Category Archives: Thoughts

The Stumbling Art of Naming Places

Posted on April 22, 2019 by Charles Yallowitz

(The map above was made years ago before some areas had names like the Crysvale Tundra, Pynofira Forest, and the Frost Barrens.  That’s the northeast region. Also, the Stone Asp Mountains.) This week I’m going to talk about naming places, … Continue reading →

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When Friends Fight in Fiction

Posted on March 6, 2019 by Charles Yallowitz

So, I’ve been reading a lot of manga and watching a lot of anime over the last year.  I also watched a bunch of a movies and TV shows.  One thing seemed to show up a lot and that was … Continue reading →

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The Decoy/False Protagonist: Fooled You!

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Charles Yallowitz

I kind of stumbled onto this concept while looking for something else.  I don’t actually remember what I was searching for because this was more interesting.  At first, I thought I did it with Beginning of a Hero when I introduced … Continue reading →

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Preparing for a Journey: When a Story Hits the Road

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Charles Yallowitz

In Crossing Bedlam and Legends of Windemere: Prodigy of Rainbow Tower, I had the heroes go on traveling adventures.  This meant deciding on locations, events for those locations, and how long they stayed in each place.  There’s a lot of organization here that … Continue reading →

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Moving From the Spotlight to the Shadows and Back Again

Posted on February 25, 2019 by Charles Yallowitz

I’ve mentioned a few times that I write ensemble cast stories for the most part.  Legends of Windemere is the easiest example since you can’t really say any of the champions are more important than the others.  This wasn’t any easy … Continue reading →

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What’s Wrong With Being Odd?

Posted on February 24, 2019 by Charles Yallowitz

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how people and society tend to declare what is normal.  Part of this has probably stemmed from my son being special needs and seeing how the world responds to him.  We seem to … Continue reading →

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Military Casters: Fireballs Among the Swords and Arrows

Posted on February 22, 2019 by Charles Yallowitz

Magic is an important part of fantasy writing.  Some would say it’s one of the defining traits of the genre.  Not every story has magic, but those that do might want to consider including it with their military forces.  This … Continue reading →

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Fantasy Armies: Popular Tools of the Trade

Posted on February 18, 2019 by Charles Yallowitz

This theme is probably going to be very similar to the City Guards week from December, but that isn’t surprising.  Guards and soldiers get used interchangeably in a lot of fiction because they are part of the setting.  The nameless … Continue reading →

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Phases of a Story: The Churning Gas of . . . No Clean Way to Do This Title

Posted on February 15, 2019 by Charles Yallowitz

I had to think long and hard about this one because I couldn’t really put my thoughts to words.  There was a moment of giving up and throwing the concept out to everyone for how they would do it.  Yet, … Continue reading →

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Phases of a Story: The Flowing Liquid of Plot

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Charles Yallowitz

This one might be easier than I expected because we’ve heard the comparison as much as the solid foundation phrase.  So, what is something that comes to mind when you think of a liquid?  Oceans, drinks, showers, baths, streams, rivers, … Continue reading →

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