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News The Darling Killers (a.k.a Annie and Bev start a podcast)

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AnnieSummerlee

AnnieSummerlee

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This might seem like it's out of the blue (cause it is) but @Vagabond Heart and myself have started a podcast! It's called The Darling Killers, and it's all about writing. We're still finding our feet, but the plan is to look at good (and bad) books, tv shows, movies, etc, in order to find out what makes stories work. During our first season we're talking about one of the pillars of writing...character! Episode 1 is up on our site and on Spotify, and should be up on all other main streaming platforms in the next 48 hours

This is all very new, and we've got quite a few episodes planned, but once I get a bit better at editing, I'd love to have some of you lovely colony members on as well! And @AgentPete of course

You can listen to us chatting here: The Darling Killers

daringkillers_logo_default.png
 
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I love that little shit of a dog. And several times he is integral to moving the plot forward. Lesson-if you are going to have a deus ex machine make it so much fun that nobody cares. This is kind of true in The Last of Us, where the plot needed a way for the MC to move ahead with the plot. The writers used an entire episode to set that up memorably rather than just tell and go on.
 
AnnieSummerlee said:
I've been meaning to watch The Last of Us @Pamela Jo but I can't handle scary things.... thanks for listening!!!
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I am such a wimp I realised that was the main flaw in my Black Comedy. I just want everyone to get along. I "watch" Last of Us through fingers. How do I access your chat on Granny Weatherwax , and Circe. (I actually hated Circe. I thought she was basically Samantha in Bewitched. Samantah Bewitcvhed)
 
Hannah F said:
Cruella is a totally unrehabilitatable character. Anyone who kills puppies - no. no. no.
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Puppy slaughterer is one of the easiest ways to immediately identify character, though, isn't it? If we assume that to understand good we must understand evil, then she's totally necessary. My favorite writing lesson, which I attribute to Mario Vargas Llosa in Aunt Julia and Scriptwriter (which is a great novel about writing) is that villains are every bit as necessary as heroes to any story worth it's salt. We need someone to root for, and someone to hate. Either of these characters, alone feels wrong, but when both are present, the combo fills an instinctual need in humans.
 
MattScho said:
Puppy slaughterer is one of the easiest ways to immediately identify character, though, isn't it? If we assume that to understand good we must understand evil, then she's totally necessary. My favorite writing lesson, which I attribute to Mario Vargas Llosa in Aunt Julia and Scriptwriter (which is a great novel about writing) is that villains are every bit as necessary as heroes to any story worth it's salt. We need someone to root for, and someone to hate. Either of these characters, alone feels wrong, but when both are present, the combo fills an instinctual need in humans.
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She definitely works as an antagonist. She's extremely memorable (especially Glenn Close). But there's not really any grey area for her to be redeemed because of the puppy-killing. If you look at Disney's other villain remake, Maleficent, I'd say it works better than Emma Stone's Cruella.
 
Have to say, I disagree that you can't start with character. You can create a character (or more), get to know them really well then put them in "what if" situations. One of those what-ifs may become the inciting incident from which you build your plot around.

My present WIP: I knew the two main characters and I knew the inciting incident (because something similar but without the magic happened to a friend's family). The rest of the plot and other characters came from there but wouldn't have been the same if I hadn't already known the two main characters.

My Wolf Blind novel: I knew my protagonist before I had any idea of the story line. The next person I got to know was the antagonist. Then I worked out what she was antagonising about. The whole of the rest of the plot developed from that point.

I will add, I'm a plotter. Knowing characters first doesn't mean that you must pants your way through.
 
This is off topic, but for my money the best job that's been done in this area is Wicked. I may only think that because the songs are catchy.
Grendel was interesting along those lines, as well, though using info gleaned from the novel did not help with tests on Beowulf. Red was a fascinating attempt to give us Jurrassic Park through the eyes of a velociraptor.
You know, there's a wonderful opening in this space: Jaws, through the eyes of the great white.
 
Hannah F said:
Have to say, I disagree that you can't start with character. You can create a character (or more), get to know them really well then put them in "what if" situations. One of those what-ifs may become the inciting incident from which you build your plot around.

My present WIP: I knew the two main characters and I knew the inciting incident (because something similar but without the magic happened to a friend's family). The rest of the plot and other characters came from there but wouldn't have been the same if I hadn't already known the two main characters.

My Wolf Blind novel: I knew my protagonist before I had any idea of the story line. The next person I got to know was the antagonist. Then I worked out what she was antagonising about. The whole of the rest of the plot developed from that point.

I will add, I'm a plotter. Knowing characters first doesn't mean that you must pants your way through.
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There's a pretty strong current in mainstream modern cinema that obviously agrees with your premise, and takes it step further. ie The story should not start until we know the characters well enough to understand why they will make the choices they make. It is not my cup of tea, but I've stumbled across quite a few films made in this mode, esp since the beginning of the pandemic. I have to force myself through the first hour of these things, or, just as often, quit.
 
MattScho said:
There's a pretty strong current in mainstream modern cinema that obviously agrees with your premise, and takes it step further. ie The story should not start until we know the characters well enough to understand why they will make the choices they make. It is not my cup of tea, but I've stumbled across quite a few films made in this mode, esp since the beginning of the pandemic. I have to force myself through the first hour of these things, or, just as often, quit.
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That's probably because they are putting everything on screen when much of the character info that the author/screenwriter needs to know is actually under-the-surface-iceberg stuff.
 
Carol MS said:
Good for you! Two of our most well-loved Litopians now sharing their expert advice with the world. Such a courageous endeavor! I just listened--with pleasure. You two are great together.
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Oh, and @AnnieSummerlee and @Vagabond Heart, I need to add how much I love your title. Such a great choice! (I think it was maybe Stephen King who first said "Kill your darlings," by the way.) Podcast titles, like those for novels, can really draw a lot of people to them. I'm reminded of another podcast for writers which I follow: The Shit Nobody Tells You About Writing. Works for me! So does Darling Killers!
 
Carol MS said:
Oh, and @AnnieSummerlee and @Vagabond Heart, I need to add how much I love your title. Such a great choice! (I think it was maybe Stephen King who first said "Kill your darlings," by the way.) Podcast titles, like those for novels, can really draw a lot of people to them. I'm reminded of another podcast for writers which I follow: The Shit Nobody Tells You About Writing. Works for me! So does Darling Killers!
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Thank you Carol!! It was Bev's idea. I'm so glad you enjoyed the first episode!!
 
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