So we've talked often about how letting a character die in a story is something that should be used very frugally, because once death occurs, it should be permanent. In most settings, death shouldn't be something that is reversible. If not, it will lose its impact, and the ...

It’s 2021 everyone. Somehow we made it to the end of a strange and often heart wrenching year but we did it. We hit many milestones, particularly on Drunkduck. We now have the lowest amount of spam ever on the site, the anthology is coming along, the Quackchat is ...

When a character the story's cast and audience identify and are familiar with dies, the effect is, or should be, monumental.

Not only because that effectively ends that character's journey (and arc), but also because as an event it has immediate ramifications for all the surviving characters.

First ...

I’ve been getting back into reading epic fantasy novels. Grand worlds, exotic locations and, of course, an ever increasing cast of characters. As I am one to never stop taking notes, even when I’m trying to chill, here are some things I noticed about introducing new characters that ...

Lord Ziot is about to have a bad day… actually, and extremely bad day! He's come down to earth looking for a very powerful helmet that increases the wearer's intelligence and abilities as well as allowing them control of all sorts of alien hi-tech stuff, but before he ...

Link:
https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/forum/topic/178553/

Secret Santa is an annual art-trade, similar to a White Elephant gift exchange, where you sign-up in the forums and write a quick description of what you would like someone else to draw. The request can be as open-ended or as detailed ...

I couldn't have been older than 11 when I read The Flaming Heart of Danko by Maxim Gorky. And boy, did it cut me with the finest of fine glass. Even now thinking about the short story hurts somewhere deep in my soul.

And yet, I love it so ...

what's in the box?

Ah, December!

We're in the final month of the year, and Christmas is in sight. If you celebrated Christmas, or any other gift-oriented holiday, you probably remember the anticipation before the big day, and the excitement over what would be waiting for you.

It ...

Link:
https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/forum/topic/178553/


While staring at the calendar this afternoon, I noticed: 1) It is still November and 2) it is still 2020. If anyone is looking for a small project to devote a whole afternoon, or looking to receive a bit of holiday cheer ...

When constructing your world, be it in fantasy or within a realistic/historical/existing place, the names you pick are very important.

They are important for suspension of disbelief and immersion: how consistent the names are, how congruent with what reality the audience reasonably comes to expect within the framework ...