The starving orphan seeking a second helping of gruel. The spinster wasting away in her tattered wedding dress. The stone-hearted miser plagued by the ghost of Christmas past. More than a century after his death, these remain...

In which Mike delves into the theater of ancient Rome. It wasn't all gladiators and Christian-killing, you know. There was theater, too. Roman drama drew heavily on Greek drama. So heavily, in fact, that many of the stories and...

The point of fiction is to cast a spell, a momentary illusion that you are living in the world of the story. But as a writer, how do you suck your readers into your stories in this way? Nalo Hopkinson shares some tips for how to use...

You're in a movie theater, watching the new horror flick. The audience knows something that the main character does not. The audience sees the character's actions are not in his best interest. What's that feeling -- the one that makes...

"You're a fishmonger!" By taking a closer look at Shakespeare's words--specifically his insults--we see why he is known as a master playwright whose works transcend time and appeal to audiences all over the world.

What makes a good horror story? Hideous monsters and fountains of blood might seem like a good place to start, but as horror author H.P. Lovecraft wrote, _The oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." Writers harness...

Two men, Estragon and Vladimir, meet by a tree at dusk to wait for someone named "Godot." So begins a vexing cycle where the two debate when Godot will come, why they're waiting and whether they're even at the right tree. The play offers...

"The Little Prince" is a timeless tale that explores deep themes of friendship, love, and the complexities of human nature through the whimsical adventures of a young prince who travels from planet to planet. As he encounters various...

Sydney Sweeney on playing Christy Martin: 'You're telling their truth'Credit: The Independent

Since 1950, the official language of China has been Mandarin, called Putonghua or “common speech.” All schools in China teach Mandarin, also called Standard Chinese, and it’s used on television, radio, and in most day-to-day business....

The standard dialect of Japanese is spoken throughout the country, although there are some regional differences in accent. English is taught in many schools and is the most common language other than Japanese that is spoken in the...

Use wc to count words, lines, and characters in files, a basic yet powerful tool for text analysis.

Unleash the power of awk for pattern scanning and processing, a versatile tool for text manipulation and data extraction.

The legend of vampires is centuries old, but it was Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula that shaped the modern image of the blood-sucking count. Inspired by Eastern European folklore and possibly the historical figure Vlad the Impaler,...

The image of a wizard—an old figure in a robe with a pointed hat—has fascinated people for centuries. Wizards appear in myths, folklore, and literature all over the world, from the mysterious druids of ancient Europe to the spell-casting...

This video discusses various narrative techniques, such as flashback, foreshadowing, description, dialogue, and multiple plot lines.

This video introduces the topic of characterization.

This video describes the use of flashback in a story.

A video about character motivation- intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

This video provides an insightful explanation of the importance of setting in storytelling. It highlights how setting encompasses various elements such as location, time of day, weather, and historical or cultural background, all of...

This video discusses the importance of outlining in the playwriting process. It highlights how outlining helps organize the story. It also touches on how outlining assists in planning settings and scene changes for effective stage design...

This video explores how authors manipulate time and use various techniques such as foreshadowing, flashbacks, and pacing to build tension and suspense in a story. By carefully crafting these elements, authors guide readers towards the...

This video explores the concept of intertwining plot lines in storytelling. The video highlights how authors can effectively bring together multiple plot lines, demonstrate character development, and convey the underlying themes of the...

This video explores the power of dialogue in storytelling, highlighting how it can convey emotions, move the plot forward, and reveal character personalities. It emphasizes the importance of formatting dialogue correctly with quotation...