Welcome to the Halls of Olympus! We are the Muses- goddesses of the arts and proclaimers of heroes! (Just kidding! We are a misfit of writers who love Greek Mythology and supporting other writers.) You have found the Muse Magazine, home of the celebration of the beautiful art of literature. Join us and hear our tale...

The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.-Arthur C. Clarke

•The first round of Phoenix Queen's Award Results proved fruitful for the Olympus Writing Group:
caCrisostomo won first place in the Romance category.
SarahSchott tied in second place in the Romance category.
Shehlath won first place in the Work in Progress category.
briizy98 won third place in the Fantasy category.
These books can be read on Sclark71517's "Phoenix Queen's Faves" reading list.
eternitea40's book "Forever June" hit 2k reads!
caCrisostomo's book "In Between the Lines" placed first runner-up on the Perdurable Awards.
WondaGal's "Blood of Darkness" has reached 9k reads!
WolfUnderTheMoon89's book "Selected" has reached 15k reads!
AmnerisTenjo's "Battle for the Photon Core" is number one in fantasy-thriller.
AmnerisTenjo's The Final Downfall has reach 200 votes!
WondaGal's "Crepuscule" has reached 1k reads!
SarahSchott's "Dark Country" has reached 500 reads!
briizy98's "The Nightmare" has reached 1.8k reads!
HeatherSmith672's "Stars Ascending" has reached 500 reads and her "Wandering Moon Pack" has reached 300 views!
BrittneyStar's fanfiction has reached 408k reads and 14k votes.

The Spotlight Muse this month is: AmnerisTenjo
Muse of House Terpsichore

What inspired you to start writing?
My nightmares, mostly. I discovered writing to be a good way to let out what was stuck in my head in a way that would be harmless to others, unless the stuff I wrote about bothered them. It was a good way to clear my head before having to deal with, well, people for the rest of the day. Aside from the nightmares, my frustrations that came with everyday life also became something that gave me a reason to put pen to paper seven years ago. It's still the best coping mechanism I've found to work for me.

How do you handle Writer's Block?
That really depends on how I'm feeling when I get it. Sometimes I'll read previous work to get the ideas flowing. Sometimes I'll work on another story all together. Sometimes I'll go read something that sounds like what I'm planning to write (usually one of the many action stories on my shelf). Sometimes I'll go back to doing work and keep the stories open in another tab in case an idea comes. Other times I'll sit there staring at a blank page until something happens.

What genre(s) do you write and why?
I'm a fantasy, sci-fi, action, adventure, historical fiction writer. These also happen to be the genres I enjoy reading. I write these genres in particular as they are what work best for my stories. They give me a variety of writing styles to experiment with and allow for there to be a new direction in plot if need be. They also help when it comes to location and reason purposes for what my characters are doing and why. + Fantasy and sci-fi as the series is set on so many other worlds that I sometimes struggle to keep track. + Action because of the many many fight scenes. + Adventure because of the trouble my characters get into. + Historical fiction as part of the series took place on Earth five thousand years ago.

Title: Battle for the Photon Core

Cover:

Blurb: The Guardians of the multiverse have re-emerged . . .

Amneris Topanga, the immortal Queen of Lyriumia and Guardian of the Photon Core, sealed away Enliatu, the Dark king, in Negative Space five thousand years ago. She always knew that there was a way to break the spell keeping him in his prison. Ten items were hidden across the multiverse, some in the most unlikely of locations, all with tricks and traps to stop them from being found. Were they to be discovered, Amneris could only hope they were found by the right people. Of course, this was not the case. Why would things be easy for the Immortal Queen?

A new threat has arisen to the throne of Terpola, the people of the Dark King. This threat wants nothing more than to destroy Amneris, but immortals can't be killed. Or can they? Hearing this from an unlikely source, Amneris and her Court set out to recover the items that were hidden away so long ago, meeting some old enemies along the way and teaming up with the most unlikely of allies: someone who was close to the new Queen of Terpola who has never agreed with her plans.

The Court of Lyriumia sets out on a mission with one goal in mind: Stop the Terpolite Queen before she releases the man who would quite easily destroy the multiverse. Not that Amneris couldn't do the same, but that's not important right now. Still, it does not take long for the Court to figure out that they got more than they were bargaining for on their mission.

