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J.J. Richardson
Oct 15, 20225 min read
Subtlety—Speaking the Real Truth
Subtlety allows readers to think something else is going on, something hiding, something faintly suggested.
4920
J.J. Richardson
Jul 28, 20216 min read
Tantrum Movies
It’s a tragedy when a moviemaker causes the story’s theme to become the story itself and dominate over the plot like a pack of wolves.
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J.J. Richardson
Aug 16, 20206 min read
The Contrived Confrontational Argument
If you want your readers to hate your scenes, make every character behave foolishly.
1330
J.J. Richardson
Aug 10, 202014 min read
Why Don't Horror Movies End?
If you’ve spent any time studying the rules of writing fiction, you’ll know that stories must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Howeve
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J.J. Richardson
Jul 22, 20206 min read
Top-7 Villains
Why am I having difficulty picking ten villains? I believe it's because fiction must be entertaining, and that includes its villains.
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J.J. Richardson
May 17, 20205 min read
Top-10 Movies
My twenty-one-year-old son asked me to pick my ten favorite movies of all time. He didn’t tell me why, so I cannot tell you the reason.
1,7320
J.J. Richardson
Feb 16, 20205 min read
Unmoving Movie Trailers
The last forty times my wife and I watched movie trailers at a theater, she whispers to me, “They’ve shown too much.”
500
J.J. Richardson
Feb 11, 201910 min read
Unfinished Business
If my mother were to haunt me from the next world (which would be a surprise because she is alive), I know what her incantation would be.
1140
J.J. Richardson
Jul 23, 20183 min read
Why Sidekicks Outshine Main Characters
I've noticed throughout my study of literature that sidekicks and supporting characters are more interesting than their main counterparts.
930
J.J. Richardson
Dec 28, 20175 min read
Characterization
The subject of characterization has brought me stress for many years because everyone has a different idea of what characterization means.
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J.J. Richardson
Jul 20, 201712 min read
How to Write a Novel
I’ve read hundreds of websites and more than twenty books meant to help authors write novels. Most of them didn’t help me.
940
J.J. Richardson
Nov 29, 201610 min read
Avoid Clichés Like the Plague
Isn’t it true that many Hollywood movies lately are remakes, sequels, or based on fifty-year-old comic books?
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