Analysis

The Rings of Power should not be good

2022 • 09 • 27

The Rings of Power doesn’t have any right to be good. It’s funded by a megacorporation, for one thing. I don’t say that to demean big businesses or capitalism as a system. More just that big businesses have nearly the opposite goal compared to storytellers. Storytellers are searching for specificity and authenticity. They often challenge their audiences and emphasize minority opinions, which risks making people uncomfortable. They want loyally devoted fans without resorting to tricks.

Sep 09

2022 22

How to blend action, description, and dialogue

2022 • 06 • 03

The blank page is terrifying for many reasons. But the very first time I started writing a book, it was terrifying for a reason I didn’t expect: Nobody had taught me whether to open with action, description, or dialogue. And once I picked one, I didn’t know how long to carry it on. I had a general sense that most books bob and weave between the three. Something like: Dialogue, action beat, brief explanation.

Jun 06

2022 22

How Mass Effect 3 should have ended: A writer's perspective on theme

2021 • 12 • 15

I know I’m late to the party. Mass Effect 3 came out almost 10 years ago, so the outrage over how the series ended reached maximum volume while I was still a teenager. Crazy. It wasn’t until a year later that I played my first Mass Effect game, which means I was aware of the scandal but not personally invested until it was already over. I never got the chance to talk about how I felt.

Dec 12

2021 21

I'm Joseph Harris: A writer with big, bookish dreams. I love being immersed in stories, but I also love stepping back to see what makes them tick. I've decided to pursue this great mystery one keystroke at a time.