Mythcreants
@mythcreants.bsky.social
An online publication for speculative fiction storytellers. To better understand and tell the stories we love, we analyze popular works, theorize on storytelling craft, and explore the technical aspects of writing.
Today we’re thankful for all those “the book is popular so it can’t have problems” guys who get real quiet when you mention romantasy.
November 27, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Today we’re thankful for all those “the book is popular so it can’t have problems” guys who get real quiet when you mention romantasy.
If a book ever lectures its reader about how they can’t expect a satisfying plot because that’s not realistic, then depends on a contrivance to reach its desired ending, the author owes us twenty dollars. That’s just the rules, we don’t make em.
November 26, 2025 at 3:58 PM
If a book ever lectures its reader about how they can’t expect a satisfying plot because that’s not realistic, then depends on a contrivance to reach its desired ending, the author owes us twenty dollars. That’s just the rules, we don’t make em.
Only just remembering that there was a Scooby-Doo show where Shaggy and Velma couldn’t date because the dog was written like a jealous girlfriend. The 2010s were a weird time.
November 25, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Only just remembering that there was a Scooby-Doo show where Shaggy and Velma couldn’t date because the dog was written like a jealous girlfriend. The 2010s were a weird time.
Legally Airbendered.
November 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Legally Airbendered.
563 – Making The Most of Your Minions
But what about flying monkeys?
mythcreants.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:12 PM
"Instead of mixing recognizable real-life inventions with speculative ones, the world of The Labyrinth is figuratively and literally alien."
mythcreants.com/blog/who-win...
mythcreants.com/blog/who-win...
Who Wins: Tales From the Loop, The Electric State, or The Labyrinth?
Stålenhag vs Stålenhag vs Stålenhag!
mythcreants.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:16 PM
"Instead of mixing recognizable real-life inventions with speculative ones, the world of The Labyrinth is figuratively and literally alien."
mythcreants.com/blog/who-win...
mythcreants.com/blog/who-win...
"But let’s set that aside and imagine we’re writing a Catradora-focused fanfic. It’s all about the romance now. Should we give Catra a viewpoint?"
mythcreants.com/blog/should-...
mythcreants.com/blog/should-...
Should Your Romance Be Single or Dual POV?
Your viewpoints should make the romance better, not worse.
mythcreants.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:35 PM
"But let’s set that aside and imagine we’re writing a Catradora-focused fanfic. It’s all about the romance now. Should we give Catra a viewpoint?"
mythcreants.com/blog/should-...
mythcreants.com/blog/should-...
@ifbookspod.bsky.social Hey, I'm trying to find the transcript for the latest episode, am I looking in the wrong place? I cannot find them on this page: www.buzzsprout.com/2040953/epis...
Sapiens - If Books Could Kill
How do you tell the entire history of humanity in a single book? Whatever you do, do not open a browser window. Thanks to Dorsa Amir, Duncan Stibbard Hawkes and David Perry for help researching a...
www.buzzsprout.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:17 PM
@ifbookspod.bsky.social Hey, I'm trying to find the transcript for the latest episode, am I looking in the wrong place? I cannot find them on this page: www.buzzsprout.com/2040953/epis...
Obviously it’s a well known scam to get an unsolicited email from some famous author saying how well they like your work. But this one we’ve got from “Tarry Prachitt” has to be legit, right? It’s got a bad AI generated profile pick that kinda looks like Vimes and everything!
November 20, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Obviously it’s a well known scam to get an unsolicited email from some famous author saying how well they like your work. But this one we’ve got from “Tarry Prachitt” has to be legit, right? It’s got a bad AI generated profile pick that kinda looks like Vimes and everything!
It kills our brain cells when we see people complaining that shows like Bluey aren’t as mature as Gravity Falls or Avatar: The Last Airbender. This is literally true. Bluey is for preschoolers!
November 18, 2025 at 4:49 PM
It kills our brain cells when we see people complaining that shows like Bluey aren’t as mature as Gravity Falls or Avatar: The Last Airbender. This is literally true. Bluey is for preschoolers!
We have now encountered two highly publicized novels that clearly copy The Name of the Wind. Not just inspired by it, but directly lifting language and scenes from it. We don’t have an opinion on the legality, but it is at least creatively suspect. 1/2
November 17, 2025 at 3:47 PM
We have now encountered two highly publicized novels that clearly copy The Name of the Wind. Not just inspired by it, but directly lifting language and scenes from it. We don’t have an opinion on the legality, but it is at least creatively suspect. 1/2
562 – Designing Urban Fantasy Factions
Should vampires also be wizards?
mythcreants.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
"If there’s one Addams Family scene you remember, it’s the Thanksgiving play from Addams Family Values."
mythcreants.com/blog/how-opp...
mythcreants.com/blog/how-opp...
