Story Shots: Getting wild with Martin Riggs
Author Abigail Morrison discusses the value of animalistic characters by examining Martin Riggs from Lethal Weapon.
Story Shots: Better Mary Sues with Tanjiro Kamado
Author Abigail Morrison breaks down how Tanjiro Kamado breaks free of certain Mary Sue stereotypes.
Story Shots: Well-defined teams with Guardians of the Galaxy
Author Abigail Morrison shows how well-defined team roles and restrictions help promote story success.
Story Shots: Everyman heroes with Nicolas Cage
Author Abigail Morrison discusses how Everyman heroes like the protagonists from several Nicolas Cage movies make for relatable movies that audiences can truly cheer for.
Story Shots: Endearing Ineptitude with Vaurien Scapegrace
Author Abigail Morrison dissects how inept characters can be endearing, using a character from the Skulduggery Pleasant series as an example.
Story Shots: The ideal idealist with Vash the Stampede
Hi All, I’m back with another Story Shot, this time featuring Vash the Stampede from the recent Trigun remake, Trigun Stampede. Please note that the new one is very different than the original, so be warned if you haven’t seen it yet. As always, major spoilers ahead. What is it? Trigun Stampede is a sci-fi …
Story Shots: The ideal idealist with Vash the Stampede Read More »
Writing update: Creating a hero I can love
Most writers will tell you that one of the hardest things to do is actually sit down and, well, write. There are all kinds of reasons for this: busy schedules, fears or resistance, or, as I recently discovered while reading Rachel Aaron’s 2k to 10k, simply because the writing isn’t fun. Now, for that last …
Story Shots: Competent leadership with Menion Leah
My dad and I have a shorthand phrase we use when we see incompetent leadership in stories. Whenever it happens, one of us always jokingly says, “Classic Star Trek chain of command.” It’s the trope of idiots presiding over supremely competent middle management and the canon fodder beneath them. It’s so common in sci-fi and …
Story Shots: Competent leadership with Menion Leah Read More »
Story Shots: Hope through Tragedy with Hadestown
Author Abigail Morrison discusses how tragedy can be an opportunity to highlight hope in a story, using the musical Hadestown as an example.
Story Shots: Good guy antagonists with The Fugitive
Author Abigail Morrison explains how morally good antagonists can add depth and complexity to action stories.