Small Review: Amneris Topanga is so dynamic and captivating that you are drawn in, longing to know more. The author had obviously put a lot of work creating the multiverse these characters reside in. Read more to follow Amneris on an amazing journey.- Sclark71517

Tips for Writing Science Fiction:

1. Remember that Science Fiction is about ideas.
More than any other genre, a good sci-fi story depends on a good concept. Before you start writing, know the question your novel will ask/answer. This question can be obvious and or hidden within the story,

2. Make sure you're telling a good story.
Just because you have a great idea or situation, does not mean you have a great story. The story is just as important as the science and the techniques. How does the world or the MC change over the story?

3. Create an interesting world.
Worldbuilding is one of the most important components of Science Fiction. The intricate details should flow beautifully within the story you have written. For many authors, the world created shows the author's view on the real world. It can reflect real world questions and problems.

4. Make sure the rules of your world are consistent.
Consistency is key. No matter how strange your world may be, it still must obey an internally consistent logic. It will be different from the one that governs reality, but it must be intelligible and feel credible to the reader. Don't have a spaceship land in a technologically regressive world and think readers won't notice.

5. Focus on character development.
In writing a scifi novel, it is easy to get caught up developing your world or storyline that you may forget to fully develop your characters. They are equally important. It is a natural balance. One can not survive without the other in a science fiction novel.

Tips from Member theidiotmachine

1 - write about people not science; no one wants to read your essays on how your spaceships work, they want to read about humans

2 - actually most science fiction is science fantasy: it just has to be real enough that it suspends disbelief, and people are willing to suspend a lot of disbelief, look at Star Wars

3 - avoid the cliches! If you saw it in a blockbuster movie it is a cliche

4 - be super careful with names. The temptation is to call everyone xysplxoom or whatever, but actually that's a huge barrier to people reading it

And my hero, Philip K Dick, didn't even bother with the science. My fave story by him is about a planet where a predatory alien species replicates inanimate objects to eat people or whatever. But the story is about paranoia - he said something like people are familiar with 'my boss/husband/friend is out to kill me' but what does it mean when 'my phone is trying to kill me'. It's making the space stuff meet the needs of the plot.

Tips from Member MedixNight1

sci fi can break down into three groups:
-One: A warning about the future (Dystopias, Apocalypses)

-Two: A message on hope and discovery (Post-Apocalypses, solarpunk future, new technology)

-Three: You're questioning about something, like human life, or a certain philosophy, or you want to reflect on an event in the past

Choose how you want to approach the sub genre. Do you want to approach aliens like Independence Day where Will Smith had to take down the alien invaders, or do you want to approach aliens like Men in Black where Will Smith had to take down a certain alien from syndicate to keep the secret peace between Earth and Alien immigrants?

Both focus on aliens, but you the writer determine if you want the aliens to be your friends or your enemies to suit your story and your needs

Tips from Member Nopester24
How does this "science issue" affect our society?
It's still just a problem to have to deal with. the little details / tech / aliens or whatever are just the mechanism to drive the conflict
so just frame it in a "What if this happened?.." scenario. What would that look like?

A foundation of sci-fi is the idea that something MIGHT be possible if science can "figure it out". So once science has done that, how does that item / concept CHANGE society?

This Month's Spotlights are:

Spotlight Author: breathingchemicals

What inspired you to start writing?
When I was in middle school, one of my teachers pulled me aside and asked if I'd ever consider becoming an author. I'd thought about it beforehand, but hadn't entertained the possibility because I know how hard a career like writing is to take! His confidence in me definitely gave me the courage to start. I haven't looked back since!

How do you handle Writer's Block?
I talk to my friends about what I'm struggling with, take a break and then try again! If that doesn't work, I might work on a short story/less serious manuscript to get the juices flowing.

What genre(s) do you write and why?
I primarily write science fiction, horror and dark poetry, though I'm hoping to branch out to historical fiction with some future novels in the works! Growing up, my parents were both really interested in math and science, so I was exposed to a lot of space, time travel theories and viruses. This exposure led to some super interesting ideas that I later fleshed out into novels! As for horror and poetry, I studied forensic psychology and criminal thinking, so I really enjoy looking at the darker side of life :)

Title: Kepler-168F

Cover:

Blurb: Worldwide nuclear warfare decimated the Earth in 2045. Shortly after the destruction, The Council emerged. They proposed one solution: send the most valuable survivors to Kepler-168F, a planet with similar conditions to Earth.

