Archive for May, 2006
The Center for Interact-a Huh?
This made me laugh so hard, I just had to post it. I was looking at “interactive advertising” via Google. (The reason why is a subject for another post.) And I found the Center for Interactive Advertising. On their web site, right at the top, here’s what they say— But first, a warning: Don’t try [...]
The Fourteen-Day Screenplay
As an aspiring screenwriter, have you ever felt left out by the aspiring novelists and their NaNoWriMo? What kind of a silly name is NaNoWriMo anyhow? No one can even pronounce it right! It’s much easier to pronounce “14-day screenplay,” and it rhymes! (Well, I guess “NaNoWriMo” would rhyme, too, if we could actually say [...]
My Interview at The Writing Show
Paula B. at The Writing Show a couple weeks ago interviewed me about storytelling in video games. Here’s the podcast audio, and please check out the other fascinating interviews she has over at her site. The Writing Show is one of my favorite podcasts, and one of the few I listen to regularly.
-TimK
Setting the Mood With Conflict
In a story, starting a fight is an easy way to make the mood tense. But conflict can do more than just make a story feel tense, suspenseful. Conflict engages the audience. It makes us sympathize with the characters and root for them. And it heightens other emotions in the story.
Using Conflict to Keep the Flow
How do you add in description, humorous banter, back-story, asides, character reactions, all without interrupting the flow of words off the page?
Short Stories for Success
Holly Lisle said something pretty profound on the latest episode of her podcast. She was talking about prologues, whether or not to include them, but the advice applies to writing in general:
Story Games and Empty Reviews
It occurred to me recently that game reviewers ignore story. I don’t think they do it on purpose. I’d like to think they just don’t grok story. Or maybe they think gamers don’t care about story. So they talk about gameplay. They talk about genre, perspective, graphics, audio, controls. But they ignore story. Two examples [...]
So Much Time And So Little To Do!
No wait— Reverse that.
Pamela Slim at Escape from Cubicle Nation understands what it’s like to have too much to do and too little time.
I still have not completed my ezine for April. And today is … May 1! Egads! I have babysitting 2 1/2 days a week, then the rest of my [...]