Comics: Once Upon a Trope
If you die in the game, you die in real life. Read more »
Q&A
How do I mix magic and science fiction tech without it feeling haphazard or unbalanced? – Anon Hi Anon, From a storytelling standpoint, magic and scifi tech are nearly identical except for theming. If you’re not careful with things that feel different in theme, it … read more »
Podcast
We’ve only got two hosts today, but which of them is the hero and which is the sidekick? While we’re figuring that out, we might as well talk about sidekicks and their role in the story. What is a sidekick? How do they work? And … read more »
Analysis
Netflix’s new hit fantasy show The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance has a lot going for it. The superb use of puppets and strong visual themes really help it stand out from other fantasy franchises. Most of the characters are sharp and distinct, and the … read more »
Storytelling
All communication can use story structure to engage audiences. This includes not only narrative works like creative nonfiction but also articles, speeches, essays, and informational texts. This doesn’t mean all communication should have story structure. Stories string audiences along – that’s how they work. Giving … read more »
Story
Before you, the road forks in two wrong directions. One side bores through a tangle of trees, and the other heads off a cliff into the ocean. Neither fits your destination: a masquerade ball with a gushing fountain of melting chocolate. At this rate, you won’t get there before running out of gas again. You take the third direction – backwards – toward what looks like a station. Read more »
Q&A
Should a story, by and large, be predictable? Like should the audience more or less know what direction the story is going in, or should the story be more plot twisty and unpredictable? -Tucker Read more »
Podcast
Most of the time, tropes are neither inherently good nor bad. They’re tools that can be used well or poorly. But that’s not always the case. Some tropes are just bad, and that’s what we’re talking about today – specifically, the tropes we dislike the … read more »
Storytelling
Parents are a real bugbear for any author writing an underage protagonist, and it’s not difficult to see why. Not only are parents generally more capable than their children, but they also have a vested interest in not allowing said children to undertake dangerous tasks, … read more »
Storytelling
Hollywood has made the act of revisiting old fan favorites something of a gimmick. With a rising wave of returning franchises, classics like Star Wars, assorted horror and superhero movies, Star Wars, numerous 2D-animated films,* and Star Wars have made their way back to the … read more »
