Category: blog posts

The Forces in Your Life and What You Write

Andrew Michael Miller1 Comment

I don't have to tell you that we live in "interesting times," and I'm not writing to preach to you about the events that happened yesterday in our nation's capital. In a time such as ours, you already get enough of that from other sources, and I'm certain you have your own opinion on the matter. With that said, we all still have to live here, in this time. For those of us who create, whether it be writing or art or music, the things that happen around us often bear a heavy influence on the things we make. Should we allow these forces to influence us in those ways, or should we pretend they don't exist as we create?

How to Make a Good New Year Resolution

Andrew Michael Miller2 Comments

Here we are again, at the end of one year, hopeful and ready to greet a new one. It is no secret that this year was a hard one for a lot of people. More than three times as many people reported feeling depressed during the pandemic, when compared to prior to the start of it. Along with that, we saw an increase in the amount of binge drinking and other substance abuse during the year. Unsurprisingly, the obesity rate has also risen significantly during this very tough year. It was a very tough year for mental and physical and even spiritual health, and even though the new year is about to start, we're not out of the woods yet. Now that the new year is about to begin, have you already set a resolution for yourself? How can you ensure that this new year resolution will work? Are you ready to make the commitment to yourself? Here are some ideas on how to establish good habits and get the most out of the new you that you will make, one day at a time this new year.

The Dangers of Subverting Expectations

Andrew Michael MillerLeave a comment

Think about a book, movie or television show that has stuck with you over the years, but not for good reasons. What story left you speechless in a bad way when it was all told? Did the lighthearted book you picked up have a sudden graphic sex scene in it that made you uncomfortable? Did you go into the movie theater expecting Luke Skywalker to solve all of the main character's problems? Did your heroic dragon queen go insane and burn everyone alive at the end of the final season of your show? Let's talk about the modern trend of subverting expectations in storytelling, and why you, as a writer, should really consider the dangers of it before attempting to do so in your work.

What is an Antihero?

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The term antihero (or anti-hero) gets thrown around fairly often nowadays, sometimes incorrectly. The concept of an anti-hero is not technically new, but it certainly is prevalent in modern story-telling. The term itself was coined in the 18th Century, but examples of such a type of character are there in Greek drama, Roman satire and Renaissance literature. So what is an anti-hero, exactly? Simply put, an anti-hero is a main character of a story that does not have the typical qualities that are expected of a hero. This does not mean all antiheroes are bad people, just that they do not fit the traditional description of a hero.

Be Thankful for Every Step You’ve Taken!

Andrew Michael Miller1 Comment

Sometimes it hurts to look back and see things of which you are not particularly proud. As a creative person, it can be so hard to appreciate the work done in an earlier stage in your development. You look upon that work with veteran eyes, nitpicking any elements you made that you would do differently now in retrospect. Sometimes you become ashamed of it and want to hide it. After all, it doesn't represent who you are now, right?