Chris's Idea Engine Podcast

How do we go from 'knocking into the new kid' to 'killing animals and worse'? Well, let's look at how evil develops in the most generic evil character: The Bully. I answer at length a question posted on a page about how to write a bully's actions. With a little psychology and more than a little personal experience, I share how bullying actually works, how to portray i...

Mini-fiction series about a spirit that guards me. Here's how we met. My audiobook is out! Click the link here! Mather's Odds Audiobook My story blog:   gestalticocean.wordpress.com My business blog: chrisschallertideaengine.squarespace.com Support me on Patreon and Ko-Fi   Ko-Fi Patreon Check out my book Mather's Odds on Amazon! Support the show

Modern writing insists that all heroes have flaws. Some writers choose from the 7 Deadly Sins, but are there other options? Can the flaws do more to the story than just flavor the protagonist? Can they actually influence the story? And how much- or how little- would it take? I give some examples of how you can use flaws some other way that increases the drama, without making your characters seem l...

A special episode! I read one of the most popular posts on my blog here! Check out the written article in the link below! I hope you enjoy it! An Early Death My story blog: gestalticocean.wordpress.com My business blog: chrisschallertideaengine.squarespace.com Support me on Patreon and Ko-Fi   Ko-Fi Patreon Want to sign up to win a free copy of my upcoming audiobook? Go here! Sign Me Up! Check out...

I drop the acting voice for this episode to talk about using different voices, and the benefits and dangers it has. My story blog:   gestalticocean.wordpress.com My business blog: chrisschallertideaengine.squarespace.com Support me on Patreon and Ko-Fi   Ko-Fi Patreon Want to sign up to win a free copy of my upcoming audiobook? Go here! Sign Me Up! Check out my book Mather's Odds on Amazon! S...

How can you keep your story going if you don't have the time to sit down and write it? Here's my advice: Engage with it, any little bit. My story blog:   gestalticocean.wordpress.com My business blog: chrisschallertideaengine.squarespace.com Support me on Patreon and Ko-Fi Ko-Fi Patreon Want to sign up to win a free copy of my upcoming audiobook? Go here! Sign Me Up! Check out my book Ma...

Do you feel pressured to publish just because you're writing? Here's a dirty secret: You don't have to if you don't want to. My story blog:   gestalticocean.wordpress.com My business blog: chrisschallertideaengine.squarespace.com Want to sign up to win a free copy of my upcoming audiobook? Go here! Sign Me Up! Check out my book Mather's Odds on Amazon!   Support the show

The world is divisive right now. Writers need to tell stories and not push agendas because we have enough people pushing agendas and not enough telling stories. My story blog: gestalticocean.wordpress.com My business blog: chrisschallertideaengine.squarespace.com Want to sign up to win a free copy of my upcoming audiobook? Go here! Sign Me Up! Check out my book Mather's Odds on Amazon! Suppor...

How do you go from zero subscribers to enthusiastic readers? Start free, and always be enthusiastic! My story blog (also my first blog): gestalticocean.wordpress.com My audiobook link: https://winning-teacher-6976.ck.page/b87b43b507   Support the show

Want to avoid the tropes, cliches, and everything else that makes everyone sound like everyone else? Might want to rethink that for a minute, because tropes have uses, but shouldn't define your book. My story blog: gestalticocean.wordpress.com Audiobook Link: https://winning-teacher-6976.ck.page/b87b43b507   Support the show

Are you afraid of the question, "What's your story about?" Let's face that fear head-on and develop an answer for when people ask this rather inappropriate question. My story blog: gestalticocean.wordpress.com Audiobook Link: https://winning-teacher-6976.ck.page/b87b43b507   Support the show

Someone said you should write a book. Does that mean you have to get it edited, published, marketed, and turn it into the rest of your life? Not necessarily. My story blog: gestalticocean.wordpress.com Audiobook Link: https://winning-teacher-6976.ck.page/b87b43b507   Support the show

"What's it about?" No sooner do I answer them than I lose a potential reader. Is there a better way to answer this seemingly-innocent question? Of course there is. But involves saying much, much less.  I refer to this video. Go and watch it. It's amazing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlg8zdSVjgg&t=922s For my book: https://www.amazon.com/Mathers-Odds-Chris-Schallert/dp/1...

Do you want your book to start people talking, asking, and arguing? Well, there's no easy way to write timeless literature, but there is an easier way to write unique literature.  For "The Last of Us," a video game I reference here, go to this link on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvoVZcXCeX0 Support the show

Everyone says it, but it still hurts when I can't write a good sentence for my first draft. What's going on? How can I look at it a different way? Just remember. You and your story are growing together, and growing means you start out weak. Check out my story blog: gestalticocean.wordpress.com Sign up for emails at my business site: chrisschallertideaengine.squarespace.com Support the sh...

Outlines? Arcs? Hero's Journey? There are too many voices saying you need this or that sort of help, but for your first draft there's just one piece you need to follow. Everything else serves a different purpose (hint: it isn't to help you write your book) Check out my writing blog at: gestalticocean.wordpress.com Come visit my business blog at: chrisschallertideaengine.squarespace....

Why am I so dissatisfied with my job? Isn't it enough to just pay the bills and do my time? Well... No.  Support the show

Rather than tell you what to do, I'll spend this season describing my own creative life. I can't vouch for anyone but myself, after all.  Support the show

(re-release episode) Reliability builds reputation, so you can't afford to slack off.  Support the show

(re-release episode) Don't lose heart if you seem stuck on a day job. It doesn't mean you only belong in day jobs.  Support the show

(re-release episode) A funny story of how one author did his own thing in the face of a copyright wall!  Support the show

(re-release episode) And here's why I mean EVERYTHING!  Support the show

(re-release episode) For you entrepreneurs, are your afraid of giving away your best stuff? No need to be. Here's why you should do it!  Support the show

(re-release episode) Can a story be too big for its own good? Yes. Here is what I mean.  Support the show

(re-release episode) Why, and how, less is more.  Support the show