Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice – Review

October 21, 2019October 21, 2019 / Detached / 2 Comments

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been spending some time catching up on my backlog of games and one I finally finished up was Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

This game weaves a beautiful story together in a dark visual novel that highlights it’s main characters’ journey into a land called Northmen. You play a Celtic warrior named Senua who is on a mission to the mythological Norse land of the dead called Helheim. This game is loaded with mythological lore, historical fiction, and non-fiction that helps bring this story to life in a very dark but beautiful way.

This Norse based story is extremely impressive but the story isn’t the only thing that immerses you into this dark world as the designers brought together an impressive sensory mechanics system for the game as well. During the start of the game, you are given a prompt to play with headphones so you get the full effect of the simulated three dimensional sound environment. Once you throw those headphones on you will be immersed into a mass sound of voices that haunt Senua who constantly talk to her and brings a very creepy aspect to the game.

These voices Senua hears are a crucial part of the story, and also gameplay throughout as they can help with advice, and also such things as arguing with her, tear her down, and pick her up at just the right time. This mix of voices, paired with the soundtrack and visual story brings an experience that is worth every minute put into the game. Hellblade is also a visually gorgeous game full of darkness, strange lights, and mixed muted colors that fill the world. All aspects of what the creators did tell a beautiful story that truly brings a chill to the bones while playing. One way the developers immersed you further into the story was the mix of audio and visual distortion that brings a frightening effect of psychosis and hallucination that Senua is dealing with throughout the story.

Most of Hellblade seems to revolve around Senua’s senses in the environments and landscapes she is searching through. You as the player will have to search throughout the different areas and figure out multiple different puzzles in the game. These puzzles all have meaning within the game which takes on new layers of depth and opens up the world around you. A lot of these puzzle moments once figured out can be very rewarding as they open up things like hidden paths and because they are all reinforced by the overall story.

Combat was also a way that brought a lot of interaction with the world and things Senua was a part of. Hellblades combat was a great experience as well giving you multiple ways to interact with the world around you that paired beautifully with the story and progression system. I only encountered a few fights where I felt overwhelmed and unable to handle the battle but that was near the end of the story where enemy numbers and difficulty seemed to spike.

This game was beautifully done and the attention to detail that was placed within the atmosphere, storytelling, and mechanics made for a great experience. Playing as Senua and living out the insanity that was filled in her mind was a different take on a game of this style. All in all the six or so hour playthrough it took was well worth the time spent seeing what the developers created. Even though this game came out a couple years ago it’s still well worth a play if you have never experienced it yet.

Netflix’s Marianne – Review

October 17, 2019October 17, 2019 / Detached / Leave a comment

Netflix has recently released one of the most terrifying horror originals to date with an eight-episode French horror series called Marianne.

This film kicks things off into high gear right off the bat with very environment rich scary vibes. Things start off with creaking, old radio sounds, and even a caged crow that sets the tone for how things are going to turn out in this series. Set in an old fashioned French house things get dark quick but I won’t ruin the first few minutes, so you will have to watch and experience that for yourself.

Our main character of this story Emma Larsimon who is a successful horror novelist is the center of attention in this epic horror that will keep you on the edge. The horror series that has made her so successful and rich to boot is also probably haunting her and driving her insane.

Emma’s books about a demon’s wife are based on her real life nightmares from her teenage years. Emma now grown up and long moved out of her childhood home goes back to the broken-down coastal town of Elden to check up on her parents. This checkup quickly turns gruesome for Emma as her past quickly catches up to her and the nightmares she had are now haunting her once again.

As with all horror movies, shows, and stories the delivery is key to bringing a good scare to the audience. Director Samuel Bodin is a fan boy of the old school eighties horror films so his understanding of how to scare an audience is superb. The eerie coastal setting, mixed with the author of successful horror stories as the main protagonist is genius and extremely well executed in this series.

This series also had excellent camera footage and great use of drones that were used to grab some amazing shots of the rocky coast line, and dead winter trees that really added a level of suspense to the show.

One of the best parts of the show to me was the main character Emma as she was extremely complex, tough, demanding, and very self-centered. She has spent most of her life dealing with these nightmares and has used it to become a horror author rock-star per say. If you are looking for a show with a strong cast, great story and loaded with suspenseful terrifying moments, then you definitely need to check this show out.

