Cinematic Nemesis
When a hero must face the ultimate challenge. Read more »
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Chris Winkle
Chris is the founder and editor-in-chief of Mythcreants. On the side she also designs, codes, and writes stories. When she manages to escape from chronic workaholism, she likes to drink tea, wear funny hats, pet kitties, and crush her enemies at the game table.
How Do I Portray a Woman Who Invests in Her Appearance?
I’m interested in writing a female character who is “vain” (i.e. she knows she’s attractive and she spends a lot of effort and money maintaining that), but I want to portray it as a neutral trait or as only a mild flaw (e.g. maybe she’s … read more »
291 – Compelling Character Motivations
Why is your hero doing what they’re doing? Do you know? Do they know? If not, then you might have a problem with character motivation, but don’t worry, we’re here to help. This episode is all about figuring out what drives your character, what pushes … read more »
Nine Options for High Stakes Conflicts Without Violence
Whether you’re avoiding violence, looking to switch things up, or just don’t like writing fight scenes, it’s useful to have options for important conflicts that don’t involve the hero maiming or killing something. To that end, let’s go over some likely contenders. With each option, … read more »
The Sorting Toad
Only the toad knows your true nature. Read more »
290 – Authorial Endorsement and Messaging
Can what your protagonist thinks and does really be that important? Can it actually have an impact on how readers understand the story? Yes, yes it can, and that’s what we’re talking about today. This episode is all about authorial endorsement: what it means and … read more »
Dodging Bullets
What happens when we can’t pretend guns don’t exist. Read more »
289 – Character Flaws
What would you say your greatest weakness is? Are you too honest? Too hardworking? Too punctual? Sheesh, this character flaw stuff is harder than it looks. That’s why we’ve devoted an entire episode to talking about it. We discuss what character flaws are, how they … read more »
Why Structures Like The Hero’s Journey Don’t Work
Storytellers love structures like The Hero’s Journey, the 15 beats of Save the Cat, or just the traditional three acts that both The Hero’s Journey and Save the Cat are built around. But time and again I’ve seen writers follow them and get a complete … read more »
Sword of the Ancients
What not to do with a historical treasure. Read more »