Everyone loves a character who solves their problems with brains instead of brawn. We want our characters to figure out the solution to an intractable problem at the most dramatic possible moment! But if you’re not careful, your solution might come off as cheap or unrealistic. Read more »
Character depiction is never simple. Even when the storyteller writes the hero’s entire life story and maintains a psychological profile, audiences may interpret the protagonist in an unexpected way. This disconnect causes many of the character issues we see again and again. Read more »
Chris, Ariel, and Oren discuss transitions in writing and other media. They describe what transitions need to accomplish and various techniques for transitioning between scenes. While they’re at it, they debate whether Harry Potter should have died … Read more »
Lovecraftian horror is a specific subgenre that blends noir and horror with a dash of cosmic terror and a sense of insignificance. H.P. Lovecraft did it first, but many authors and artists have continued his traditions with varied and horrific stories. The eldritch abominations of … read more »
Many stories depend on fight scenes for action and excitement. Storytellers are used to watching marvelous fights on screen, but that doesn’t tell us how to make combat riveting with our words. So it’s no surprise Ellie sent us this question: I was wondering if … read more »
Chris, Oren, and Mike discuss how to craft villains that the audience can relate to. They describe different types of sympathetic villains, weigh the pros and cons of making villains relateable, and dissect examples of from popular media. Then they rejoice as Oren finally admits … read more »
If your audience is attached to your character, they’ll relish the moments you bring that character to life. If they aren’t, character highlights could be just what they need to become attached. Use these six methods to craft satisfying scenes that highlight the unique traits … read more »
Mythcreants hosted a panel at this year’s GeekGirlCon in Seattle. Chris, Oren, Rhys, and I discussed gender in spec fic and how you can create matriarchal, patriarchal, or egalitarian societies for your stories. It was a lively event with many challenging questions from the audience. … read more »
A scene where the pet dies will evoke an emotional response from any audience. Name one heartless fiend who didn’t cry when Hedwig died! But too often, authors treat pets as cannon fodder to toy with our emotions. The audience has wised up to this … read more »
Like any genre of storytelling, horror has certain rules and techniques that make it more effective. That isn’t usually a problem. Otherwise, we might play Yakety Sax during the chase scene. But sometimes, these conventions get overused and become predictable. That’s not scary. Other times, … read more »
