37 – Best and Worst Endings
Chris, Mike, and Oren praise their favorite and least favorite endings. They describe what makes a great ending, and outline the traps that storytellers fall into while crafting their finish. Read more »
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Star Trek
Five Characters With Too Much Candy
Candy is any story element that glorifies a character. It may not be something they like, but it makes them seem more awesome to the audience. Normally, candy is great. However, like most things, too much candy is a problem. We describe such characters as Mary Sues. Read more »
35 – Theming Worlds
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 »
The Three Traits of Annoying Characters
Once in a while, storytellers slip up when crafting a protagonist. A character that was supposed to be an audience favorite becomes the focus of malice and frustration instead. While each person’s taste in characters is unique, some traits are likely to inspire intense dislike. … read more »
33 – Growing a Beard and Jumping the Shark
Oren, Chris, and Mike discuss TV shows that get noticeably better or worse during their run. They describe the origins for these two tropes, and analyze why shows succeed or fail when they change direction. Read more »
The Best Quotes From GeekGirlCon 2014
Mythcreants had a great time at GeekGirlCon, a woman-centered geek party with a social justice bent. To spread the fun, here’s my favorite quotes from the panels I attended. They include personal stories, fan debates, advice from editors, and more. Read more »
Five Rules for Retelling Old Stories
Humans have been retelling old stories for as long as there have been old stories to retell, as the current plethora of Hollywood remakes can attest. On its own, this isn’t a surprise. There are only so many kinds of stories, and it’s much easier … read more »
28 – Space Captains
Oren, Chris, and Mike talk about captains in futuristic space settings. They discuss how captains make effective protagonists, list their favorite and least favorite captain characters, and ask why so many space captains are obsessed with antiques. Read more »
26 – Best and Worst Romances
Oren, Chris, and Mike rant and rave about romance stories in speculative fiction. They discuss the problems with one-offs, love at first sight, and characters written only as love interests. They gush about couples that are unconventional, and cringe over romances that are creepy or … read more »
25 – Parents as Characters
Chris, Oren, and Mike discuss the depiction of parents in popular stories. They describe why so many parents are cast in a negative light, share their favorite parent characters, and rediscover sexism for the gazillionth time. Read more »