JC Bybee

Okay so I took a couple of weeks off.   It’s been a little rough in the Bybee household.   Anyway this week I’m taking a look at something that I’ve been interested in for years, but I’ve never had the time/motivation/guts to do it; game creation. Those who know me know that I’m a fan of table top role-playing games (RPG).   I’ve played in a few different systems from classics like Dungeons and Dragons to newer systems.   I’ve enjoyed most of them.   Some more than others.   In the few years I’ve been gaming I’ve come to learn that no system is perfect.   They are all good, but some have their flaws. The one that everyone likes to pick on is Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 edition.   This was the system that I started with.   I enjoy 3.5, I know it has its flaws, but it’s a good solid system.   In my opinion (and yes this is an opinion ) its major flaw is it is too easy to exploit.   With the right mindset and books you can cr...

I know I missed last week.   The joys of having an infant who is teething.   Anyway this week I’m going to talk about the importance of peer review. Currently I’m part of a small writer’s group.   There are only three of us that meet with any kind of regularity.   We all have varied styles and ideas.   One is an avid writer of fan fiction, the other is just starting to get back into writing after some discouragement.   We all bring different things to the table, which is why we work well as a group, at least in my mind. Now for a little about myself.   I don’t handle criticism of any kind very well.   And it’s not that I think I’m a perfect writer.   I’m not.   In fact one of the members of my writer’s group bought me a necklace with the coma key on a chain to help me remember that “comas are key”…   Part of the problem stems back to not getting enough criticism as a beginning writer.   Let’s face it most middle sc...

Okay this week’s post is about the writing routine.   I’m going to cover questions like:   How important is the routine?   What is my routine?   Should I have a routine?   And possibly others. First off how important is a writing routine?   Some writers I’ve met/read about couldn’t write unless they were in specific situations; like sitting at home in a completely silent office, or in a local coffee shop with a cup of tea/coffee/hot chocolate.   I was sort of like that at the beginning.   Now that I’m a stay at home dad I find I can write whenever I can.   Usually that’s when my son is asleep, or at least not hungry.    That isn’t to say that there aren’t things I do or don’t do when I write.   I pretty much always have music playing while I write (even when I’m writing these posts).   What I listen to changes according the scene, the book, my own mood, and so forth.   However I would like to point out th...