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It’s pointless to debate whether plot or characters are more important. They are both essential, and they work together to create the story. Unfortunately, they don’t always work well together. More than a few storytellers have planned their plot to the end, only realizing once … read more »
You’ve finally finished the draft of your magnum opus. You’ve developed engaging characters and placed them in a vibrant setting. You’ve filled each scene with conflict, tension, and chocolate. But something’s wrong. The friends who’ve read it tell you that while each scene is entertaining, the … read more »
In my last two posts I discussed the importance of belief, and how setting audience expectations are crucial to maintaining it. But setting expectations requires planning ahead. For episodic stories in particular, it’s impossible to plan for everything: An actor on a show could suddenly … read more »
Mike, Oren and Chris discuss the weaknesses and strengths that come with episodic, overarching, and anthology stories. They analyze TV shows that fell victim to the Monster of the Week or the Reset Button Ending, and praise American Horror Story for being new and innovative. Read more »
In the film version of The Return of the King, Gollum falls into the lava and slowly sinks. But as it turns out, lava is much too heavy for people to sink into. Gollum should have remained on the surface and burst into flame instead. A science columnist made a point of this inaccuracy. Read more »
Most roleplaying games have a very slow start. A game master must do hours of prep work, and players must build complicated characters. That makes it difficult to change plans on the fly, or to add a friend that doesn’t know the rules system. Fortunately, … read more »
People argue that critics shouldn’t complain about the realism of fictional stories, either because it’s hypocritical to critique just one thing, or because fictional stories don’t need to be realistic. It’s not real — so what if it’s technically incorrect? Read more »
Mur Lafferty joins Oren, Mike, and Chris to talk about classic creatures. They revisit the long history of werewolves, vampires and zombies, share their favorite depictions of monsters in stories, and question whether it’s better to use existing creatures or make up new ones. Read more »
What makes a villain truly memorable? Their swirly cape? Their nefarious mustache? Their maniacal laugh? But are any of these details why you remember these characters? Here are some aspects of villains that make them memorable. Read more »
Games of Thrones is dark; Disney’s Cinderella is not. Few would disagree, and many could choose confidently between them without knowing more. That’s why it’s practical to make recommendations based on how dark a story is. It’s easy to gauge, and many people have a … read more »