One of the first (and most important) stages of the hero’s journey is the call to adventure. It happens when the hero first confronts something outside the experience of his ordinary world that beacons him to leave it. It overlaps closely with the inciting incident, and marks the point at which the hero’s journey begins. However,… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: The Call to Adventure
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If you’re thinking of self publishing, read this. All of it.
I just read a fascinating Q&A on Reddit with Hugh Howey, author of the self-published phenomenon Wool. After six trancelike hours reading through all the comments, all I can say is “wow.” Okay, I guess I can say a little more. Yesterday, I listened to Brandon Sanderson’s lecture on self-publishing from his English 318 class this year.… Continue reading If you’re thinking of self publishing, read this. All of it.
Trope Tuesday: The Hero’s Journey
For the next few Trope Tuesday posts, I’m going to pick apart one of my favorite story patterns, the monomyth or “hero’s journey.” Other tropes come and go, but the hero’s journey is truly timeless. If you can get it to work for you, it can do wonders for your ability to understand and tell… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: The Hero’s Journey
To Racha and back
So I just got back from Racha this afternoon. It was a lot of fun! Saw Ambrolauri, Oni, and Shovi, only 20 km from the Russian border near Ossetia. Don’t worry, though, we were safe the whole time–though the home we stayed at had a wolf pelt hanging in the dining room! This video should… Continue reading To Racha and back
Last day of school
So today was the last day of school in Georgia, with all of the craziness that that entails. It was kind of sad to say goodbye, even though I’ll probably be coming back to the same school in September. In the meantime, I’m going to miss being a rockstar to all the 7-12 year olds… Continue reading Last day of school
Trope Tuesday: Deus Ex Machina
This one is by request. A Deus Ex Machina, or “God from the Machine” ending, is basically when the author writes himself into a corner and pulls something out of his butt to resolve the story. The term comes from ancient Greek theater, which often employed this technique–probably because the audience was known to get violent… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Deus Ex Machina
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
June, 1863. In a bid to destroy the Army of the Potomac, Robert E. Lee invades Pennsylvania with an army of 70,000 men. Using the mountains to screen his movements, he advances toward Harrisburg, fully expecting to secure a victory that will end the American Civil War. But two weeks into the campaign, Stuart’s cavalry… Continue reading The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
My Muse
A long time ago, I did a whimsical post about my muse and what she is like. Imagine my surprise when I found a picture of her on Deviant Art! I had a lot of fun with that post, so I thought I’d revisit it. Enjoy! Young Universe by *DestinyBlue on deviantARTMy muse is about… Continue reading My Muse
Ray Bradbury, 1920-2012
Wow. Ray Bradbury, one of the greatest writers of our time, just passed away at the age of 91. The news is affecting me a lot more than I thought it would. My first exposure to Bradbury’s work came in seventh grade, when I read Farenheit 451 as part of the required summer reading. Most of… Continue reading Ray Bradbury, 1920-2012
Trope Tuesday: Dreaming of Things to Come
When a character in a story has a dream, there’s almost certainly a reason for it. If it’s not thrown in just to show how scarred or tortured he is (or alternately, how repressed he is), chances are good he’s dreaming of things to come. I’m a huge fan of this trope, as you may be… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Dreaming of Things to Come