Tag Archives: stories

Questions 3: The Author Vessel/Surrogate/Avatar

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Charles Yallowitz

Many authors insert either themselves or a version of themselves into a story.  It could be a realistic version or even an idealistic.  Maybe you’re a side character or a cameo, but other times the author may be the protagonist.  … Continue reading →

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Eucatastrophe: It’s a Real Word, Spellchecker

Posted on July 12, 2021 by Charles Yallowitz

Coined by J.R.R. Tolkien, this type of event is one that closely resembles Deus Ex Machina.  That means people don’t like it.  Tolkien did say that this could happen with the use of Deus Ex Machina, but that isn’t easy … Continue reading →

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What’s an Idiot Plot?

Posted on July 9, 2021 by Charles Yallowitz

I was trying to find what would be the opposite of ‘Plot Armor’ when I came across this term.  It is: Idiot Plot–  The story is only able to continue because everyone involved is an idiot.  This means that they … Continue reading →

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What is Plot Armor?

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Charles Yallowitz

I was surprised when I ran into people who had never heard of ‘Plot Armor’.  It’s been around for a while and gets tossed about the Internet fairly often.  It shows up a lot when it comes to action adventure, … Continue reading →

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7 Tips to Balancing the Humor and the Heavy

Posted on April 5, 2021 by Charles Yallowitz

I like to included humor in my stories.  Yet, I don’t want them to be seen as comedies.  I like to touch on heavy topics in my stories.  Yet, I don’t want them to be seen as serious dramas.  That … Continue reading →

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Monster Hunters and Treasure Hunters: A Tale of Two Stories

Posted on February 14, 2021 by Charles Yallowitz

So, I’ve run into an issue with two series that I wanted to write way down the line.  One of them is an older idea that I keep tinkering with.  The other is a newer one that is very similar, … Continue reading →

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7 Tips to Writing in 2021 (Not That This Year Is Really Any Different Than Previous Ones)

Posted on January 8, 2021 by Charles Yallowitz

Last year, things were a really wild road in terms of writing.  Not only for myself, but for others from what I could see.  It either felt like we had all the time in the world or couldn’t get a … Continue reading →

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When Your Story Is Stolen By Reality

Posted on December 16, 2020 by Charles Yallowitz

I think many of us have seen the ‘Simpsons Predicted It’ articles and memes on the Internet.  Seems the show has been around so long that it’s bound to get a few odd things right from time to time.  We … Continue reading →

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Two Authors, One Book, and Possible Headaches

Posted on August 3, 2020 by Charles Yallowitz

So, I was asked about co-authoring a book a while back.  If I thought it was a good idea or something that I would do in the future was the gist of it.  This isn’t as easy a question as … Continue reading →

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7 Tips to Working with a Serpentine Idea

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Charles Yallowitz

Look, many of us can’t say that our original plans go off without a hitch once the pen meets the paper.  Even outlines change as you move along, so there’s a very organic undercurrent to writing in general.  Maybe it … Continue reading →

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