About the Author
I'm Stephan, a Linux user with a passion for open-source, UI/UX design, and exploring what makes fiction work.
In my spare time, I focus on (and write about):
- Programming (mainly in Python and Rust)
- Retrocomputing (mostly DOS but, as of January 2023, I also own a machine running Mac OS 9.2)
- Reading and Reviewing Fiction
- The odd bit of UI/UX design or literary theory
For notification of significant updates to existing posts, consider following me on Mastodon.
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Category Archives: Writing
FocusWriter… whether or not you need “distraction-free”
Those who know me well know that I’m a bit of a paradox when it comes to writing. On the one hand, I do have issues with distraction and I do approve of the concept of separating composition and typesetting, … Continue reading
Posted in Writing
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Early Modern English for Authors
Last Updated: August 30th, 2019 Since I seem to keep offering bits and pieces of this advice to people over and over, here’s a guide (which I’ll probably amend as things occur to me) for writing consistent, believable, and easy-to-understand … Continue reading
Posted in Literary Geekdom, Writing
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Frozen: Musical Cinema ≠ Musical Theatre
Well, I finally saw Frozen and my brother and I pretty much agreed that, while it’s nice, it does have significant flaws. What’s really interesting, though, is the kinds of problems it has: They all fundamentally stem from Frozen being … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews, Writing
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Trifles Make Perfection
TL;DR: When you’re doing something creative, look for details which, with only minimal change, could greatly broaden your work’s appeal and staying power. (Also includes examples.) Every now and then, I run across a creative work which frustrates me, not … Continue reading
Posted in Otaku Stuff, Writing
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Good Villain, Bad Villain
The difference between a well-done villain like Ursula in Disney’s The Little Mermaid and a poorly done one like Rasputin in Don Bluth’s Anastasia is actually pretty simple. With a well-done villain, you can understand and sympathize with whatever made … Continue reading
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Freeman’s Mind, Humor, And Themes As A Writing Aid
From a structural standpoint, one of the biggest reasons Freeman’s Mind works so well as humor is that, in the Half-Life story, Ross Scott’s version of Gordon Freeman embodies not one or even two, but three humorous juxtapositions which can … Continue reading
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Learning French: Qui vs. Que As Relative Pronouns
Since I’ve been learning French recently, I’ve decided to start a series of blog posts to share insights I’ve had which helped me to grasp things more quickly. Let’s start with “qui” and “que” in their roles as relative pronouns … Continue reading
Posted in Geek Stuff, Writing
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