Growing Through Blogging

October 14, 2019October 14, 2019 / Detached / 3 Comments

One of the most daunting tasks in blogging is making a schedule for writing and sticking to it! Personally, for me, I am a night owl and most of my writing is done late night after the family has found their pillows. I’ve been blogging a lot over the last few months, as well as spending a lot of time on my fantasy novel which takes most of my brainpower and writing focus.

Outside of the fantasy novel I’m working on, and the increased writing schedule here on the blog all my content has been with my podcast; All Things Geekery that my co-host and I do twice a month. Podcasting was just the next step for my co-host and I as we had both wanted to get into it for a long time. I’ve still got a huge passion for writing and always will, but my focus has changed on how that content is published and driven. Which is all based around the outlets I’ve chosen to create material in like WordPress, Podcasting, Twitch, Writing etc.

My love for writing started when I was a kid and has continued through my adult years and blogging was where this crazy journey really changed things for me. Blogging is such a great way for writers to grow and connect with an audience or just have that creative outlet for the pure enjoyment of writing. This outlet gives us a way to go in-depth with our topics unlike most social media outlets, aka micro-blogging outlets like Twitter. I’ve enjoyed blogging for years and it’s given me a place to hang out with others in my little corner of cyber-space. If you’ve spent any time at all blogging or writing, you know it can be tough and at times brings some stress with it.

So with that being said, here are just a handful of tips I’ve learned over the years which I hope help you all in your writing adventures.

1. WRITE THOSE IDEAS DOWN

You never know when a good blogging idea is going to pop up, so hot those things down! I personally go old school and use a Moleskine journal for my blogging ideas along with sticky notes, which I use different colors for different topics. It may sound like madness but it works for me and helps keep me organized for my writing schedules. Especially now that most of my writing is going towards my book.

2. BACKLOG & SCHEDULING

Learn to schedule posts best you can and how they fit into what you want your writing life to look like. If you have time and can do it, schedule posts throughout the week and keep a backlog of posts if you are trying to hit a specific number of posts per week or month that you can quickly choose from.

3. GUEST BLOGGING

Find you some blogging friends that will allow you to do guest blogging, and or co-blogging as that’s a great way to market your content and grow each other’s sites.

4. STOCK UP

You never know when an idea will hit and you’re looking for an image of sorts to show off this lovely idea you want to blog about. Browse through images you want to use for your blog posts and keep a stock in a folder for future posts. This will help with the last-minute search for an image, though lately, I’ve been making my own depending on the topic. See what works best for you and your schedule.

5. MAKE A LIST & CHECK IT TWICE

Make yourself a list of items to check before you hit that publish button.

6. BREAK IT UP

Break up your posts into multiple parts if they are running long. This will help keep the reader’s attention and hopefully coming back to check out those next parts.

7. CHAT IT UP

Use those comment sections as it can be a gold mine. Watch for questions and good topics for conversations and even potential notes for future posts.

8. DON’T SWEAT IT / DON’T STRESS IT

Life happens and if you are like me well then blogging is a hobby, so don’t stress if you don’t make those post counts you wanted. The best thing to shoot for is consistency but when you can’t don’t sweat it. I try to post twice a week but that doesn’t always happen.

9. REFURBISH THAT CREATIVITY

Don’t fret about reusing previous posts or topics either. You don’t want to repost the same exact post you’ve already used, but when you are in a crunch and the creative juices aren’t flowing, then maybe an older post will kickstart things again….rework that thing and use it!

10. LEARN TO HAVE GRACE

Give yourself some grace. This is a journey that should be filled with fun and moments of learning, but also filled with mistakes and curveballs! When you find that crazy typo or sentence that makes your eye twitch, or just doesn’t make sense at all…..”DON’T WORRY” Learn from those mistakes and let those moments become part of the journey, part of the fun and something that makes you want to become better.

These are my bread and butter items I use whether I’m writing a small blog post, or working on my novel series. Hopefully, these few items will help you along your writing/blogging journey as much as they have helped me!

Writing A World Of Fantasy

October 11, 2019 / Detached / Leave a comment

Doing something a little different for today’s post! I’ve been putting a ton of time into plotting, world-building, and just getting that much needed time into writing on my novel series, so I wanted to share some fun tips I’ve learned along the way about writing in the fantasy genre.

Writing a fantasy novel is great fun – you can literally let your imagination run wild. It’s a little different when writing a novel set in the real world as unlike books set in a reality where you can use real-life as examples, you’ll have to invent everything in your new fantasy world. Do you enjoy writing, are you working on a fantasy novel, or have you had the notion to start one? I hope the next few minutes while reading this helps you no matter what stage you might be in for writing a novel.

