Writerly Sound Bites, Number 3: The Worship of Evil – Or, “The Villain Is the Hero of His Own Story”

It might be an old – and somewhat uncouth – meme, but it makes the point. Slap an unhappy backstory on a villain, and odds are that someone somewhere will ask whether or not he is “really the bad guy.” How can Thanos, for example, be considered evil when he just wants to prevent other …

MHA Fan Film – An Homage to Excellence

This fan film, UA:LA Pilot Episode, has been available for some time but that does nothing to impinge upon its excellent use of anime storytelling conventions. And as an homage to My Hero Academia*, I doubt there are many short episodes that could compare! It is truly a fine example of West learning from East, …

Writerly Sound Bites, Number 2: Chasing the Unicorn of “Relatability”

Remember the post on writing advice, readers? The one that discussed “sound bites” as a means of offering guidance to aspiring writers? As someone who has had more difficulty cutting through and understanding such “sound bites” than she cares to recall, this author decided to provide future writers with some insights to help ease them …

Sincerity in Fiction – A Lost Art in Need of Recovery

While on the Superversive Sunday Livestream, Anthony Marchetta and I discussed the differences between Japanese anime and modern Western storytelling. One of the items that came up was the sincerity with which Japanese writers portray their characters. Although I wanted a stronger word for the phenomenon at the time, in hindsight, I think Anthony hit …

Review: Hollow City: A Superhero Vigilante Thriller by Kai Wai Cheah

There is a reason this writer occasionally cites Mr. Cheah’s articles for her Vocational Vivications, readers. Aside from the enormously helpful insights he offers in his posts, he is a darn good writer. Hollow City, the first novel in Mr. Cheah’s branch of the Heroes Unleashed universe created by Silver Empire Publishing, is one of …

Making the Audience Smile – How Important Is It?

A little while ago this author introduced readers to a music video from an anime series she enjoys and has regularly referenced of late. Those who have read my most recent series of posts will remember the one she means: My Hero Academia*, better known in some circles by its Japanese title, Boku no Hero …

Hero, Too

Well, Anthony Marchetta ought to be quite proud of himself. He has converted this author into an ardent My Hero Academia* fan, something this and other posts prove. The anime wrapped up its fourth season this spring and the manga is still ongoing. In fact, one might say it is just getting started, in a …

On Theme – What It Is, and How It Affects Your Fiction

For most beginning writers, theme does not seem to be a particularly important part of the writing process. Some probably believe it just occurs organically. While that can and does happen, it is usually a rare occurrence. Though every storyteller has experienced it, this is not a reliable method to rely on for adding a …

Who’s Afraid…?

A little while ago, I began watching the anime based on Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia* series. Thanks go to Anthony Marchetta for repeatedly expounding upon the merits of this story. His reviews over at Castalia House were what convinced this author to give the show a try (shakes fist at him in mock anger). …