Holiday

Merry Christmas, Readers

Max Misc ,

Well, this is it. Another year on Unusual Things. Another Christmas is upon us at last.

I’m not going to wax nostalgic about the site’s performance over the year here, don’t worry. As my schedule has gotten more packed with work and the site has grown, such posts have increasingly become less important. Especially now that I have to manually filter out AI scraping hits, which are an everyday occurrence and completely skew the numbers.

So no, no “Year in Review.” No “What’s next?” At least, not right now. Discussion of the New Year will have to wait until the New Year. No, this post?

This post is about Christmas. Well, to wish you a Merry Christmas, really.

Continue reading →

Classic Being a Better Writer: Holidays

Max Being a Better Writer, Classic Posts , , , , , , ,

Welcome, writers!

I’m off this week for Christmas, so this week won’t be a new Being a Better Writer post but a returning classic. And it’ll be the same next week as well. But, being topical, we’ve decided to dig back into an old worldbuilding post on the concept of holidays themselves!

Oh, but really quick, there IS one item of news. Everything’s on a Christmas sale this week. That’s right, Axtara, the UNSEC Space Trilogy, all of it. All on sale, all reduced. Even this year’s newest releases, The Phoenix and Blood Less Vile. If you’re looking for a last-minute Christmas gift, go to the books page! It’s through the week of Christmas, so you can even grab them for a bit after, but as always, don’t wait too long!

So Merry Christmas, and enjoy this trip through Being a Better Writer‘s archives! See you in 2026, and hit the jump!

Read More …

Axtara 3 Enters Alpha!

Max Weekly Updates , , , ,

Hey folks! Got some cool news for the Holiday season here: Axtara – Armies and Accounting has official entered the first round of Alpha Editing. Invites have been sent out, Alpha Readers have access, and the first bits of feedback on Axtara’s third adventure have begun to trickle in!

Unfortunately, that’s almost all the positive news? I’ll note that I’ll be taking my usual Christmas to New Year’s break soon, which is further made a big deal by the fact that I’ll be out of town and spending time with family for Christmas. Specifically nephews and nieces. Being a Better Writer will, as usual, take a break during this period, and instead deliver some classic reruns, with the last new episode before the break coming on the 15th. I’ll prepare a holiday message beforehand to go up during this time as well, but I’ll basically be “out of the office with family” through the holiday. As it should be.

Now, there’s only one other thing to mention, and that is that with the new year, prices on the ebooks will probably rise once again. Between continuing inflation and my last adjustment being about two years ago, most of my books, even in the tail, are currently underpriced compared to other books (and contrary to what people may think, this actually hurts sales rather than helps them, as human value psychology is weird). Either around the New Year, or in the first quarter when Axtara – Armies and Accounting comes out. I need to look at what prices across the medium have risen to, but the bottom line is that this is hurting my bottom line, and right at a time when things are rougher than ever for most people.

Sorry. That’s a little glum for the holiday season. But the last few months? Rough. AI scraping continues to dominate the site, while external links and real, human readers have fallen off a cliff in favor of AIs that continue to package and resell my content to folks clicking away at AI. I cannot wait for this bubble to pop.

All right, I need to work on next week’s Being a Better Writer. Oh! One last thing! Patreon Supporters, if you haven’t yet, go and vote at the latest Supporter-only post! It’s a poll meant to influence my next project. Which … as Axtara 3 entered Alpha this week, I’ve already started doing prep work for.

Okay, that’s it. I think. Calling it here before I get distracted by something else! See you Monday!

Classic Being a Better Writer: Sex Appeal, Attractiveness, and Character Description

Max Being a Better Writer, Classic Posts , , , , , , ,

Hey writers! As foretold with last week’s Being a Better Writer, this week I’m off from making a new post on account of Thanksgiving weekend. That said, we’re taking a look at a classic BaBW post that still sees a regular number of hits because … Well, just look at that title.

No preamble, nothing else to discuss (as said, I’m off for the weekend). So without further ado, hit the jump, and let’s revisit this classic.

The Jump (AKA Read more) …

In Memorium

Max Uncategorized ,

Hey writers. As you might have noticed, there’s not a Being a Better Writer post today. That’s because today is Memorial Day in the United States, a holiday set aside for to memorialize and pay tribute to the many thousands of fallen American soldiers who shed every bit of blood they could in service to their country. From the Revolutionary War to the Civil conflict that nearly tore the country in two, to the trenches of WWI (even if we showed up late) and the beaches of Normandy and Battle of the Bulge, to dozens of other smaller conflicts and conflagrations over the centuries. Memorial Day is to honor the fallen of each and every one of them.

It’s a significant number, all told. Over half a million servicemen over the centuries, their lives lost to one war or another, in tanks, planes, trenches, or at sea. And yes, I understand that for some nations who see the “death count” as a mark of pride, half a million may not seem like much, but understand that we’re not celebrating their deaths. Nor idolizing the number.

