Episode 234 - Climactic Climaxes!
Aug 31, 2015
What's best? One big climax, multiple small ones, early, or delayed? How much should you work UP to a climax? What about anticlmactic events, how important are they? Climaxes are really important in stories. Often you work up to them over the course of a whole series, but each episode or chapter can have them, maybe even every single page. I find writing “up” to climaxes a bit stressful because you have a lot of preasure and expectation there. And when it's over and you've actually achieved it, it can be a bit depressing: where do you go to from there? You can feel a little lost, at least I do. TALKING ABOUT WRITING HERE. My preference is for multiple climaxes. Do you always need climaxes in stories? I don't think you do personally… there are times when things work fine without one, but it does help better with endings. Sometimes climaxes can be TOO big. Way too much of a story can be invested in a climax, it subsumes everything, everything has to tie in with that specific story flow and that can be REALLY had to pull off. If it's not done right it can be massively disappointing. Anticlimactic. Pitface Joins Banes and Ozone to chat about climaxes in stories and read out the contributions from our climactic contributors. Gunwallace gave us a gorgeous theme for Just Another Day!
Topics and Show Notes
Topics and shownotes
Featured comic:
Re set - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Re_Set/
Contributors forum thread:
Climactic Climaxes! - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/forum/topic/177284/
Contributors:
Bravo1102 - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/bravo1102/
Special thanks to:
Gooey Gunwallace, sexy music man - http://www.virtuallycomics.com
The theme song by Gunwallace this week was for:
Just Another Day - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/JustAnotherDay/ by AshenSkye rated T.
Episode 233 - Formulas Forever!
Aug 24, 2015
Here we go again, back to formulas! This time we got some external input. Fellow DDers had a say about their idea about the utility of formulas and how they use them in their writing and comics. It's important to understand formulas in writing so you know what works and why it works, it can help you in your own work. And when you need to and you've got the ability you can create your OWN writing formula. But remember: the formula is just the bare skeleton, you have to add all the meat and flesh to it with the rest of your writing, don't let the bones show through! Listen to Gunwallace's beautiful theme for Brave New World! Oh, and one last thing… HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANTZ AERINE!!!!
Episode 226 - The Power of Contrast
Jul 5, 2015
In this Quackcast I interrogated Mr Banes on the subject of his first newspost: Contrasts. It's a subject near and dear to him, even his comic "Typical Strange“ has its name based on the concept, i.e. two words with the opposite meanings put together to create an effect. In imagery contrast is used to make darker shapes appear darker and lighter shapes lighter and to create a tension where those areas meet at the penumbra. In writing and comics it's much the same, ”laughter and tears“, ”good and evil", a sad scene contrasting with a joyous one etc. Contrasting makes both contrasted elements appear far greater than they really are, as well as serving as a source of tension, conflict, or humour. Banes and I talk about this in a rambling fashion. Gunwallace has a special treat for us today with a brilliant theme for Dead Leon! You'll want to ask him for a copy of his one ;)
Episode 225 - To Fan-service or not to fan-service
Jun 29, 2015
Today Banes and I talk about the subject of fan service in comics (and other pop-culture). This Quackcast was inspired by a newspost by HippieVan of that same title. We're helped in our discussion by the really interesting contributions of many smart people on DD... that we read out in High-larious voices! Is fan service a good thing? How do you think about it in stuff you read and see? Do you put it in your own work? Why? Why not? These were some of the things we talk about on the subject. Also, catch Gunwallace's great theme for Grueson!
Episode 224 - Finding your own voice as a writer
Jun 22, 2015
For Quackcast 224 I've asked Kevin Hayman back again (KOTA's world, Mailbox Rocketship, Erant Apprentice), to regale us with his Owen Wilson stylings... But seriously, the topic is "finding your own voice in writing", i.e. learning not to imitate your hero's, move beyond that and write in your own style. Kevin is a really funny and interesting guy who's been doing webcomics for many many years since the very earliest days of Drunk Duck and he has some great insights to impart on "finding your own voice". You can also catch KOTA at the Mississippi comic con this weekend! -Enjoy Gunwallace's lovely, creepy musical take on our featured comic, Restless.
Episode 223 - Collaborating with the Aliens
Jun 15, 2015
On today's Quackcast I, the marvellous Ozoneocean am speaking to the equally marvellous Trevor Mueller of Albert the Alien! This fine chap is returning to the Quackcast (was on Quackcast 184), to chat with me about the process of collaborating from the point of view of a writer who's working with an artist. Trevor also he another Kickstarter for the second volume of Albert the Alien out now so please consider contributing to that. Trevor is a highly acclaimed writer of a fantastic and funny all ages comic and his artist on Albert the Alien, Gabriel Bautista, is an award winning successful comic creator in his own right. Trevor brings a LOT of experience to the topic of collaboration. Catch the great theme for The Ink by our very own Gunwallace!
Episode 216 - Characters done right, part 4
Apr 27, 2015
This is the FOURTH and very final part of our series on what makes a good character in webcomics, movies, and any sort of writing in general. Our very first four-parter! Ozone and Banes are once again joined by the panel of Pitface, Tantz Aerine, and Bravo1102. Together we get though the last of the contributions from the great and wise people of DD who've had a lot of very intelligent things on the subject of character writing. And of course there's an amazing aural interpretation of a comic for you by Gunwallace who's done a spectacular theme for Prodigium.
Episode 209 - lurv triangles
Mar 9, 2015
Around about Valentine's day, HippieVan's mind turned to thoughts of love... and she conceived of a great newspost idea that was very popular with people! Love triangles are very good for generating drama in your writing without having to worry too much about forcing that through external events. And because they're primarily driven by you characters as well as affecting them it's a great way to build on your characterisation through the drama. In HippieVan's words we outline a few notable love triangles in fiction, both classic, and contemporary, then we include the contributions the DDers who were good enough to add their two cents to the subject.
