Time to Go Home
Part 5: The Homecoming
Cherry floated in a green haze. Her eyes stung and her body screamed for air, but where was the surface? She couldn’t see far in the murky water. It was cloudier on her left side; that must be silt she’d stirred up from the bottom. In the distance on her right, the haze was brighter. She needed to swim that way. Read more »
How Do I Critique Popular Stories?
Hello, Mythcreants! I’m a subscriber and your site has been very helpful in honing my writing/storytelling abilities. Anyway, I have a question about how to critique something that’s commonly thought of as good in my culture. What can I do to simultaneously be polite and … read more »
298 – Episodic Prose Stories
One big novel is great, but what if it was a bunch of tiny novels instead? Or one novel chopped into a bunch of tiny pieces? More than novels normally are, I mean. Today, we’re exploring the topic of episodic storytelling in prose: how it … read more »
Building Mars: How Red Rising Flubs Class Conflict
Red Rising by Pierce Brown imagines a far future where humanity has spread across the solar system. There’s just one problem: a rigid, color-coded caste system ensures the constant oppression of those at the bottom for the benefit of those at the top. Ruling Golds … read more »
Using Incantations in Your Magic System
Classic fantasy spellcasting wouldn’t be the same without incantations, but they’re challenging to work into a magic system. First, you have to create incantations that sound mysterious rather than silly. Second, language is so variable that it’s difficult to pin down how a specific phrase … read more »
Mirror Universe
Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the sexiest of them all? Read more »
Part 4: The Bridge Too Far
The mud sucked at Cherry’s feet as she slipped through the thicket of willow and alder. Did she lose the wight that had been calling out her name? If so, it wouldn’t stay lost for long. Somehow, the creature had known she’d taken the old trail south. Surely it would hunt her down again. Read more »
What Would the Paralympics Look Like in an Optimistic Setting?
In the real world Paralympic sports are underfunded compared to traditional athletic sports. In a more optimistic setting with better accessibility for athletes & racers what kind of people might we have being team representatives & competitors? — Bryan Read more »
297 – Developing Stronger Characters
You’ve got your basic cast figured out, but the characters are missing something. A little pop, a little sizzle, a certain indefinable quality. Fortunately, it turns out that quality is perfectly definable, and that’s what we’re discussing today. We talk about strategies for making your … read more »