We’ve all seen it a hundred times before. The grizzled old mentor is called out of retirement at last. Hardened and tough from years of experience, he is extremely doubtful and perhaps even adamantly against training someone as inexperienced and arrogant as our young protagonist. But full of energy and will, the stubborn apprentice wins…
Orphans are possibly one of the most overused tropes in fiction. There are probably hundreds, maybe thousands, of fictional children without parents because the author didn’t want to add extra characters. And, as a writer, I totally get it! Parents are just easier to push out of the picture so the child protagonist can do…
There were certain aspects of good storytelling that Disney+’s Falcon and the Winter Soldier did well. The villain, Karli, is sympathetic yet also evil. Karli is confused, hurt, and willing to hurt others if it will supposedly make things right. The series resolved several open threads from both protagonists’ character arcs, including Bucky’s struggle over…
‘Yeah, I saw that coming,’ Is not something a writer wants to hear. You’ve just revealed your shocking plot-twist and… no one is surprised. The reader saw it coming the whole time, rendering your plot-twist unmeaningful and bland. Your ‘big’ moment doesn’t feel that big. In short, your story was predictable. Predictability can completely destroy…
Vindication is not only an action, but a very strong emotion. For decades, screenwriters and authors have utilized this tool to pull in their viewers (or readers) and encourage them to cheer for their protagonists. We hear story after story of a brave hero who’s misunderstood and underestimated by his world or society, and only…
Many people over the course of history have attempted to write about the complexity that is human relationships, and, let’s face it, more often than not, the authors tend to flop when it comes to romance. Specifically, enemies to lovers. Whenever I read a novel or watch a movie in this genre, I always roll…
Johnny Tremain is one of my (Mara’s) very favorite pieces of fiction. Ester Forbes crafted a character that captured my interest and sympathy from the very first page and didn’t let go until the very last. This is ironic because Johnny is, at least in the beginning, one of the most arrogant characters I have…
There’s just something special about certain fictional characters. You probably know the ones I’m talking about: the loveable, heart-warming ones that seem so real you could almost reach over and give them that hug they deserve. They’re the characters you cry with, the ones you whoop for joy with, the ones who make a lasting…
We’ve all had an epiphany. That moment when you realize what you’ve been missing this entire time, and begin to set out to fix it. Those moments can be some of the most powerful, emotional moments of our entire lives. And that is what makes them so important in stories. The epiphany is the moment…
There’s a reason many people enjoy musicals. The music is beautiful and riveting. Most often, the acting is fantastic. But the most entrancing of all is when the characters belt out their desires and fears to the audience in their earth-shattering musical number. It’s one of the best feelings in the world when you leave…