D. Thomas Minton
writes speculative fiction from his home in the mountains of British Columbia.
Category Archives: Inspiration
Three More “Rules for Writing”
In December, I published a post on Rules for Writing. I recently came across another “set” of rules from W. Somerset Maugham that put a smile on my face: “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows … Continue reading
Nighttime on Kaho’olawe
I spent part of last week on an island called Kaho’olawe. While only a few miles from the island of Maui (state of Hawaii), it’s surprisingly “remote” because of its history and current condition. It served as a live bombing range for the … Continue reading
Challenge the Way We Think
I came across a quote from Stephen Sondheim that I really liked: “If people have split views about your work, I think it’s flattering. I’d rather have them feel something about it than dismiss it.” So true, so true… I … Continue reading
Long But Good Days
It’s been a long week. The day job kicked into high gear, turning into several eleven-hour work days. I have to admit it’s not as bad as it sounds because the long days were spent “in the field,” which, when … Continue reading
Inspiration: “Still Life Through Water Droplets”
Today, my story “Still Life through Water Droplets” went live online for free reading at Daily Science Fiction. This story started with a title that popped into my head after reading a review of an art show. That review contained … Continue reading
Posted in Inspiration, Writing
Tagged Daily Science Fiction, Still Life Through Water Droplets
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Why No Arbor Day Resolutions?
I’ve never been into making New Year’s resolutions. I guess I’ve never seen the point. I’ve always thought that if I’ve wanted to make a change in my life, why wait until January? I get the whole “new year-new start” thing, … Continue reading
Posted in General News, Goals, Inspiration
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Inspiration: “Observations on a Clock”
Often no single thing, place, or event inspires a complete story. Stories tend to rise up from a tangle of inspirations, but sometimes a significant story element can be traced to a specific thing. “Observations on a Clock,” appearing the February 2012 … Continue reading
Posted in Inspiration, Writing
Tagged Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Observations on a Clock
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Inspiration: “Clownspace”
I consider “Clownspace,” published in the January 2012 issue of 10Flash Quarterly, to be one of my “out there” stories. Interestingly, its inspiration is considerably more down-to-earth than they story. This story grew out of my writing group, Hopefull Monsters. A … Continue reading
The Mind (Games) of an Aspiring Writer
I call myself an aspiring writer, which recently struck one of my friends as an odd thing to say. I was already published, he pointed out, numerous times over and in professional-rate magazines, so how was I still an “aspiring” … Continue reading
Posted in Inspiration, Writing
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Rich and Versatile, Indeed
Last week, I published a post about “Rules for Writing.” In that post I said that I particularly like P. D. James five rules, one of which was: Increase your word power. Words are the raw material of our craft. … Continue reading
D. Thomas Minton 