No, the point is to honor each of those that gave their life in defense of their country. Who fought on one front or another to uphold the values and principles of the nation they were birthed in (regardless, I might add, of the validity of that conflict). Who paid the ultimate price for doing so, losing their lives on soil far from home.

But I think Memorial Day is a little more than that. Because just saying “we remember” those people isn’t all the day is supposed to be. It’s supposed to be a reminder of the why. Of what could drive these young soldiers to take up arms on one front or another. The cause that they served.

Yeah, even when it wasn’t so grand. Not all of America’s wars have been wise, or even just. For every soldier who died fighting fascism and imperialism on the battlefields of WW2 who we remember and honor, we should also remember and honor those who died in less “glorious” conflicts, like the Vietnam War. The first we remember for their sacrifice against fascism, a reminder of what price was paid to batter that beast down when it reared its vicious head and garnered power. The second, a reminder of what cost and sacrifice was made when the conflict was not wise, a call to make sure that we, as a nation, work to ensure as few memorials like that are held as we move forward.

As we honor Memorial Day today, I hope that all of us in the US can think a bit more on the sacrifices of those who they ostensibly memorialize. The cause of Memorial Day isn’t just to put flowers on a grave, or to eat a lot of BBQ and chant about American Exceptionalism (especially that last one). No, the point is to hold in memory the sacrifices of those who gave their lives for the United States, and to think about why. To think about what that should mean for us. To think about the path that we, as a nation, are taking. To question, not just with a nervous laugh and a “Sure they would, I don’t want to think about it!” moment, wonder if we are truly upholding the values they paid the ultimate price for, or if we’ve dishonored that memory by instead letting our view of America become something else.

Perhaps that’s a little much for some out there, but I think even if they’re not willing to let the day go as deep as it’s meant to, it’s still something to be acknowledged.

If I leave one thing with you today, it should be this question: How will you honor Memorial Day?

May you have a good one. I’ll see you later this week with the news.

And if you do want to catch up on some older Being a Better Writer posts, to get your weekly fix, a few relevant articles will be below the jump.

Continue reading →

No Being a Better Writer Today – Have the Full LTUE 2025 Write-up Instead

Max Misc , ,

Hey guys, sorry for the late post. I ended up sleeping really late to catch up on lost sleep from the LTUE symposium. Also, since I was at that symposium delivering live panels similar to Being a Better Writer, there was no time to write the usual Being a Better Writer.

All is not lost, however. There are always plenty of classic posts to dig through, and I did provide a nice collection of write ups that I’ll link below after each day of the con. The full notes of which are found on the Makalay Camp Discord.

Have a wonderful Presidents’ Day, and I’ll see you later this week!

LTUE 2025 Write-up: Day One
LTUE 2025 Write-up: Day Two
LTUE 2025 Write-up: Day Three

Merry Christmas, Readers

Max Misc , ,

In a way, writing a Merry Christmas post feels a little odd each year. Why? Well, probably not for the reasons you’re immediately guessing.

No, the truth is, the reason is that each year it gets a little harder because I don’t want to repeat myself. Yeah, the curse of the writer. I can almost positively guarantee that no one is stopping by the site to read my Christmas message and thinking “Wait a minute, this is almost what he said last year! This guy’s a hack!” Anyone who is—and I’ll admit that there are probably one or two—isn’t letting the fact that each Christmas message sounds similar be the determining factor about whether or not I’m a skilled writer. Sands, for a few detractors I’ve had over the years, the writing doesn’t even matter.

But yeah, there’s not really anyone rational who’d think less of me because one year’s call for a Merry Christmas is too similar to the last. But, being a writer, my brain certainly thinks that. I gotta keep things fresh and new, says the writing brain. I can’t retell the same story again.

If anything, this should be easier than normal, because I completely missed last year due to personal circumstances.

And yet … here I am. I knew this post was coming, but a part of me still wanted to make it unique and special.

Though as I write this I realize in a way it is. Normally, these posts go up on December 24th. Christmas Eve. But this year? I’m letting it take the Monday slot. December 23rd.

We deliver freshness like you wouldn’t believe here, don’t we?

Okay, okay, I’ll dial the self-referential humor back a bit and get to the point: Merry Christmas, readers. I mean it.

Christmas has meant a lot of things to a lot of different people over the years. To some its a season of giving. To others, its a season for rekindling the love of mankind. A season or perpetual hope. Or of peace. And yeah, for some it’s a season to relax and set aside some of the cares of the day to day in favor of pretty lights, eggnog, season music, hot chocolate, or relaxing by the space heater under a warm blanket. All those things, or only a few of them.

Point being, it’s been a lot of things over the centuries. And yet, we keep celebrating it, because at the core each one of those elements, be it peace, love, kindness, gratitude, or any of the other dozens of elements associated with the Christmas season all tie back to an event that happened about two thousand years ago. To the birth of an individual who’s legacy and message still resonate today.

