A few days ago, I stumbled across an article titled "Why I’m Not Going to Read Your Fanfic". I was intrigued, because I do occasionally like to play in sandboxes other than my own, and I'm an unashamed consumer of fanfiction - especially for characters who got too little screen time or character development because the writers didn't love them as much as I did.

While the article is geared toward fanfiction writers, there are some great tips in here for all storytellers. I agreed with most of what she said, while a couple complaints triggered my writerly instinct to say, "But I'm sure there's a way to make that bad idea good!"

Will you agree with her opinions? And will her refusal to read some peoples' fanfics improve your own writing? Check out the article to find out.

Have you ever had a time when you wanted to reach into a book or screen, slap a character, and yell, "No, it's NOT too complicated to explain! And yes, you do have time! The explanation would have taken less time than the argument did!"

It's amazing how many times a character will try to insist that the situation is so complex that the explanation would take more time than they have available. Most of the time, when this happens, I could find a way to sum it up in ten words or less.

Sometimes, I can see why they do that. Sometimes, summing up the circumstances to a rash or hotheaded teammate would result in said teammate taking an action that they wouldn't take if they had all the time-consuming details.

Other times, the character is panicked, and their brain just can't come up with a concise explanation.

And occasionally, even the person speaking doesn't really know what's going on, so they're doing the best with what they have.

But most of the time when I notice this trope, none of that is in play. At least, not to a degree that would prevent them from condensing their situation into twenty words or less.

Do you ever notice this trope?

Do you have a book or series that's a particular offender? And does that bother you, even if you love almost everything else about the story?

I look forward to reading your comments.

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for morally grey antagonists.

Maybe it's because villains are expected to be evil, so when an antagonist shows an unexpected degree of courtesy, kindness or mercy, it immediately sparks my imagination.

Maybe it's because it's a sign of good storytelling when even the protagonists' enemies have redeeming qualities and good reasons for doing the things they do.

Maybe it's because I'm an INTJ, so logical, intelligent characters who put the big picture above their emotional impulses naturally resonate with me, and such characters tend to be cast as bad guys.

Whatever the reason, polite, elegant characters who come across as bad guys to a lot of the viewers and cast tend to become my favorites. This guy is a prime example.

Yes, that is one of the most formidable antagonists in Farscape, smiling warmly at a flower and looking a bit like he's holding back tears.

Scorpius is probably the most complex and interesting antagonist I've ever seen, so it was only a matter of time before he caught my writing fancy. I wanted to explore the motives, fears, hopes and pain of this fascinating character, so finally, I gave myself permission to take a brief break from writing Catgirl Roommate to create a character study for him.

If you're a fan of Farscape, and especially if you're a fellow Scorpius fan, I think you'll enjoy this fanfiction. In Means to an End, Scorpius pauses in the wake of one of his most villainous acts, and reflects on the mission that drove him to do it, and the effect that that mission has had on his personality, his relationships, and his life.

Once you're done reading it, I'd love to know what you thought! I look forward to reading your comments.

Have you ever noticed that adding an element of innocence can make an already creepy thing that much creepier?

Imagine a ghost story that featured the deceased spirit of a homicidal madman. A tall, crazed apparition, wielding a jagged, bloodstained knife, which it uses to carve out the souls of its victims. No one knows where the blood comes from; the knife enters the body and tears out the spirit without breaking the flesh... and yet, the blade is always tainted red.

Now, instead of the ghost being a raving adult, imagine it was a giggling child. Same capabilities, same method of attack, but in the shape of a cute little girl, with a knife in one hand and a broken doll in the other.

How much creepier would that be?

Sure, the adult ghost would be larger and more viscerally intimidating, but there's something about innocence that heightens the effect of anything that contrasts it.

Violence is worse when it's inflicted on a child. Same for sexual harassment and assault. And when a child is DOING these things instead of having them done to her, it adds a whole new level of wrongness to an already horrific situation.

The contrast between childlike innocence and unchildlike malevolence creates a disturbing dissonance, and it probably plays into a lot of peoples' fears about their children being harmed, turning out badly, or both. Childhood is supposed to be a time of cuteness and happiness and fun, not broken dolls and soul-stealing knives.

This dynamic is a big factor in my latest music video. In it, Scorpius from Farscape hunts the increasingly scared protagonist in reality and in his own mind... and in the background, a young girl sings cheerfully about her playful search for her terrified prey.

Click the player below to watch the video, and once you're done, please take a moment to let me know if you enjoyed it.