by
Oren Ashkenazi
A story’s atmosphere is its general feel, and when the atmosphere gets muddled, it can seem like you’re suddenly reading or watching an entirely different story. While a lot of factors contribute to atmosphere, two of the most important are theme and tone. When a … read more »Podcast
by
Oren Ashkenazi, Chris Winkle and Wes Matlock
Water, earth, fire, Amelia Earhart. Wait, what? One of those things is not like the others. This is what happens when you don’t theme your world. What does theming your world mean? I’m glad you asked, because this week we have a podcast all about … read more »Storytelling
by
Oren Ashkenazi
Stories are great for taking us to extraordinary places, showing us compelling characters, and teaching important lessons. But what about stories within those stories? After all, it would only make sense that the characters would want their own tales of extraordinary places and important lessons. … read more »Q&A
by
Chris Winkle
In my story, the main antagonist is a being that feeds off of negative emotions. However, I don’t want to make it seem like everyone has to be happy at all times or that it is not okay to feel upset, angry, etc. I want … read more »Writing
by
Bunny
A hand with all of the fingers the same length. Eye whites that aren’t white. Seeing a stranger in the mirror. A subtler cousin of horror, the uncanny is more about discomfort than fear. Sigmund Freud* described it as, in greatly paraphrased form here, making … read more »Storytelling
by
Chris Winkle
Storytellers spend so much time focusing on plot, characters, and setting, that it’s easy to forget those are just means to an end. For most storytellers, the primary goal is getting your audience to finish your story, think highly of it, and recommend it to others … read more »Worldbuilding
by
Chris Winkle
Some mainstream storytellers think speculative fiction is easy; instead of doing research, we just make things up. But anyone who practices the genre knows that we can’t “just make things up” if we want our audience to have a positive experience. We must create a new framework … read more »Worldbuilding
by
David Mesick
Using a theme adds depth to your story and gives your audience something to think about long after it’s over. Dystopian settings are ripe for meaningful themes because they challenge not just individual characters but humanity as a whole. While not all themes fit the … read more »Podcast
by
Chris Winkle, Mike Hernandez and Oren Ashkenazi
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. Analysis
by
Oren Ashkenazi
If you’re completely unfamiliar with high fantasy literature (in which case, I apologize in advance for the Red Wedding), The Wheel of Time is a series of books first written by Robert Jordan and later finished by Brandon Sanderson after Mr. Jordan passed away. It … read more »
A story’s atmosphere is its general feel, and when the atmosphere gets muddled, it can seem like you’re suddenly reading or watching an entirely different story. While a lot of factors contribute to atmosphere, two of the most important are theme and tone. When a … read more » 
Water, earth, fire, Amelia Earhart. Wait, what? One of those things is not like the others. This is what happens when you don’t theme your world. What does theming your world mean? I’m glad you asked, because this week we have a podcast all about … read more » 
Stories are great for taking us to extraordinary places, showing us compelling characters, and teaching important lessons. But what about stories within those stories? After all, it would only make sense that the characters would want their own tales of extraordinary places and important lessons. … read more » 
In my story, the main antagonist is a being that feeds off of negative emotions. However, I don’t want to make it seem like everyone has to be happy at all times or that it is not okay to feel upset, angry, etc. I want … read more » 
A hand with all of the fingers the same length. Eye whites that aren’t white. Seeing a stranger in the mirror. A subtler cousin of horror, the uncanny is more about discomfort than fear. Sigmund Freud* described it as, in greatly paraphrased form here, making … read more » 
Storytellers spend so much time focusing on plot, characters, and setting, that it’s easy to forget those are just means to an end. For most storytellers, the primary goal is getting your audience to finish your story, think highly of it, and recommend it to others … read more » 
Some mainstream storytellers think speculative fiction is easy; instead of doing research, we just make things up. But anyone who practices the genre knows that we can’t “just make things up” if we want our audience to have a positive experience. We must create a new framework … read more » 
Using a theme adds depth to your story and gives your audience something to think about long after it’s over. Dystopian settings are ripe for meaningful themes because they challenge not just individual characters but humanity as a whole. While not all themes fit the … read more » 
If you’re completely unfamiliar with high fantasy literature (in which case, I apologize in advance for the Red Wedding), The Wheel of Time is a series of books first written by Robert Jordan and later finished by Brandon Sanderson after Mr. Jordan passed away. It … read more » 
