Follow
Books by D.J. Butler
Tag Archives: J.K. Rowling
Overrated
I want to be overrated. This thought comes out of a weekend post on social media, in which a writer asked what books of the last thirty years other people had found to be the most overrated. It’s a fair … Continue reading
Posted in Business, How to Write
Tagged Bestsellers, George R.R. Martin, J.K. Rowling, Stephen King
Leave a comment
Bookshelf: Enter the Janitor
College student Dani Hashelheim doesn’t want to be a wizard, much less a supernaturally-skilled janitor, burdened with defending civilization against the incursion of blot-hounds and other Scum in the service of Corruption. Unfortunately for her, Dani is a Catalyst, possessing … Continue reading
Posted in Bookshelf
Tagged Enter the Janitor, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Josh Vogt, Wordfire Press
Leave a comment
Bookshelf: Five Out of the Dark
The high concept pitch for these books is as easy as it is exciting: Five is Harry Potter meets Twilight, set against the mythos of the Dresden Files. Paige is a preacher’s daughter who accidentally discovers her own magical powers … Continue reading
Posted in Bookshelf
Tagged Dresden Files, Fantasy, Harry Potter, Holli Anderson, J.K. Rowling, Jim Butcher, Stephanie Meyer, Twilight, Young Adult
1 Comment
42wd
As of last week, I am a contributor to the blog over at 42wd publishing. You can see today’s post here. And two posts from last week, here and here.
Posted in How to Write
Tagged 42wd, George Lucas, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, McDonald's
Leave a comment
Welcome!
Today is the first official day of this (new version of this) blog. It’s about writing, so I’ll start with a book that someone in my family wrote. Sadly, not me. This is my son William’s first book of spells. … Continue reading
Sequels and Expectations
When you write the first book in a series, you can do anything you want. When you write the second, you can still do anything you want… but whatever you do that repeats or echoes the first book, becomes part … Continue reading
Posted in How to Write
Tagged Dan Simmons, E.J. Patten, Harry Potter, Hyperion, J.K. Rowling, Return to Exile, Sequels, Story Monkeys
Leave a comment
Magic, Hard and Soft
There is a distinction you will sometimes hear made by writers and readers of fantasy fiction between hard magic and soft magic. Soft magic is magic that just does what the author wants it to do in every case, with … Continue reading
Posted in How to Write
Tagged Gandalf, Harry Dresden, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jim Butcher, Kvothe, Magic, Patrick Rothfuss
2 Comments
Sympathy
It’s important in writing almost any story that readers care about the protagonist. You want readers to root for the protagonist as he sets about trying to achieve his objective, which they will only do if they care. This is … Continue reading
Posted in How to Write
Tagged Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Middle Reader Fiction, Percy Jackson, Rule of Three, Sympathy, Wimpy Kid
Leave a comment
