Silent types can be very alluring. They don't really engage with other people, they are content to be on their own, they have developed their own special, unique manner of wading through life independently, which makes them interesting. They are their own kind of strong, even if they are ...

The Loner
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Feb. 13, 2021The dance of chemistry
Emma_Clare at 12:00AM, Feb. 12, 2021
When it comes to characters and their arcs, their relationships, or more specifically, their chemistry, has a large role to play in how they develop. From day to day we absorb and reflect the behaviours, views and values of those we interact with, be that at work or school or ...
The Duo
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Feb. 6, 2021
We've all been told how in story telling, showing is a lot better than telling.
Showing gets hard if your main character is a loner that interacts with nobody. Even harder if he/she is a stoic that emotes very little. The audience will have no way of knowing ...
Welcoming a new member to the cast
Emma_Clare at 12:00AM, Dec. 18, 2020
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 ...
The Significance of Names (Part 2)
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Nov. 28, 2020
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 ...
The building blocks of world building
Emma_Clare at 12:00AM, Nov. 6, 2020
World building is a cornerstone of any story. From your neighbourhood slice-of-life to an out-of-this world space opera the world in which the characters inhabit draws the reader and keeps them invested in the character’s struggles. Here are some questions to consider when constructing your new universe.
What is ...
QUACKCAST 499 - Life's worth?
Ozoneocean at 12:00AM, Oct. 6, 2020 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/
What is the worth of human life in your stories?
This isn't something people often consider, we just tend to have a fairly accurate guess based ...
Cultural Significance
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Sept. 26, 2020
So the other day I watched a very interesting video about the new Mulan movie. It was by a Chinese person, explaining why several things were done in a way that is inherently alien to the Chinese culture.
I also recall that the original Mulan was not a hit in ...
Wounded Characters
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, July 25, 2020
There is a reason why in fanfiction archives there's a whole category of stories called “hurt/comfort”, where one of the main characters of a specific IP is injured, and others (usually an unlikely person or whoever the author is shipping with the injured one) have to take care ...
On the Purging of the Past in Art
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, July 4, 2020
First off, Happy 4th of July to all USA Duckers!
Recently I listened to Lindsey Ellis' excellently made video essay on so-called ‘woke Disney’: the company's attempt to remake or edit or outright hide past works because they are now judged to be problematic in some way or other ...