DEATH CARRIES A CAMCORDER is a snarky romp through the minefields of literary art, conducted by a guide who has stepped on most of the mines himself. Thirteen essays on the craft of fantasy writing will help you identify and avoid many of the pitfalls that lie in wait for the unwary writer. Topics include: How point-of-view problems can weaken your stories and lose readers. ('Death carries a camcorder') The deadly trap of 'aggravated trilogy' and how to avoid it. ('Zeno's mountains') Three methods of inventing fantasy names, and which one you should never use. ('Gwladys and the Ghraem'lan') Why the first answer to a plotting problem is seldom the best. ('Creative discomfort and STAR WARS') Each topic is explored through abundant examples from the genre, both good and bad, from Jonathan Swift to Robert Jordan."