Might as well get it out of the way: if you're a mentor in a story, chances are you're going on a boatride over the river Styx at some point.
When a mentor dies it's often the signal that the main character, the one being mentored, is ...

The Work of the Mentor
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Oct. 17, 2020Horror - Immersion and the Slow Burn
Banes at 12:00AM, Oct. 15, 2020
I just started the Netflix series called “The Hanting of Bly Manor”.
It's hard to say how it's going to turn out in the end, since I'm just at the beginning. But overall so far, I'm enjoying the thing. There are many unanswered questions already, and ...
Upgrading the Machine
kawaiidaigakusei at 12:00AM, Oct. 12, 2020
There are a lot of discussions pertaining to the idea that artificial intelligence and brain implants will be a huge part of the future. Cyborgs are a topic demonstrated in science fiction, such as when the Borg assimilated Captain Picard and seduced Data in Star Trek. It is argued that ...
Character Design Brainstorming: The Monster Among Us
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Oct. 10, 2020
We live in a world of routine, predictability, and pedestrian problems. (2020 doesn't count. Much.)
Magic doesn't really seem to exist in our world.
Or does it?
Perhaps we live above a very thin surface, like floating on a tranquil lake, and just underneath it there are ghouls ...
Pat yourself on the back
Emma_Clare at 12:00AM, Oct. 9, 2020
As we move from one task to the next, it’s easy to brush over goals or milestones that you achieve without stopping to take in what an accomplishment that is. Taking the time to appreciate the effort these goals took to achieve can give you perspective on how far ...
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 ...
Happy Endings
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Oct. 3, 2020
Who doesn't love a happy ending?
Eh, there are a good few people I've met that just turn their noses up at happy endings, because apparently according to their opinion, happy endings are for the weak.
But for all other normal people, a happy ending is a good ...
Horror in Pieces
Banes at 12:00AM, Oct. 1, 2020
Now that's a little TOO scary!
Horror is perfect for metaphor and allegory. In fact, a horror story is often allegorical by default, what with its bizarre landscapes and freaky beasties.
Here are some categories of horror and some thoughts on what they symbolize:
Reality Bites
psycho killer! Qu ...