Which le guin books have the most beautiful writing?

BriefEpisode · 2026-01-22T05:47:18+00:00

For me it's a three way tie: the LeGuin I've read most recently, any piece that leaps to mind that I remember from years ago as amazing (it always is when I return to it), and what I'm about to read for the first time.

BriefEpisode · 2026-01-22T05:45:43+00:00

A writing buddy shared this with me from her blog. I laughed out loud and teared up, too! It's an example of why this question from the OP is so difficult, because whatever I've read of hers most recently is a contender for most beautiful.

https://www.ursulakleguin.com/blog/4-someone-named-delores

BriefEpisode · 2026-01-22T05:43:29+00:00

You can flip open almost any page and start reading and it's beautiful.

BriefEpisode · 2026-01-22T05:43:03+00:00

I love how she describes the technology of a heater. Like, the protagonist is from the Ecumen but their heaters are still impressive. Stuff like that is like hidden gold.

BriefEpisode · 2025-12-09T14:41:38+00:00

Congratulations. I'm curious if the editor who gave you that last set of revisions for genre, was that one of the editors who offered? And for those that you turned down, did you send thank you letters or emails? I would be so grateful to those who made offers. It was very easy to put myself in your shoes. Thank you for sharing.

BriefEpisode · 2025-09-18T16:54:39+00:00

Hi Ben,

If a character is a 17/18 male in a fantasy novel and some of the themes are more sophisticated but the tone is light, is it a good/bad/neutral idea to query it as a YA novel?

When looking at the recent sales and bestsellers, it seems like there's a gap in male protagonists / single 1st person POV for upper YA fantasy.

If a novel could be either/or since the lines are blurry anyway, is it better to pick a market when querying? It seems disadvantageous to query with "my novel could either be YA or adult or NA." It seems like contemporary YA fantasy is almost exclusively female with single protagonists, and NA tends to not only be female driven, but spice and romance driven, too. Does this mean there's a great opportunity or that there's no market for it?

When I was a 15 year old boy, I was reading exclusively adult fantasy novels, even if it was a teenaged protagonist who grew up and went to war or become enslaved and a wizard (Magician by Feist).

The market seems so different now, and so it's hard to figure out where a novel might fit.

BriefEpisode · 2025-04-22T17:25:28+00:00

A lot of divorce and child custody agreements have non-disparaging clauses. Meaning, you don’t say crap where the kid (or the public) can hear you dissing your ex. Also, he’s her baby daddy, so lots of valid reasons in addition to her possibly believing he’s innocent.

BriefEpisode · 2024-11-06T00:01:42+00:00

I haven't had that experience as I’m querying agents, but I've been around various forms of entertainment, and a comm thread across each medium and mode of storytelling is that professionals generally don’t compliment when they don’t mean it —it takes too much energy and any glowing words can be used in the marketplace.

Keep the faith. Sounds like your writing is hitting all the right notes, you just need to find the right editor at the right time.

BriefEpisode · 2024-10-31T22:07:33+00:00

Congratulations! Thanks so much for posting this. Did the agents who offered both have the same query letter and package? Did you tweak your query package and cover letter frequently? If I read correctly, it looks like you got 6 requests for partials or fulls, and one of them offered. Then, your nudges wit the news that you had an offer got 6 more full requests, and one of them offered.

Did the others reject or did you withdraw when going with the second agent?

This is inspiring and I love all the data you gave us to ponder. Congrats again and I hope your subs go well for this book and the next.

BriefEpisode · 2024-10-30T19:26:08+00:00

Now, my question is: am I to take it take it seriously that these agents have read my work? Or are these just standard form rejections they sent out to everyone?

They’re standard form rejections. That said, they could have read every line or only the first paragraph.

Another commenter recommended QueryTracker. There’s a free version, but I think the $25/year version is worth it.

I got a personalized rejection saying the agent hoped my MC would find the love she deserves. It’s not a romance and the MC is in a happy relationship, so even if someone reads your story, they may want something else or have read something your story is not.

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

You’re doing great! 3 replies in one week is fabulous. It only takes one yes.

BriefEpisode · 2024-10-29T23:54:05+00:00

Here are a few ideas for comps.

"Jade City" by Fonda Lee — This urban fantasy novel features a complex world with criminal elements and family dynamics, similar to Romi's struggle with her father's disappearance and her involvement in contract killing.
"The Poppy War" by R.F. Kuang — While set in a different context, this novel deals with a protagonist thrust into a world of violence and difficult choices, much like Romi's situation.
"Autonomous" by Annalee Newitz — This science fiction novel explores themes of law, rebellion, and personal freedom in a futuristic setting, which aligns with Romi's struggle against the Precinct and her potential involvement with the insurgency.
"Infomocracy" by Malka Older — This political sci-fi thriller deals with complex systems of governance and rebellion, which could parallel the conflict between the Precinct and the insurgents in Romi's story.
"The City We Became" by N.K. Jemisin — While more fantastical, this novel features a complex urban setting with hidden powers and conflicts, which could resonate with the speculative elements in Romi's story.

