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Main characters are great. Without them, we’d have no one to project ourselves onto. But have you ever read/watched/listened to/smelled a story and been more interested in one of the side characters? Maybe they’ve got a good sense of humor. Maybe their backstory really speaks … read more »
In previous posts in this series, I discussed setting and meeting expectations for your story’s characters and plot threads. Now I’ll be discussing one last component: what I like to call a story’s worldview. Read more »
Chris, Mike, and Oren discuss how themes are a common part of worldbuilding. They describe worlds with memorable themes, contemplate how worldbuilders can add themes to their settings, and mention the advantages and disadvantages of doing so. Read more »
I outlined the Heroine’s Journey last week, but it’s more fun to watch it in action. Because this structure is about a character who’s out of balance and makes a course correction, it’s often used for villains who take a heel-face turn. Here’s five villains … read more »
Oren, Chris, and Mike discuss how black and white morality is built into worlds, particularly through magic systems. They examine how good and evil are represented in different stories, and question the difference between light and dark magic. Read more »
Have you ever wondered how to plot a series of novels instead of just one? Or how to structure a single event that takes only half a scene? If so, I have good news for you: you never have to be confused by scale again. … read more »
In The Hero of a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell demonstrated that many of the most popular stories, even over thousands of years and across cultures, shared a specific formula. That formula is now commonly referred to as mythic structure, or the hero’s journey. Even if … read more »
While we don’t always talk about it, we all love our daydreams. So naturally, some stories are designed to let us live our fantasies through the protagonist. There’s a little wish-fulfillment in any good story, but these go above and beyond, crafting every scene to … read more »
Storytellers want to have their cake and eat it too, even if the cake is absolute perfection, and the eating is relatable flaws. The inevitable result of trying to have it both ways is a character that defies human nature. These characters have traits that … read more »
The Mythcreants had a great weekend at GeekGirlCon in Seattle. I want to share my favorite quotes and a few comments on the panels I attended. Also included are some pics I got by nervously asking cosplayers to take their picture. Next time I’ll do … read more »