How do you make a clever character stupid?

You give them an infatuation. A fixation. Something that completely overrides their critical thinking and better judgment. Something that drives them nuts like a switch is thrown.

And when that happens, they're dumber than a bag of rocks. (And they're ...

So I'm exhausted.

A ton of things I'm juggling in real life plus emotional baggage plus stuff I'm doing online plus art = exhausted Tantz.

And because my brain refuses to focus on anything else, I thought I'd talk about how using exhaustion can be a cool ...

The telling of stories, in a big way, is about working emotions. A major reason stories have the power they do is that the great ones wring emotions out of us, and take us through some kind of emotional journey.

In a movie or TV show, things are different than ...

Photo: “Acceptance Speech: Blessed Days”. Created by InkyMoondrop for the Drunk Duck Awards 2024. (October 2024)

InkyMoondrop has TWO big announcements this week.

InkyMoondrop writes:

“One is that Blessed Days will be completed on the 31st of October with only a few extra pages going up on the 1st of ...

When we hear about a broken heart, usually our collective minds to go romantic disappointments and devastation. Unrequited love, betrayed love, or even love separated by death or any other type of force majeure.

And that's absolutely one type of heartbreak that is and will remain legit. It's ...

Photo: “Android Blues: Complete, Graphic Novel (Test Prints)”. Android Blues created by Stahlberg. (September 2024)

Here is a chance to be a proud owner of the GORGEOUS, tangible first edition Android Blues graphic novel (450 Pages). Sign-up on the Pre-Launch Kickstarter to reserve a copy. The first TWO HUNDRED book ...

Photo: “SOSRadio Issue 8: A Solitary Waltz”. SOSRadio by sosradio. (September 2024)

SOSRadio, the creator, is offering a half-page advertisement slot to be printed in a physical copy of SOSRadio Issue 8: A Solitary Waltz in exchange for a recreation of the Issue 8 Cover of the comic book. There ...

August ends today, and we pick things right back up with another character deep dive, this time of the fascinating Nicodemus Blacroft from the comic Devil’s Blood by the amazing Dragonsong12!


Devil’s Blood is the story of a city in crisis and the people that are trying to ...

There was big Internet news the other day when Marvel revealed that Robert Downey Jr. was returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe…and that he'd be playing Doctor Doom (?)

The thrill of seeing RDJ on stage sent the audience into thunderous applause of course…we all love this guy ...

Today’s Character Deep Dive is on an antagonist!

We’re looking at Raidon Yamamura from Used Books by the amazingly proliferate Vickie Boutwell!

Used Books is a crime-noir thriller involving the story of Kaida, an ex-assassin from a highly dangerous network of organized crime and the different people surrounding ...