Writing Craft & Process
Crafting Speculative Metaphors: A Step-by-Step Approach to Physicalizing Emotion in Fantasy
Learn to turn a character's emotions into fantasy magic, monsters, or technology. Follow...
Lucas Bennett
Senior Content Editor
I edit for voltage. Lucas looks at a craft note or commentary draft and asks: what is sharper here than elsewhere, and what should remain mysterious? His comparative lens comes from MFA training and years editing SFF essays in Portland. He helps Merc’s site hold two truths at once: craft can be discussed clearly, and wonder should not be over-explained.
Writings by Lucas Bennett
Writing Craft & Process
The Radical Act of Writing Queer Joy and Domesticity in High-Stakes Sci-Fi
Learn how queer joy and domestic detail can deepen high-stakes science fiction,...
Writing Craft & Process
MERC vs. BOOK: A Comprehensive Guide to Revising a Speculative Fiction Novel
Learn a practical novel revision process for speculative fiction, from macro notes and...
Writing Craft & Process
Building Emotional Resonance in Speculative Fiction
An argument for making speculative fiction emotionally resonant through desire,...
Writing Craft & Process
Variations On YOU: How to Write Second Person Point of View in Speculative Fiction
Learn how writing second person POV can deepen voice, tension, and metafictional horror...
Writing Craft & Process
How to Revise a Short Story Without Flattening Its Weirdness
A practical revision method for short stories that protects odd voice, strange imagery,...
