Who doesn't love a good intrigue, some scheming in the shadows, some low chuckling behind a curtain?
The author.
It's the author that doesn't love it. Or rather, the sheer background work that needs to go into writing a good scheming plot, counter plot, and the whole ...

Intrigue and Scheming
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, July 3, 2021Above Suspicion
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, June 5, 2021
There's nothing more satisfying than writing a twist villain. The person that everyone trusts or nobody suspects, who ends up being the mastermind for all the evil stuff that happened all along.
The person that everyone defers to for advice, that leans on for support, that is there to ...
The Dark Turn
Banes at 12:00AM, May 27, 2021
Hey, I found an image of the actual moment! yeah, real good, there
Last time we took a look at the little moment in some stories where a character has a moment and realizes that in spite of being able to get what they want (valuable magic rocks, or to ...
I Can Do Better
Banes at 12:00AM, May 20, 2021
The moment of change in a character is not always crystal clear in a story. Very often the secret to good storytelling I think, is to understand all the structural elements in a story, and a character arc, and then to HIDE those elements so they feel realistic while they ...
QUACKCAST 527 - Evil superheroes unneeded
Ozoneocean at 12:00AM, April 20, 2021 LISTEN on our new player!
Listen on Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/drunkduck-quackcast
Or TuneinRadio - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Books–Literature/Drunkduck-Quackcast-p1150194/
Evil superheroes are a stupid fad, that's my contention. My opinion. They've been around for a long time but now they're so popular it ...
Unlikely Mentors
Banes at 12:00AM, March 25, 2021
the cruel tutor himself, Pai Mei
One of my favorite character types is the gruff/grizzled old mentor. Tough as nails, mean or cranky on the outside but with great knowledge or support to offer when you know them, or when they know - and trust - you.
I've talked about ...
The Unlikable Good Guy
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Jan. 23, 2021
Some characters are the heroes.
Some characters are the villains.
And some characters are just punchable. But not actually bad, or even antagonists- though sometimes they can be towards specific characters rather than the general plot goals.
Every time this type of character opens their mouth to say something, our ...