So maybe the verb ‘hate’ is excessive, but there are some tropes that can really throw me off a story. Or perhaps, what throws me is the way they are used. I firmly believe that any trope can be part of a solid, enjoyable story, even the ones I hate ...

Tropes I Hate
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Oct. 2, 2021Consequences & Familiarity
damehelsing at 12:00AM, Sept. 19, 2021
How many of you write serious/drama filled stories? Or even characters that truly suffer consequences?
I think it’s often that we, as creators and almost like parents, don’t want our kids/creations to suffer terrible consequences, but I think that’s one of the reasons that makes ...
Children's Stories
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Sept. 18, 2021
When I was growing up in the 80s, stories that were marketed as ‘children’s' were occasionally brutal.
Characters got maimed or killed, tortured or traumatized, met with horrid ends in worlds that were anything but rosy. And this was a pattern that wasn't limited to, say, English literature ...
When & How to Say Goodbye
damehelsing at 12:00AM, Sept. 12, 2021
Last week I talked about how you know you should take a break and some simple steps that will hopefully aid you when taking this break.
But, how do you know when it’s time to say goodbye?
That’s a little tougher. Some times you may think it’s ...
Felix the Cat: A Lesson in Comedy
kawaiidaigakusei at 12:00AM, Sept. 6, 2021
Photo: Felix the Cat in “Woos Whoopee” (1930)
Today, the United States celebrates Labor Day, a day traditionally used as a break from a day of work. It also signifies that Summer is coming to a close, schools are back in session, and the time has come to tuck away ...
ART: wrong time or wrong crowd?
damehelsing at 12:00AM, Aug. 1, 2021
Is there a specific age for a specific art style? Maybe an expiration date for some? Or is it just entirely dependent on the crowd?
Hey hi hello ducklings, it is I, the damehelsing.
So, as stated before, I’m here to talk about art, the “time periods” of art ...
Interviewing Miranda of "Into the Swell"
damehelsing at 12:00AM, July 25, 2021
Hello ducklings! I’m back with another interview, and this time we’ve got our wonderful sea captain Miranda! So, Captain Miranda, please introduce yourself!!
Miranda: Hello ducklings! I'm Miranda! I'm a full time computer engineer and in my spare time I enjoy baking, doing puzzles, playing video ...
Mind Games
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, July 24, 2021
Sometimes the arch villain of the story is the one pulling all the strings in the background, and the protagonists don't know about them until the endgame.
And other times, the arch villain gets to clash with a protagonist (or an opposing character) that is also a mastermind pulling ...
QUACKCAST 540 - DD crash update and tests of character
Ozoneocean at 12:00AM, July 20, 2021 LISTEN on our new player!
Listen on Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/adarunkduck-quackcast
Or TuneinRadio - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Books–Literature/Drunkduck-Quackcast-p1150194/
On Friday the 16th the site was down for a while. Nasty, but we fixed that and chatted to our programmer Alexey about starting the update program ...