At eighteen, Etta Parker became one of the Chosen. Her ruthlessness and cunning were unmatched in combat, earning her the reputation as "the bringer of death" in the historically renowned trials.

At the age of twenty-five, Etta Parker's life changed. On Kepler-168F, a woman's duty is to marry and produce children, however valuable they are deemed to be.

Etta refuses to give up her life to become a mother. She cannot wipe the image of her own mother, a bullet wound penetrating her stomach, her mouth fixated in a silent scream. The Council had murdered her. Etta wasn't going to allow them to bully her into a life she didn't want to live.

She craves power and freedom - and she'll seize them by any means.

Small Review: Great world-building and descriptions

Spotlight Author: piemaster45

What inspired you to start writing?
I was inspired by two things. The first is Rick Riordan, who is my favourite author. His stories are so passionately written and makes me want to have just half the amount of passion he has. I want to make people enjoy reading about the character and the story I created just like he did for me. The other was the story itself. It started off as a dream, which grew into a "What if" that turned into an idea that wouldn't go away until I started to write.

How do you handle Writer's Block?
The best way I've learned to handle writer's block is by taking a step back. I found that staring at that blank page on word for hours, digging in your brain for something to write won't make it magically appear on screen. Whenever I do get writer's block (Like now for instance), I like to make myself a cup of coffee, get some fresh or binge a comedy. Getting your mind off that daunting blank page just for a while can help you go back to it later with a clearer head. A simple break can change a lot.

What genre(s) do you write and why?
I write science fiction and fantasy stories because I've always loved the idea of superpowers, futuristic technology and mystical worlds. They have always been such a great way to escape the world and I want to be able to create that exact same feeling that I get when I read something like Percy Jackson or Lord of the Rings for someone else. I didn't enjoy reading at all when I was younger, but I was drawn to the crazy stories of monsters and super human abilities and instantly fell in love, so it made writing about science fiction and fantasy a lot easier.

Title: The Amplified: Fire Blight

Cover:

Blurb: Oliver Stark didn't live an interesting life, he always kept his head down and stayed out of everyone's way but after St. Valentine's Storm his whole way of living went to hell. Oliver along with his sister, Stephanie, start to learn there is way more to their family and the world than they thought they knew and their lives will never be the same.

Small Review: Interesting character dynamics to start off with and great set up of intrigue.

The Olympus Writing Group has many resources made available to our members. One of our newest channels is the Hesperides HQ. This area allows members to share their own artwork, as well as provide a place for our team of designers to accept requests exclusively from members. Here are just a few examples from the Hesperides HQ.

Image#1: Cover by Shehlath.
Image #2: Cover by Shehlath and Ad by BrittneyStar
Image# 3: made by SadieECover. Check out her instagram @fable_cove for more of her amazing artwork.
Image 4: made by bryblooms

Here is a pocket prompt to get your creative juices flowing:
A star falls to earth with a crash.

What is the Olympus Writing Group?
"It's a Writing Community with a unique twist on it. We create a positive environment in our Community and allow our members to be mentored by their Muses (House Leaders) in nine houses inspired by the Nine Muses of Greek Mythology. Writing is a journey and we recognize that. But just because you're taking a journey, doesn't mean you have to take it alone or that you can't ask for help. That's why we're here. Take your writing journey with us. Experience the mentorship of our experienced Muses (House Leaders). Be a part of a positive environment. Meet people who will support you on your journey. And above all, know that you do not walk this path alone."

The Houses are:
Clio (Historical Fiction)
Euterpe (Non-Fiction, (General Fiction: New Adult, Young Adult, Adult))
Thalia (Humour, Short Story, Poetry)
Melpomene (Thriller, Mystery/Suspense, Horror)
Terpsichore (Sci-fi)
Erato (Romance, Chicklit, and Drama)
Polymnia (Fan Fiction, Teen Fiction)
Ourania (Paranormal, Vampire, Werewolf, Urban Fantasy, Magical Realism)
Calliope (High Fantasy, all other forms of fantasy aside from Magical Realism and Urban Fantasy, Adventure, Action)

If you are interested in joining the Olympus Writing Group, apply in the link below:
https://www.wattpad.com/story/220998019-olympus-writing-group-open-for-new-members-and