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world.”

Hope, peace, love, kindness, gratitude … All those positive feelings that tend to swirl around the Christmas season stem from the message brought by that individual, Jesus Christ. A message of hope. A message of peace. A message of kindness, gratitude, joy, and love unmatched by any found elsewhere.

And so, though the dates no longer line up, and traditions of how we celebrate that birth vary and shift over time (for example, one of my family traditions involved a tiny red bird ornament on the Christmas tree … just because. No symbolism, but it was usually one of the last ornaments to go on the tree and that made it special) the core has remained centralized around a key aspect: The birth of Jesus Christ, and what that meant for the world.

Now look, I know some of you reading here won’t share my belief. And that’s okay. But when it comes to the Christmas season, and what the celebration is really about, which is honoring the birth of Christ … Well, it’s something that’s core to even discussing it.

He brought message of peace. Love. Kindness. Gratitude. Humility. Meekness. Hope. For all mankind.

May you be part of that mankind. This Christmas season, may you and yours have hope, or joy, or peace, or love, or whatever other Christmas miracle you stand in need of most.

Merry Christmas, readers.

See you in the New Year.

Christmas is Close, So Here’s the Friday News Post

Max Weekly Updates , , , , ,

Christmas being less than a week away feels strange. Mostly because it arrived far too quickly. This year has been a strange one for a number of reasons, but due to those reasons it also seems compressed and a genuine blur of memory—good and bad.

So yeah, it feels a little unreal that next week is Christmas. My brain says “How?” and “Shouldn’t we be looking at Halloween at the earliest?”

Losing a couple of months will do that to you.

That said, I really love the Christmas season, and have been doing what I can this year to make it a better season than before. I’ve got a Christmas tree up in my apartment, and last night I participated in an old holiday cookie-decorating tradition my family practiced all through my years growing up. It’s not too out of the ordinary, the short of it being that my mother and our neighbor were talking and realized that they each disliked one step of the process but not the other, and so agreed to jointly carry out the parts that they enjoyed and together create a whole host of Christmas gift plates. Feeling a need for some Christmas nostalgia, I baked over a hundred Christmas cookies this week, and last night took them to a friend’s place for decorating. Now I’ve got a nice little assortment of cookie plates on my counter, waiting to be delivered to folks this weekend. Which will be a nice task for my Saturday, I think.

Now, as we are only five days from Christmas, I feel I’m obligated to point out that it’s not too late to grab one of my books as a gift for the reader in your life. If you’re worried about shipping time, an ebook can be delivered instantly, and I’ve got a fair range of genres to choose from. Shadow of an Empire makes a hefty stocking stuffer, or you can grab Axtara books 1 and 2 for a double-hit of dragon-banking goodness. Colony and the rest of the UNSEC Space Trilogy for the Sci-Fi reader in your life, or Dead Silver if they’re looking for some Urban Fantasy fun.

What can I say? I’m hoping to have a happy Christmas. Maybe one where I can catch up on my rent payments.

Continue reading →

Being a Better Writer: Holiday Celebrations!

Max Being a Better Writer , , , , , , , ,

Welcome writers once again to another Monday installment of Being a Better Writer! As usual, don’t forget to check out last Friday’s news post to catch up on the latest for Axtara – Armies and Accounting as well as any other announcements, because that’s the sort of stuff that allows Being a Better Writer to exist! Got it? Good! Then let’s dive into today’s topic.

Which, given the season, felt rather topical. Yes, today I want to talk about an aspect of worldbuilding that sadly falls by the wayside in many books, presenting a world where if we were dropped into it, may take some time for us to see the oddities with, but would gradually reveal itself to be strange and alien in unexpected ways.

Now, to be fair, not every story is going to need to have this element to “feel real.” Whole worlds can slip by our reading without mentioning today’s topic because they didn’t ever have a need to address it. At the same time, our minds as readers just sort of “fill in the blanks” and assume that such exists in the world. Which creates a small but existent ticking time-bomb, because the longer we’re in that world and don’t see evidence of today’s subject, the stranger and more alien that world can appear (something I’ll note here can even be intentional).

Better yet, the addition of these elements can make for wonderful setpieces, explorations of your world, or means by which to engage a reader and dive deeper into what makes the cultures and people of your setting tick.

Yeah, if you haven’t figured it out by now, we’re talking about holidays. Days of celebration. Specific events operating yearly, or biyearly, whatever, that are revered by a culture or place! Why? Well, that’s for you to figure out, but here’s the thing: Your culture, people, civilization, or what have you? It’s going to have these days unless you specifically build against it. In terms of worldbuilding, they can be fantastic tools.

So hit the jump, and let’s talk about holidays and holiday celebrations.

Continue reading →