Schadenfreude is a word that many of y’all might not have heard of, yet we’ve all felt it. Interestingly enough, it can be a great tool to keep our audience interested and breathlessly wanting more. What is schadenfreude, other than a fifty dollar word we can toss around to impress friends and colleagues? Schadenfreude—a combination Read more
Stakes: How to Hook an Audience All the Way to THE END
Stakes, bizarrely enough, are a key ingredient missing in many stories. If the characters don’t have skin in the game, why would the audience? The bigger the stakes the better the page turner. Whether on the page or on the screen, what keeps audiences enraptured the most? What makes us spend an entire weekend inhaling Read more
Read MoreAgency: The Critical Component of ALL Great Stories
Agency means a condition of being in action, instrumental, or possessing some kind of power. It can incorporate not only making decisions, but the belief that we (or our characters) have choice. If we think about it, if there aren’t options, then by default, our characters have no power and are not making any decisions. Read more
Read MoreHow to Build an Audience, No Duct Tape Required
How do we build an audience without coming across as a stalker crossbred with an MLM rep? This is no easy task, especially since most creative professionals don’t exactly shine in this area. Face it. If we’d been good at high pressure sales, we’d be languishing on our yacht along with other people who excel Read more
Read MoreXianxia 101: Immortals
In xianxia literature, immortals are depicted as exalted beings who have transcended mortal limitations and achieved a state of enlightenment, power, and longevity. Their portrayal encompasses a range of attributes and roles, reflecting their elevated status in the cultivation world. Here’s how immortals are typically seen in xianxia: 1. Divine and Majestic 2. Wisdom and Read more