tackled topics a second or even a third time before.

So, there’s a new topic call coming, so if you’ve got a topic you’d like us to cover, jot it down on a slip of paper, or make a note on your phone—whatever it takes so that you’re ready when the topic call arrives!

All right, there’s one more news item to discuss: Life, The Universe, And Everything.

Yes, that capitalized letter on the “and” is intentional. That’s because Life, The Universe, And Everything, or LTUE, is a writing con that is once again upon us!

That’s right, it’s nearly time for LTUE 2023! Once again hordes of writers and other Fantasy/Sci-Fi creators are gearing up to descend en masse to Provo, Utah for a convention that’s all about the creation of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, be that in writing, sculpture, comic, or film.

Seriously, LTUE is awesome. And not just because once again I’ll be paneling (though you should definitely attend those panels if you’re writing). This year the guest lists includes Phil Foglio and Nina Kiriki Hoffman, among others. It’s three days of book signings, panels by authors you know and love on every writing topic under the sun, and more.

Basically, if you like Being a Better Writer, you’ll love LTUE. Check out the site here, and I hope to see you there.

Oh, and if you’re a student of some kind, your entry fee is $5, the cost covered by the sales of LTUE’s excellent collection of anthology short story collections such as A Dragon and Her Girl. So definitely swing on by!

We’d love to see you there. Now, on with the post! And you know what? We’re not going to spend time on the preamble before the jump. So just go ahead and hit that link, and let’s dive into the post proper. See you on the other side!

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