Hi there!
This is just a quick notice for those who may not know that I’m taking the months of June-August off from blogging in order to focus on a new baby! Continue reading “Summer Hiatus Notice”
5 Benefits of Worldbuilding Challenges
In my last post before beginning my hiatus, I wanted to share something that would be relevant over the summer, so I’ve decided to talk about worldbuilding challenges–like World Anvil’s upcoming Summer Camp challenge.
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I’ve participated in various worldbuilding challenges over the years–mostly World Anvil‘s* various events and the worldbuilding week of my own Preptober Prompts event–and they’re always a lot of fun! In my case, they make an already enjoyable part of the process even more fun, but I believe that worldbuilding challenges have benefits even for those who aren’t so naturally disposed to enjoy worldbuilding, and today I want to talk about some of the benefits I’ve seen from such challenges!
Worldbuilding Challenges Stretch Your Skills
Some worldbuilding challenges–like World Anvil’s Summer Camp–encourage Continue reading “5 Benefits of Worldbuilding Challenges”
Worried Your TBR Will Crush You? 5 Book Management Tips
I’m not one to do a “digital detox” every new year, but I significantly pared down my inbox in January, which drew my attention to the nearly 2,500 books I had marked to-read on Goodreads, many of which reflected past interests and reading habits I’m unlikely to return to… and I suspect I’m not the only one with such overwhelming stacks of books looming from the to-read pile (whether that pile is visible or not).
Especially as we look toward summer reading, it seemed a fitting time to discuss how to declutter that TBR (To-Be-Read pile) and get back to reading what you’re interested in—with the ability to clearly see the next interesting book on the stack.
Start at the Bottom
Start your purge with Continue reading “Worried Your TBR Will Crush You? 5 Book Management Tips”
Developing Gender Roles for Fictional Cultures
Last month, it was brought to my attention that I didn’t yet have any articles on developing gender roles in fictional cultures, which led to the topic floating around in my brain until a post outline formed (likely helped along by the fact that I do have a section on gender roles in Building a World with a View, so this is a topic I’ve written about before even if it wasn’t in an available format until now). While some folks prefer to avoid gender roles as a fraught topic, knowing how your culture views the responsibilities and roles of men and women makes a huge difference in how they frame society as a whole; broader societal structure has its foundation in the structure of gender roles and family units, whether we like that reality or not, so gender roles are an important topic to consider when fleshing out a fictional culture!
Consider Natural Strengths & Weaknesses
Men and women have different natural strengths and weaknesses–biological and otherwise. The same is Continue reading “Developing Gender Roles for Fictional Cultures”
How to Replace a Character in Your Cast (Without Irritating Readers)
Have you ever watched a show or read a series in which a character ends up replaced–whether the original character dies or goes off on their own adventure, and their place is taken by someone new–and the transition leaves you with a strong distaste for the new character? “What do you mean this is who’s replacing so-and-so?” Yeah, me too. But I recently saw a transition like this done well in Leverage (this post will include some season 2 spoilers), so I decided to analyze what made this cast replacement work when so many others simply leave viewers or readers irritated. Here’s what I came away with.
Know What Purpose and Role Your Character Serves
Before you can effectively replace a character, you need to know what it really is you’re replacing. Every character should have Continue reading “How to Replace a Character in Your Cast (Without Irritating Readers)”