Category Archives: Thoughts

The Struggle for Mastery

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Charles Yallowitz

Mastery is a strange concept.  It’s something we always strive for, but not everyone has the same definition.  Even within the same field, people may see some as masters and others may see those same people as still learning.  Ego … Continue reading →

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No Rest For A Hero

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Charles Yallowitz

I forgot what made me think about how certain heroes never get to rest.  Might have been when I was watching ‘Highlander’ Season 1.  I remember a character telling the protagonist that he can’t stay out of the contest of … Continue reading →

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The Reality In Myths

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Charles Yallowitz

It’s fairly well-known that many, if not most, creatures of mythology are born from a real animal or event.  For example, the concept of mermaids could have come from sailors seeing manatees or sealions.  Supposedly, Christopher Columbus saw ‘mermaids’ and … Continue reading →

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Exaggerated Conditions in Fiction

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Charles Yallowitz

I was watching a show, which was rather good.  The name was ‘Almost Paradise’ and it was a crime show with some comedy.  The main character goes to a tropical island because he suffers from high blood pressure.  This means … Continue reading →

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Creating Fictional Plants: 9 Times Out of 10 They’re Carnivorous

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Charles Yallowitz

I realized that I’ve talked a lot about designing monsters over the years.  Always a focus on the animals though.  A plant-based creature might show up at times, but there are still animalistic characteristics.  This seems wrong.  An environment is … Continue reading →

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Beware the Ideas of March: Doom Omens

Posted on March 15, 2024 by Charles Yallowitz

I don’t really know much about doom omens beyond what they are.  These are warnings about disaster approaching.  Sometimes they’re specific, but they tend to be vague and riddle-like.  I keep thinking of Casandra from Greek mythology too where she … Continue reading →

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Characters Falling From Grace on Purpose

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Charles Yallowitz

The character above is Vegeta, who is a character from Dragon Ball Z.  He started as an enemy and eventually moved his way into ally.  At several points in the series, his pride gets the best of him and he … Continue reading →

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Discovering a New Land in Fiction

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Charles Yallowitz

The exploration of a new land is kind of a staple in fantasy adventures.  We don’t really pay much attention to it unless it’s the main plot of the story.  It’s usually seen as a shift to a new location … Continue reading →

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The Moral of the Story

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Charles Yallowitz

Funny thing about stories with morals is that we typically grew up with them.  Then, we get upset when entertainment has messages.  Sure, there’s a trend of the message overshadowing the fun, but I’ve seen people get upset at the … Continue reading →

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Various Cardinal Symbol Systems

Posted on February 21, 2024 by Charles Yallowitz

I mentioned that there have been plenty of uses of the cardinal directions to create fantasy and mythological systems.  Sometimes, you even have a 5th direction of ‘center’, which is important when we get to Wu Xing.  I wanted to … Continue reading →

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