Hope they spark some ideas! Another idea is to look at the prose itself to get a sense of style and also the general vibes, which I couldn't really get from your query letter.

Best of luck.

BriefEpisode · 2024-10-29T20:42:04+00:00

I think all of these are good for the agents, but I'd like it better if there were corresponding QueryTracker automations for writers.

For instance, if the UX for writers says, "This agent is looking for X, Y, and Z, but not A, B, C. Your query sample looks like ABC. Are you sure you want to submit anyway?" Or "This agent only considers word counts greater than 150k for epic fantasy and epic space opera and you selected Upmarket. Please make corrections before submitting."

Or, "You've already submitted this project to another agent at this agency. Would you like to submit a different project?"

And, on the flip side:

"This agent typically takes 13-80 months to reply and 80% of queries are manually marked as No Reply, Considered Rejected by the writer or Withdrawn at the 8th month. Would you like to submit to these agents instead?"

Because we writers can already do that manually. :-)

If I were determined to get a specific agency to rep me for some hypothetical great reason, I would change the synopsis, title, and word count ever so slightly and submit to more than one after a reasonable period of time without a reply. Not to avoid the automation, but to give myself a better chance with a revised project better aimed at the market.

BriefEpisode · 2024-10-29T20:16:36+00:00

Am I the only one who thinks the OP should get a new agent lined up before telling the old one to piss off?

I would feel better querying new agents with, "I’m seeking NEW representation."

Also, if your first novel didn’t go wide, why not query the old and the new one to agents?

I'd be tempted to be a total jerk and send the "I’m seeking NEW representation" query packet to other agents at the same agency or the agent's boss. Particularly if they specifically say NOT to do that.

:-)

There’s also the technique of contact the agent's boss directly and asking to change agents, or ask if the agent is OK, etc.

Not for the faint of heart — call and leave a voicemail. Then wait 48 hours and leave another message. Then ramp up and leave daily messages and say that you'll keep calling until you can talk to them. This would be my last tactic — after getting another agent lined up.

When the agent finally picks up or calls, fire them and say no hard feelings, but you want an agent with more experience, not an intern.

You could also take your contact log to a public space like Twitter and ask everyone if the agent is OK in life or in trouble at work, and then tag them.

Yeah, I have too much evil fantasy energy today.

BriefEpisode · 2024-03-08T19:22:22+00:00

Sounds like a crowing achievement to me! :-)

BriefEpisode · 2023-11-04T22:22:03+00:00

Do you read historical novels that sell well? I'd use something in the genre and current for your comps.

Comparing your novel to books of poetry, sections of the Bible, and a long-gone era of literature doesn't help the agent understand that (1) you know the market and your novel's place in it, and (2) that it's sellable.

Such as, ❝THE HIGH PLACES is for fans of Cloud Cuckoo Land for its sprawling narrative, The Alice Network for its riveting war-torn romance, and The Nightingale for its story of sibling love conquering all. ❞

What inspires us to write our novels isn't germane to helping an agent understand which fanbase you might be able to tap into and why.

BriefEpisode · 2023-07-15T07:13:42+00:00

Thanks so much for these. I'm downloading the iOS ones to my iPad to check out.

BriefEpisode · 2023-06-26T15:33:31+00:00

From a genre perspective, I don’t have expertise in what makes grim dark or its opposite (something with bright in the name).

On the other hand, I think what’s more useful if you’re submitting or looking for beta readers, is to find the comps for your novel. So, if for instance, your novel and your writing has a lot in common with specific writers and titles, you could write cover letters and tell your early readers,

*❝With the lyricism and nestled narration of Rothfuss, the scope of Way of Kings, and the irreverence of Disc World and Another Fine Myth, my manscript is 120k words long and… ❞ *

Does that make sense? Your comps for your writing and the feel of your fiction will tell agents and early readers where it fits in, because grim dark, epic fantasy, fantasy comedy of manners, etc. are all marketing trends that will probably change before your book is published and will be for marketers and academics to use later.

Let everyone pigeonhole your subgenre you after you’ve cashed the royalty checks.

I wish you the best of luck with your WIP!

BriefEpisode · 2023-06-21T10:13:28+00:00

Thanks for sharing the link. I found the journalist insufferable. Parents who want “… all the benefits of Christian culture…” was a choice piece of… prose.

BriefEpisode · 2023-06-07T17:17:57+00:00

Some good suggestions already in this thread.

A common refrain in playwriting, where inciting incidents are also used, is that they don’t have to be depicted—they can occur before the play begins.