How Oppressed Mages Sabotaged Wednesday
Can't *snap snap* your way out of this one.
mythcreants.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:28 PM
"If there’s one Addams Family scene you remember, it’s the Thanksgiving play from Addams Family Values."
mythcreants.com/blog/how-opp...
mythcreants.com/blog/how-opp...
"Hence Save the Cat has its “Dark Night of the Soul” stage, while the hero’s journey has “The Ordeal.” But no matter how often they appear in pseudo-structures, don’t let anyone tell you low points are essential to a good story."
mythcreants.com/blog/creatin...
mythcreants.com/blog/creatin...
Creating Low Points for Your Protagonists
This popular storytelling tactic comes with pitfalls, but it can also accomplish a lot.
mythcreants.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:37 PM
"Hence Save the Cat has its “Dark Night of the Soul” stage, while the hero’s journey has “The Ordeal.” But no matter how often they appear in pseudo-structures, don’t let anyone tell you low points are essential to a good story."
mythcreants.com/blog/creatin...
mythcreants.com/blog/creatin...
Go ahead. Add a second exclamation mark. As a treat!!
November 13, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Go ahead. Add a second exclamation mark. As a treat!!
The new Frankenstein movie kept the part about Victor being a man of high passions, but they switched the passions around. In the movie, he’s full of righteous anger at the world. In the book, he freaks out and needs a nap when his experiment goes as expected.
November 12, 2025 at 3:47 PM
The new Frankenstein movie kept the part about Victor being a man of high passions, but they switched the passions around. In the movie, he’s full of righteous anger at the world. In the book, he freaks out and needs a nap when his experiment goes as expected.
Howitzer does imply the existence of whyitzer, but that is sadly noncannon
November 11, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Howitzer does imply the existence of whyitzer, but that is sadly noncannon
Imagine you’re Captain Anderson, and this Frankenstein guy is about to tell you about the monster that attacked your ship, but instead he launches into an anecdote about the time he hit on his brother’s fiance by pretending to be a priest.
November 10, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Imagine you’re Captain Anderson, and this Frankenstein guy is about to tell you about the monster that attacked your ship, but instead he launches into an anecdote about the time he hit on his brother’s fiance by pretending to be a priest.
"For some reason, I just got a hankering for some crispy potato chips."
mythcreants.com/blog/lessons...
mythcreants.com/blog/lessons...
Lessons From the Verbose Writing of The Sun Eater
Copying your favorite writer may do more harm than good.
mythcreants.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:38 PM
"For some reason, I just got a hankering for some crispy potato chips."
mythcreants.com/blog/lessons...
mythcreants.com/blog/lessons...
The Medieval period implies the existence of the Highevil and Lowevil periods
November 6, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The Medieval period implies the existence of the Highevil and Lowevil periods
We’ve all read books that describe the heroine like “she was too skinny, her eyes were tooo big, her hair was tooooooo luscious.” Is there a guy equivalent? Any books out there about how the hero has too many muscles, too chiseled a jaw?
November 5, 2025 at 4:26 PM
We’ve all read books that describe the heroine like “she was too skinny, her eyes were tooo big, her hair was tooooooo luscious.” Is there a guy equivalent? Any books out there about how the hero has too many muscles, too chiseled a jaw?
Ever wondered about the historical equivalent of “the US is a republic, not a democracy”?
It’s “kings aren’t inherently anti-democratic, sometimes they’re elected by a dozen or so princes.”
It’s “kings aren’t inherently anti-democratic, sometimes they’re elected by a dozen or so princes.”
November 4, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Ever wondered about the historical equivalent of “the US is a republic, not a democracy”?
It’s “kings aren’t inherently anti-democratic, sometimes they’re elected by a dozen or so princes.”
It’s “kings aren’t inherently anti-democratic, sometimes they’re elected by a dozen or so princes.”
D&D 5E’s darkness rules are so bad they have even infected Baldur’s Gate 3, where the vast majority of darkvision abilities do not let you see through magical darkness, only regular darkness, something you will almost never encounter because someone has politely scattered torches all over Faerûn.
November 3, 2025 at 4:06 PM
D&D 5E’s darkness rules are so bad they have even infected Baldur’s Gate 3, where the vast majority of darkvision abilities do not let you see through magical darkness, only regular darkness, something you will almost never encounter because someone has politely scattered torches all over Faerûn.