Matthew Cushing Author's Avatar

Matthew Cushing Author

@mcushing

Writer of Speculative Fiction, purveyor of the weird and macabre, resident of New England but child of the Jemez Mountains. Currently in editing hell. No DMs. www.matthewcushing.com

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11.10.2023
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Latest posts by Matthew Cushing Author @mcushing

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Importance of Dramatic Elements When writing a novel, the first aspect that comes to mind for most people is the plot. The events that happen. Usually, there is an idea and maybe a twist at the end. And as important a plot is to the...

When dreaming up a book, most tend to focus on the plot. But I argue that is only one of the dramatic elements that needs to be considered and woven together for a truly engaging story.

www.matthewcushing.com/post/importa...

16.02.2026 22:14 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Sho-nuff!

21.01.2026 03:34 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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21.01.2026 03:22 πŸ‘ 70 πŸ” 28 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 1

Don't miss out on the next issue! Sign up today. It's quick and painless and FREE! What else could you ask for?

07.01.2026 17:33 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Multiple POVs Does NOT Mean Head-Hopping Complex stories engage multiple characters in a variety of situations, and it is completely acceptable to tell those stories from more than one character viewpoint. But multiple character POVs does no...

Based on some questions I was recently asked by an author struggling with this distinction, I had some thoughts on head-hopping vs. deep pov. Let me know if you agree.

www.matthewcushing.com/post/multipl...

06.01.2026 19:29 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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It's that time again - well, a bit past my regular schedule - but the next edition of my quarterly newsletter is soon to release. If you like writing news, book reviews, and humorous views, then please consider signing up.

www.matthewcushing.com

06.01.2026 02:45 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Author | Matthew Cushing Discover the latest books, blog posts and tweets from the mind of author Matthew Cushing. Read book reviews, critique and editing advice, and top ten lists about sci-fi and fantasy books.

Been a while since I posted. I have new blog posts on my website covering Deep POV vs. Head Hopping, the ethics of spurious awards, my experience with November's novel writing month, and a recap of 2025. Whew!

And please consider signing up for my quarterly newsletter.

www.matthewcushing.com

06.01.2026 02:41 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Play fizzy off by six AI is the enshittification of civilization

Friend and author Mike Strickland posted an interesting (and humorous) take on A.I. with which I fully agree.

stricklandia.substack.com/p/play-fizzy...

29.11.2025 01:21 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Honored to be included.

10.11.2025 15:35 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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America's Slide pre-sale | International Human Rights Art Movement (Powered by Donorbox)

Worried about the rise of fascism? Troubled by the current authoritarian administration?

So are authors and artists! Today is the last day to get "America's Slide Toward Authoritarianism" (an anthology from the International Human Rights Art Movement) at a discount.

donorbox.org/america-s-sl...

30.09.2025 15:40 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Another three months have passed and it is once again time for my quarterly newsletter to come out. If you like speculative fiction and want some book recs, humor, and articles, please consider signing up on my website.

www.matthewcushing.com

18.09.2025 16:38 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Adios Disney+ and @espn.com.

18.09.2025 21:28 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Another three months have passed and it is once again time for my quarterly newsletter to come out. If you like speculative fiction and want some book recs, humor, and articles, please consider signing up on my website.

www.matthewcushing.com

18.09.2025 16:38 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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America's Slide pre-sale | International Human Rights Art Movement (Powered by Donorbox)

IHRAM Press' America’s Slide Toward Authoritarianism is available for pre-sale. A folio of American and international writers and artists responding to this dire political moment in the United States, this anthology fosters hope for a society that continues to speak up.
donorbox.org/america-s-sl...

08.09.2025 19:49 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Kidney4Naomi

A friend and author needs help. Please consider if you're in a position to do so.

kidney4naomi.info

10.09.2025 16:45 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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America's Slide pre-sale | International Human Rights Art Movement (Powered by Donorbox)

IHRAM Press' America’s Slide Toward Authoritarianism is available for pre-sale. A folio of American and international writers and artists responding to this dire political moment in the United States, this anthology fosters hope for a society that continues to speak up.
donorbox.org/america-s-sl...

08.09.2025 19:49 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Good Book or Good Story Which would you rather read, a good book or a good story? The difference between the two has arisen a few times over the past couple of years as I’ve learned more about writing and publishing novelsβ€”a...

Which would you prefer to read, a good book or a good story. For me, it's a no-brainer. Check out my thoughts on the ongoing debate between literary and genre fiction.

www.matthewcushing.com/post/good-bo...

13.08.2025 14:12 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Worldshift: The Speculative Fiction Writers' Summit 2025 Speculative Fiction Writers' Summit

I'm attending this event. RT if you think others will find this helpful πŸ™Œ worldshift.manyworldswriting.com

09.08.2025 17:50 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Nearly Done with a Novel, so Time to Plan the Next Adventure I’m nearly ready to tie the bow on a creative project. A novel in this case.

β€œNearly Done with a Novel, so Time to Plan the Next Adventureβ€œ by Oliver β€œShiny” Blakemore on Medium: olivershiny.medium.com/nearly-done-...

#writerslife

04.08.2025 15:02 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Censorship vs Cultural Sensitivity A recent debate sprang up in my online critique group over whether or not to publish a particular story on the website. The story had won an award and publishing was part of the prize. But the story c...

A debate in my critique group led to this blog/opinion post about censorship vs cultural sensitivity. It's a tough subject and I don't claim to know all the answers, but censorship is a slippery slope.

www.matthewcushing.com/post/censors...

04.08.2025 23:41 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Well done, Mike!

12.07.2025 15:37 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

If you didn't get signed up in time but still want to read my latest newsletter, go to www.matthewcushing.com/newsletters for the latest edition.

And while you're there, don't forget to sign up for next quarter's mailing list. You won't be disappointed--it's worth twice the price! (It's free.)

07.07.2025 01:39 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

If you enjoy stories that make you chuckle, then this is the anthology for you.

In paperback and Kindle.
#writers #newbooks #fantasybooks #shillingforsales

07.07.2025 01:37 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ’―

07.07.2025 00:53 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Every writer. Period.

07.07.2025 00:49 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I think they are a great tool as well, particularly in fiction writing.

07.07.2025 00:47 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Fewer, Marie. It's fewer.

07.07.2025 00:44 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

#SpecFic #QueerBookSky #QueerAdultSFF #QueerAuthors #TransAuthors

26.06.2025 19:01 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Breaking is Fixing: Editing the Ship of Theseus I collect stories about stories. One of my favorite ones is the story that none of the successful Die Hard movies began life as Die Hard movies. The first Die Hard movie’s script started as a sequel t...

New blog.

#writing

rmfw.org/breaking-is-...

27.06.2025 21:30 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Madam, Don't Forget Your Sword: Tales of the Companions, Sidekicks, and Minions Madam, Don't Forget Your Sword: Tales of the Companions, Sidekicks, and Minions [Davis, Helen E, Davis, Elizabeth M] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Madam, Don't Forget Your Sword: Tales of the Companions, Sidekicks, and Minions

The anthology Madam, Don't Forget Your Sword - about sidekicks, companions, and minions - is now available for sale on Amazon with 28 funny and clever tales about those who make sure their superhero (or villain) have clean clothes and gas in the car.

Give it a read.

www.amazon.com/Madam-Dont-F...

02.07.2025 17:52 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1