We'll send our best work every month.
Let’s say you want to sneak up on an orc. Do you need to roll Move Silently to avoid stepping on a twig, and then Hide to keep the beast from seeing you, or can you cover both tasks with a single Stealth roll? That’s … read more »
In real life, it’s all too common for unjust acts to go unaddressed. But in fiction, audiences want evildoers to get their comeuppance. If a misdeed goes unpunished, it creates a feeling of dissatisfaction. Plus, if a protagonist doesn’t care about justice, it makes them look like … read more »
Stories about good and evil are classic, but black and white morality can rob a story of complexity and nuance. That’s why a couple of years ago, I provided some alternatives. Since one article can’t cover every source of gray conflict, I’m back at it. Look over these dualities the … read more »
Sometimes there’s no way to win a coin flip. Read more »
Praise mighty Zeus, it’s time to talk about Greek mythology and its place in speculative fiction. For this task we bring on special guest Jim, who is perhaps the Iliad’s biggest fan. We discuss how accurately modern stories portray Greek mythology,* how the mythology has … read more »
Blades in the Dark is a new roleplaying game, designed by John Harper and published by Evil Hat Productions. It is a game of desperate criminals in an industrial dystopia, taking heavy inspiration from TV shows like Peaky Blinders, video games like Dishonored, and novels … read more »
Romance is a difficult genre to write in. Audiences are very particular when it comes to romance, and it’s easy to fall afoul of their expectations. To make sure your story avoids this unenviable fate, beware of these common mistakes. Read more »
A common fear among writers is that our characters will all sound the same. Unlike film, we can’t count on an actor to give them personality; it all needs to come from the written page. That’s why we sat down this week to talk about … read more »
Fantasy settings are usually some version of history with extra elements added. Those extra elements may be dragons, magic, firearms, or all of the above. Whatever’s added, it will change the setting in ways authors don’t always consider, which is why Brady sent us this question: … read more »
You’ve liked countless stories, but only a few had that special spark: a character you believed in. One you cried with and rejoiced with – someone that, real or not, would stay with you long after their tale ended. Now you’ve wandered too deep in … read more »