Chris's Idea Engine Podcast

Some folks object to Hans as a twist villain. What if he wasn't a villain at all? I play with that idea and see how it changes the story.  By the way, tell me if I've already done this one. Support the show

Over become quite fond of the "enemies to unwilling allies" trope lately. Support the show

How does the intention of a study modification change the direction the story can go? Support the show

What do I think of the practice of gender-swapping characters? As always, I ask what it does to the story, and sometimes it fixes more than it breaks. Like reversing a rhyme someone fixes the poem or song, reversing a character can fix or improve a story. Support the show

Some scenes do so much work to establish a character you think you already know... But it's about establishing that character better to the other characters that makes this scene jump out at me. Support the show

Why do I like the guy so much? From the Avengers saga's long list of likeable folks, Colson his me a certain way... But how could I express it in writing? Support the show

I chase the feeling I get the first time it worked out for me. But like a first kiss is not the same as a relationship, writing a story is not like being an author. Support the show

Sure, you can use it to prepare your story, but I've got a different use for it that may be more helpful. Support the show

Mentally, seeking beauty (and being open to whatever form it takes) helps you as a writer. Support the show

Besides exercise being good for your body, walking in particular is great for the writing brain. Support the show

What's the difference between the two? Handwriting works great for drafting ideas, and typing is great for developing the story. Support the show

Copying Stories should be like copying the artwork of a master. It isn't copying to claim the work, but to follow the master in their results.  Like handwriting, or "do what I do" for writers. So don't be ashamed to copy what someone else did. Just don't pass it off as your own. Support the show

Final thoughts on turning your idea into a written project. Write down everything, pick it what's important later. Practice much. Good luck. Support the show

When you try to turn an image in your head into a story, what are some things to consider?  Support the show

How's are graphic novels different from written stories? Support the show

When your world is too big for one story, how do you explore it without losing focus? You make "side quests." Support the show

Thinking of your story like a video game (sometimes) can solve a lot of writer's block issues. Support the show

How are video games a way to tell stories? What makes them different from movies and books? Support the show

A few tips for turning audio stories into written stories, mostly limitations. Support the show

Even longer than people have written stories, they have told stories. What are some of the unspoken features of the world of audio stories? Support the show

If I'm a visual imaginer, and my stories are visual when I first conceive them, how do I turn that into words? Support the show

When a picture is with a thousand words, that saves a thousand words of work. Plus you can do things visually that you can't on paper. Support the show

What are the features, strengths, and weaknesses of the written word? Support the show

Hint: you aren't writing it down, you are changing it from one media form to another.  Like a book turned into a movie, or vice versa, taking your story from how you imagine it to how you express it... Well, it won't be the danger because you are literally changing it's format.  Let's take some time to thing of different media, how they compare to the written word, and how that...

The trope isn't a lost cause. There t ick is to give the dream meaning. Support the show