I have a lifelong history with Studio Ghibli films. It all started with My Neighbor Totoro, one of the first movies I recall from my childhood. I remember Ponyo playing on Cartoon Network when I was in middle school and trailers for The Secret World of Arrietty rolling out in theaters not long after. Then, … Continue reading It Took Me This Long to Finally Watch Kiki’s Delivery Service
movies
Want to Write Speculative Fiction? Here’s What You Need to Know First
Some of the most memorable and lasting stories fall into the speculative fiction genre. Spec fiction lends itself to extensive and immersive series that captivate all kinds of audiences. Fantastical and out-of-this-world elements stick in your mind, and the incredible powers that the characters possess and face make your heart start pumping. Star Wars. Harry … Continue reading Want to Write Speculative Fiction? Here’s What You Need to Know First
Treasure Planet: The Storytelling Masterpiece We’ve All Been Ignoring for Two Decades
Space pirates. Incredibly designed aliens. Spaceships with sails. Cyborgs. A cute alien blob creature. What isn’t there to love about Treasure Planet? And I didn’t even mention the characters or plot yet! This post was extremely difficult for me to write because I love (read: LOVE!!!) this movie—so it’s hard to not just gush and … Continue reading Treasure Planet: The Storytelling Masterpiece We’ve All Been Ignoring for Two Decades
“Is it okay to like bad stories?”
As someone who pushes relentlessly for better storytelling in the world, this is a question I get asked quite often. Sometimes, people ask it as a trick question—if I say yes, then they ask why good storytelling is so important. If I were to say no, they would inevitably find out that there are "bad" … Continue reading “Is it okay to like bad stories?”
Why Writers Should Watch TV
"Stay away from screens - they rot your brain!" everyone cries. And this is certainly true - getting too much screen time day after day brings a slew of terrible side effects for both mental and physical health. But, just like most activities, watching TV isn't inherently bad (unless, well, what you're watching is inherently … Continue reading Why Writers Should Watch TV
What We Learn from a Character’s First Scenes in The Force Awakens
May the Fourth be with you! It's no secret that I'm a Star Wars nerd. As I talked about last month, Star Wars shaped me both as a person and a writer as I was growing up. Love or hate certain parts of it, there's no doubt that Star Wars has, in all likelihood, the … Continue reading What We Learn from a Character’s First Scenes in The Force Awakens
The Stories that Shaped Me: Star Wars
How do you like Tuesdays? Specifically, what do you think of my Tuesday blog posts? I think it's beneficial to talk about good (and bad) stories so that we can learn from what others have done. Let me know your opinion in the comments! For now, I'm starting yet another new series about the stories … Continue reading The Stories that Shaped Me: Star Wars
Pixar Uses a Secret to Make Their Stories Unique—Now You Can Use It Too
Have you ever noticed that most protagonists are...kinda the same? Whether it’s a children’s picture book or an adult thriller novel, the protag usually falls into one of two categories: a boy (young man, man, etc.) looking for adventure or a girl (young woman, woman, etc.) looking for independence/freedom. The secondary character and/or best friend … Continue reading Pixar Uses a Secret to Make Their Stories Unique—Now You Can Use It Too
Fixing the Story: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
In this new series, I'm doing something a little different than my usual reviews. Rather than just talking about the good and bad in a story, I'll be going a step further to present possible ways to fix a story that's lacking. My goal? To help us practise how to pinpoint issues in a story … Continue reading Fixing the Story: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Disenchanted: As Lifeless as It Sounds, or Just “Different?”
Who else has been awaiting this Enchanted sequel for years? Disney is usually hit or miss with its sequels (mostly miss, let's be honest), but it was impossible not to be excited about this one. Enchanted is such a unique Disney movie, yet grossly underrated. The average person doesn't talk or think about it too … Continue reading Disenchanted: As Lifeless as It Sounds, or Just “Different?”
The Story Canvas 