Amber E. Scott's Blog

Hello faithful blog readers! All… three of you.

I appreciate those of you still invested in my career. The upshot is, things are going well. I’m working at an amazing company that allows me to stretch my creative wings. I’m working on a unique video game with writing and situations that I don’t see in everyday games, and I’m really excited to see it released into the world. And I’m working on my own novel with an eye to self-publishing someday.

There was a time when I wouldn’t consider any...

Ok, we’re more like 65% of the way through the year. I still felt like looking back on what media I’ve enjoyed in 2022 and offer some recommendations. If you’ve read/watched/played one of these and agree with my assessment (or have a different one!) feel free to leave a note in the comments.

Books

I’ve read 26 out of the 42 book goal I set for myself this year. Most of them were good; some were excellent. The one I was looking forward to the most was SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Emily St. John Ma...

Many years ago, I helped an acquaintance write an adventure outline to submit to Dungeon magazine. (That alone tells you how long ago it was.) The outline had something like a page of backstory, then a paragraph adventure summary, and some technical details.

I suggested he switch the content blocks around. “One page of adventure summary and a paragraph of backstory at most.”

He was dubious. “That’s not what I thought you would say,” I remember him commenting. “Isn’t backstory important? T...

This may be a generational thing, but I rarely hear modules referred to as, well, “modules” anymore. “Adventures” is much more common. I’ve always liked the term modules, as it suggests prewritten content that can be slotted into your existing campaign with minimal work. Modular, if you will. I generally create my own adventures, but occasionally I get tired or my creativity wanes, and a module takes some of the pressure off.

Even before the pandemic, I was used to gaming online. I move aroun...

It appears my last blog post was my Reading Roundup 2020. Does this mean I’m back and committing to a reliable blogging schedule? Hahahaha no. Like everyone, last year was a lot of hits without much recovery time in between. I’d like to think 2021 will be better—that I’ll be organized, focused, resilient, active, and all that jazz. I’d really, really like to think that. Time will tell.

Whatever happens, at least there will be books providing escapes into new and different worlds. If you want ...

Here’s a list of all the books I read in 2020 and what I thought of them. My goal was to read 40, but I only read 34. I’m not going to be too hard on myself given… well, given it was 2020.

You’d think that in a year as strange and terrible as the one we just lived through, I’d want to escape into fiction even more. That was certainly the plan. But I found it difficult to concentrate on fictional worlds when the real one knocked so loudly at the door. I had to pencil reading time into each da...

The day is here! Tonight at midnight I begin writing chapter one of SCALE HUNTER. When I started this blog series, I wasn’t sure I’d really write the book I outlined. It was more of a thought exercise and a way to share my knowledge. I thought by showing what worked for me, I could help other people figure out what worked for them.

But I’m really impressed with what I came up with! I had no idea the book would grow on me this much. I’m intrigued by the world I’m imagining, I already love Vict...

We’ve arrived! Today’s the day I create my fantasy novel outline. If you’ve been following my Preptober Blog Series, you know that I’ve been building a fantasy novel in steps, using a model I’ve adapted from a Writing.com Prep Calendar.

The first four blogs covered a premise, character list, rising action and climax, theme, and a little worldbuilding. In this blog, I consider plot complications before writing the first draft of my outline (which comes with a blank template for you to use!)

Here’s my secret, Cap: I don’t like worldbuilding.

I know, it’s weird. You would think a person like me who works in tabletop roleplaying games would love worldbuilding. So much of the work I do is creating fantastical realms, people, magic, and stories.

When I write for RPGs, though, I work within constraints. The world is already created. Sure I sometimes invent a kingdom or a religion or whatever, but I’m still playing inside an already-created sandbox. I have a set of guidelines to fol...

Oh my gosh, is it the 13th already? I can’t believe we’re almost halfway through the month. That means we’re halfway through my Preptober series, where I plan and outline a novel within the month of October! And if people like it enough, I’ll try to write it in the month of November for NaNoWriMo.

If you’re just joining us now, feel free to bounce back and read the first two blogs in the series. Then pop back as we discuss Rising Action and Climax.

Over the last two blo...