by
Svend Phillips
Heading up to the release of War of the Spark: Ravnica, expectations from Magic: The Gathering (MTG) players ran high. Ravnica and its sequel, Forsaken, were touted as MTG’s version of Infinity War and Endgame, a culmination of the years-long Gatewatch saga and the epic … read more »Q&A
by
Chris Winkle
How can you put in a non-binary character (person using pronouns They/Them) into a story without confusing the audience about if you’re talking about a group or the person? -Kali Hi Kali, Great question. There aren’t really any special tricks for singular they. Just do what … read more »Writing
by
Chris Winkle
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the sexist ways women are described in fiction. Given the normalization of the male gaze, this has left some men feeling unsure of how to write a positive description. And it’s not just men who describe women … read more »Commentary
by
Oren Ashkenazi
The hypersexualization and objectification of female characters is a major problem in storytelling.* Whether heroes or villains, female characters are often put in revealing or otherwise sexy costumes not because it makes sense for the story, but because it will presumably please straight cis men. … read more »Q&A
by
Chris Winkle
I recently noticed that there are hardly any stories about mothers in speculative fiction. Moms in stories are likely to be dead or die, and if they’re around, they usually fill a vaguely supportive and inconvenient role. This strikes me as unfair, as moms are … read more »Writing
by
Bunny
Sexism in stories can be quite egregious. Heroes may outright state that women don’t belong on the battlefield, rape is often treated like a cutesy and forgivable mistake, and supposedly likable characters act in blatantly misogynist ways. Although these cases remain distressingly prevalent in popular … read more »Podcast
by
Oren Ashkenazi, Chris Winkle and Wes Matlock
Some stories are clearly marketed at men, while some are clearly marketed at women, but it’s only that second category that’s ever mentioned out loud. Everything else is assumed to be for everyone. Why is that? What is it that characterizes stories aimed at women, … read more »Q&A
by
Chris Winkle
My main issue lies in alternate terms for “humanity” and “mankind” when humans don’t exist. my world is an Earth replacement in an alternate universe. I’ve taken time meticulously worldbuilding, even outside what I’d ever need for my story, just for my own enjoyment. … read more »Storytelling
by
Bunny
Dear YA novelists of all shapes and sizes: there is an infestation spreading through the ranks of our beloved genre. Distorted by centuries* of grotesque overexposure and abhorrent inescapability, these clichés have wormed their way into even the best-intentioned novels. Watch out! They may be … read more »Podcast
by
Oren Ashkenazi, Ariel Anderson and Chris Winkle
Gender is a complex thing, and writing a character whose gender is different than yours can seem a daunting task. This is especially true for writing a gender less privileged than yours. Don’t worry, we’re here with sage advice. This week, we discuss how to … read more »
Heading up to the release of War of the Spark: Ravnica, expectations from Magic: The Gathering (MTG) players ran high. Ravnica and its sequel, Forsaken, were touted as MTG’s version of Infinity War and Endgame, a culmination of the years-long Gatewatch saga and the epic … read more » 
How can you put in a non-binary character (person using pronouns They/Them) into a story without confusing the audience about if you’re talking about a group or the person? -Kali Hi Kali, Great question. There aren’t really any special tricks for singular they. Just do what … read more » 
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the sexist ways women are described in fiction. Given the normalization of the male gaze, this has left some men feeling unsure of how to write a positive description. And it’s not just men who describe women … read more » 
The hypersexualization and objectification of female characters is a major problem in storytelling.* Whether heroes or villains, female characters are often put in revealing or otherwise sexy costumes not because it makes sense for the story, but because it will presumably please straight cis men. … read more » 
Sexism in stories can be quite egregious. Heroes may outright state that women don’t belong on the battlefield, rape is often treated like a cutesy and forgivable mistake, and supposedly likable characters act in blatantly misogynist ways. Although these cases remain distressingly prevalent in popular … read more » 
Some stories are clearly marketed at men, while some are clearly marketed at women, but it’s only that second category that’s ever mentioned out loud. Everything else is assumed to be for everyone. Why is that? What is it that characterizes stories aimed at women, … read more » 
Dear YA novelists of all shapes and sizes: there is an infestation spreading through the ranks of our beloved genre. Distorted by centuries* of grotesque overexposure and abhorrent inescapability, these clichés have wormed their way into even the best-intentioned novels. Watch out! They may be … read more » 
