Tag Archives: creatures

7 Tips to Creating Monsters

Posted on February 15, 2023 by Charles Yallowitz

Let’s be clear.  There really aren’t many solid rules to monster making.  At least when it comes to fiction.  In reality, you have to struggle with the ethics of creating a monster and hope it doesn’t kill you when it … Continue reading →

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Is It Easy to Write Monsters?

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Charles Yallowitz

Fairly certain that I’ve tackled this topic before.  I felt like doing it again because the question still comes up.  Since fantasy authors are known for having strange creatures in their stories, people wonder how they design them.  Is there … Continue reading →

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Monster Month: Oozlum Bird

Posted on October 26, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Pretty hard to find a picture of this creature that was clean enough for the blog.  You’ll see why later.  The above is actually the Oozlefinch, which I’ll get into later too.  So, what’s an Oozlum Bird? Coming from the … Continue reading →

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Monster Month: Kasa-Obake

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

I’ve seen this show up in so many anime that I had to put it on the blog.  Doesn’t matter that there isn’t a lot of info out there. The kasa-obake/karakasa-obake/kasa-bake/karakasa kozo . . . It has a lot of … Continue reading →

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Monster Month: Gogmagog

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Unlike others I’m showcasing, this monster is a specifically named one.  Similar to Polyphemus from ‘The Odyssey’, Gogmagog is a giant from mythology.  He is found within Welsh and later English mythology.  So, who is he? Gogmagog was one of … Continue reading →

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Monster Month: Amarok/Amaroq

Posted on October 7, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Now, we’re getting into the more obscure beasts.  How obscure are we talking?  Well, it’s not as easy to find information on some of these.  So, the posts might be getting a little thinner. The Amarok (or Amaroq) is from … Continue reading →

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Monster Month: Bunyip

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Is that what a Bunyip looks like?  No idea because the descriptions were incredibly varied and I couldn’t find many common factors beyond ‘aquatic’.  Not surprising since this is folklore that was spread across Australia.  Even the name has regional … Continue reading →

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Monster Month: Wendigo

Posted on October 3, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

We’re going to be touching on some monsters throughout the month.  I was trying for obscure ones, but the first one is probably known by others.  If you’ve been a fan of Wolverine comics or ‘Supernatural’, you’ve heard of: THE … Continue reading →

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7 Tips to Using a Monster Army in Fiction

Posted on April 27, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Monster armies marching on a village or being intercepted in the wild is a fairly common set piece for fantasy and science fiction.  From the outside, it seems like it’s a simply obstacle to create and use.  Monsters rush forward, … Continue reading →

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Elite of the Monster Races

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Ever play a video game or read a story with monsters when a ‘special’ type of a common species turns up?  If not then there really isn’t much more to explain.  Heroes run into an elite version of a common … Continue reading →

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