Every child who's grown up on fairytales or Disney has heard the refrain, 'and they lived happily ever after.' It's a theme of every fairytale -- not counting the Grimms', naturally. Why? Why were stories finished with this line or something like it? Because it was convenient? Perhaps. But why are stories that don't end... Continue Reading →
This summer, my youth pastor preached a series on worldview. His lecture on animism was particularly interesting, as he pointed out just how deeply it's infiltrated the entertainment of today. In what ways? Let's start by defining animism. It was certainly a term I had never heard before. My pastor defined animism as the over-emphasis... Continue Reading →
I'm breaking the trend of purely fiction reviews, but it's for a beautiful, affable, and motivational work by singer/songwriter/author Andrew Peterson. Whatever sort of artist you are, this book will drive you to think about your life, your art, and ultimately, your walk with Christ. Making something beautiful in a broken world can be harrowing... Continue Reading →
Note: this post is updated whenever I find something to add. Hello all! Today I have a massive list of resources for the young Christian writer. Most of the time, I am the type of girl to have five backup plans and a overstuffed folder full of bookmarks and resources -- and if you're like... Continue Reading →
I was out in the backyard at night sometime during my tweens -- I don't even remember why. I was probably trying to get the dog in or something similarly mundane, but I just happened to look up. And it just hit me. The sky was sprinkled with stars, and it was dark enough that... Continue Reading →
“The first business of a story is to be a good story. When Our Lord made a wheel in the carpenter shop, depend upon it: It was first and foremost a good wheel. Don’t try to ‘bring in’ specifically Christian bits: if God wants you to serve him in that way (He may not: there... Continue Reading →
Megan Almon, while discussing the topic of beauty with Wade Mobley, said "The idea is that when we cultivate beauty in the world around us, it's really an act of defiance against all that is dark and broken and wrong with the world." A while back, I talked about the subject of joy. Not extensively,... Continue Reading →
I've heard folks dis the LotR films a fair deal. Now, is the book pretty much always better than the movie? Yes. But I must say, that out of all the books-turned-into-movies I've seen, Jackson's trilogy was the best. Why? Not only did he stick closer to the storyline than any book-remake film, but he... Continue Reading →
I know a lot of my more recent topics have been... not exactly sunshine and rainbows. But I feel like these are important things to discuss, and I write about these things as they hit me. Among Christian writers, there is some disagreement on the use of crude language or expletives in narrative. Some are... Continue Reading →
If you're familiar with the hero's journey story structure, you're well aware of what lies at the bottom of it -- a nasty, unhappy miasma of gloom, misery, and yes, despair. The Save the Cat method has the similar 'all is lost moment.' No matter what it's called, it's that place the hero goes when... Continue Reading →
