Podcast
Running a game is hard work, and GMs can burn out if they aren’t careful. When burnout sets in, it gets harder and harder to enjoy the game – if GMs can motivate themselves to run one at all. This week guest host Ari joins us for a third time, and we discuss what GMs should do to avoid this problem.
Read more »
Storytelling
We love long series here at Mythcreants. Sometimes it takes more than one novel or season of TV to properly tell a story. There’s nothing like the feeling of satisfaction when an epic saga comes to its thrilling conclusion. Plus, the longer the series, the … read more »
Worldbuilding
Some time ago I outlined steps for creating rational magic systems. In short, a magic system is rational if it follows a consistent set of metaphysical laws. This prevents plot holes, reduces the need for foreshadowing, and makes magic feel less contrived. Unfortunately, some magic systems are easier … read more »
Comics: Roll Dice Already!
Make like a leaf and… Read more »
Podcast
Guest host Ari joins us once again for the second half of our talk on long series. With such a big topic, even fitting it into a two parter was hard. This week we discuss that bogeyman of long narratives: series bloat. What is it? … read more »
Roleplaying
Some settings work really well for roleplaying. Others have elements that make it difficult to run a campaign. That doesn’t mean you should never use them, but you need to be aware of the problems and plan ahead. Let’s look at six of the most common … read more »
Analysis
I’ve written about injustice in speculative fiction before, but this week I want to focus on the superhero genre. For superheroes, justice is a particularly important topic. A huge number of superhero origin stories focus on a person seeing some kind of injustice and deciding … read more »
Podcast
Speculative fiction readers gobble up books like they’re going out of style, so this week we set our sights on what we’ve learned from these extra long sagas. Joining us is guest host Ari, who’s read these books about a million times. Listen as we … read more »
Commentary
Some weeks ago, the makers of the Game of Thrones TV series, Benioff and Weiss, announced their next project. Titled Confederate, it will feature an alternate-history US where the South won the Civil War and slavery is still legal. In response, many social justice advocates … read more »
Analysis
Ending with a well-executed reveal brings the whole story together. The audience finally knows what’s going on, creating enormous satisfaction. Unfortunately, reveals don’t always fit the rest of the story. They could be out of theme or contradict established facts. Instead of watching the story click together, the audience gets a bad taste in their … read more »
