The twists of ’99
The best plot twist is one that completely respects the rules. Consider Fight Club and The Sixth Sense, two 1999 films famous for their third-act mindblowers. If you haven’t seen …
Category: Storytelling
The ends and means of stories
When it comes to stories, everyone’s a critic. And they should be; narrative criticism is a vital enterprise. But that enterprise, I would argue, is marred by a major misconception. …
Why do we love fiction?
Many have endeavored to answer that question, some poetically, some methodically. My answer is a bit of both: A human being has two parts: a moment, and a story. The …
More worldbuilding
I think Harry Potter is an excellent book series. I’m in awe of J.K. Rowling’s clockwork plots and rich characterization. Her worldbuilding is shakier, but not shallow. It operates similarly …
Horror got too good
It’s the 2020s, and horror is becoming a respected genre of film. Scary movies aren’t a guilty pleasure now, they’re celebrated for their direction, acting, and subtext. For a horror …
Worldbuilding
Good worldbuilding doesn’t come from maps and charts. Those can be used effectively, but they’re always secondary, in my mind, to character reactions. As an occasional writer of the fantastical, …
Thoughts on writing
I love to analyze the flaws of stories. Choppy character development, plot holes and clichés, underexplored themes…These are what occupies my mind after I read a book or watch a …
What stories need
In my mind, virtually nothing is too offensive to be part of a book, movie, play, or game. Stories shouldn’t be thought of in terms of right and wrong. I …