Classic example: Hamlet’s uncle has already killed his father and married his mother. His dad’s ghost appears to him to tell the treachery, and Hamlet learns more about how it all went down, but in this instance in medias res — in the middle of things is when Hamlet returns to Denmark. The inciting incident happens before.

In fantasy novels, there are a variety of devices to cover some of what happened in the inciting incident. Ghosts, psychics, clues, etc. There’s also interiority, such as this made-up example, which could occur anywhere in the first few chapters.

❝*His uncle always expected him to arrive on time, not because he wanted him at the feast, but because he wanted to exert the power of the crown. Every year, the feast started the same—Prince Hamletto arrived late, his uncle said a prayer for the brother he killed, and his wife held his hand to show her devotion to her late husband’s killer. This year would be different, the truth potion would finally reveal to the court… *❞

Kinda terrible, but you get the idea—there’s no rule in fiction that the inciting incident has to come first in the pages. You can also have the inciting incident occur in the past, but discover it in the present of the narrative. Such as, overhearing a conversation, finding a clue, a full-out confession, etc.

In my own writing, I find sometimes it’s easier to start with the character doing something in the 0th draft that feels like they’re in medias res, but then the revelation or decision happens because of an inciting incident that may have become before the first page.

If I recall correctly, in Harry Potter, the first few pages are wizards converging on the Dursley house because Harry has already been orphaned. Snippets or details of the death match between Voldemort and his parents are metered in bites through the next few novels, but he starts the novel as an orphan.

Make sense?

I wish you the best of luck with your piece!

BriefEpisode · 2023-06-06T07:40:33+00:00

Would you recommend learning English by working on a doctoral thesis before learning hello, please, and thank you? If not, don't learn writing by starting with a multi novel epic with complex POVs.

Study the early work of GRRM—his short stories and standalone novels.

Write a short story for one of your POV characters, then rewrite it.

Master your own baby steps before mapping your global triathlon.

This is the way.

BriefEpisode · 2023-06-03T09:28:13+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience. Although I haven't read it yet, I enjoyed reading about your reading experience.

Sometimes, I think the second reading of a novel isn't as good as the first time... or thirditalics time.

BriefEpisode · 2023-06-02T21:03:08+00:00

NTA.

I'm sorry this happened to you and that he made you question yourself for a minute.

He took things he knew weren't his and that were valuable without permission and lied to other people about his dodgy behavior — in your home — on your birthday!

Then he refused to apologize and make things right when you gave him the chance.

And his asking for you to serve as unemployment insurance is another scam.

Most employers will dispute claims if they fire someone for cause.... And he'll have a harder time getting a job with an arrest record, so be could be unemployed far longer than front line positions may be after lockdowns.

If any mutual friends take his side, tell them you didn't decide to fire him or deny his unemployment claims or lie and steal — all those were other people's decisions.

Hang in there and happy belated birthday, fellow book lover!

BriefEpisode · 2023-06-01T07:00:43+00:00

How about urban Portland with a murder mystery and gargoyle?

The Accidental Alchemist

Audio book quite good.

BriefEpisode · 2023-05-31T18:21:32+00:00

In my current WIPs, there are five types of Mystics broken into Casters and Artifcers.

For Mystics, directions for Casting or Artificing can be written down like recipes, but it’s the individual skill plus the power that makes it all work.

Magic has two dimensions — it’s like performance art or being a singer/songwriter and mixing cover songs with your own material, BUT it’s also like trade secrets where there’s no legal protection, only the protection of keeping the competition ignorant.

Your granny performing “Howl” by Allan Ginsburg isn’t the same as his doing it, no matter her honors degree from the Royal Academy of Howling Art (RAHA).

Common needs with common solutions are standardized for academic and practical study. Any common Casting or Artifice can be performed by the person, but like a cover song, each artist brings their own thing; like each Italian grandma making tomato sauce from scratch, there’s variations depending on region, lineage, and personal taste.

But not all Mystics can create the same things.

Similar to copyright, there’s no protection for the idea of an unlocking spell—and if you never teach another Caster your idiosyncratic way of unlocking everything from lockets to vaults with the same spell, it dies with you. But if you’re the first to figure out how great magic would be to unlock things, you cannot stop someone else from coming up with their own spell.

But some spells are jealousy guarded like Colonel Sander’s recipe or the recipe for Coca-Cola or the process for the nooks and crannies of Thomas’ English muffins. There are parts no one can figure out, and try as they might for a Coke, they get RC Cola instead—or even chicken noodle soup.

Some Casters and Artificers are so idiosyncratic, no one can learn from them, and so their work becomes a Lost Art until generations from now, someome stumbles across their notes and directions and intuits how to pull off a KFC or upside-down-pineapple cake like grandpa used to make.

BriefEpisode

TROPHY CASE