One of the best things you could do to kickstart things is to read as many classics as you can find! No matter the type of book you begin writing this will give you a good idea about what works and what doesn’t. Remember though that reading other people’s works is something to help with idea spawning and relax your mind. You must take note not to simply copy the ideas you’ve read from any of the good old classics or other pieces of work you find. If you find yourself dealing with elves, halflings, and orcs whilst being a reluctant hero on a quest to destroy a powerful item, it’s probably best to scrap it and start again. It is true that all stories are a combination of those the reader has encountered over the years. But, you should always try to find an original angle and it certainly should not be obvious what the source material was. Reading the classics will also allow you to discover how well-crafted characters interact with each other as the story progresses.

Tip 1: Use established myths and legends as the basis for your fantasy world. Think about what your fantasy world might be like. Do your studying and find out what your world and culture are mostly like….Is it Celtic, Roman, a medieval world or a blend of multiple cultures with your own twist on it? Once you’ve chosen, go and read about the myths and legends that relate to those cultures. The mythological creatures and characters and their stories will give you a great basis for your new world.

Tip 2: Get to know your imaginary world – you need to be able to describe it in detail if you are going to convince your readers, for the duration of the book at least, that it exists. Be thorough and detail everything you can possibly imagine about the world you are creating.

Physical – what does your fantasy world look like? Think about and make a note of:
- the color of the sky
- what other planets can be seen from the surface
- whether the air is breathable
- what the plants look like
- what creatures live there
- whether there are seas
- what the landscape looks like
- futuristic world or something older
Residents – decide who lives in your newly formed fantasy world. You should spend time thinking about how they look, what they eat, how they move, whether they need sleep, how they speak to one another etc…
Society – what kind of society exists? Do they need money to buy things? Is there a complex system of politics they follow? Do they have a police force, a king or president? Is there a religion?
Special powers/magic – Do the residents have any special powers or use magic? If so, what are they and why do they exist? Does everyone have the use of them or only certain people?

Tip 3: Make your characters believable. This is one of the most essential parts of the book if you want to hook and keep readers interested in the story. A great way to achieve this is to apply logic to every character in every fantasy world you create. This means creating a set of rules that apply to the world and the character. The rules can be based on either real life or they can be simply invented by you. Remember if you are creating the rules of the world, don’t let a BOX hold you back from being creative. Sometimes creating our own ways is just the push we need to make that next step in our creative writing.

Tip 4: Make sure you keep careful notes of all the details you invent for your new fantasy world. This will help you maintain continuity throughout the novel. There are many ways of doing this, some writers like to have a set of cards with the details on, others set up spreadsheets; so play around with different systems to find one that suits you the best. I personally use a book mapping chart I created in excel that helps me track all major parts of the book I need. I hope these few steps help you get started, or give an idea of what steps to take next in writing your new fantasy novel!

Remember, have fun!! That is the first and foremost thing I can say when writing… Have Fun and lots of it!

Destiny 2: Shadowkeep Review

October 10, 2019 / Detached / Leave a comment

Let’s talk Destiny 2’s latest expansion Shadowkeep for a bit seeing how it launched just over a week ago and the community is quite busy with its current activities. Shadowkeep hit the market with one goal in mind and that was to make its place known it was a place for the hardcore community that’s been with the franchise for years.

Bungie came in with some extremely important changes to the sandbox and made heavy focus around customization, the MMO/RPG mechanics, high-end loot, and giving you more control over building that perfect killing machine. Shadowkeep is doing so many things right and moving Destiny 2 in the absolute right direction and setting the bar high for the future of the game. We’ve seen a massive change in the game over the last few years especially with expansions like Forsaken, as Bungie seems determined to set things right and produce the game they really wanted and Shadowkeep is by no means an exception to that.

Everything this time around is super complex with the new customization system they’ve introduced for your Guardian. Bungie has made a ton of tweaks on everything that has helped streamline the end experience on things such as armor, the menus and quest tab, the additional progression systems and how they provide more rewards and the customization options for those hardcore Guardians. For us veterans of the game who truly enjoy the “GRIND” of improving our Guardian and chasing that end game loot and experience then I’d say Bungie nailed it.

That’s not to say there aren’t still hurdles and walls to climb because there are and on of the biggest is for new players entering the game for the first time, or even a returning player who has been out for some time. The amount of material that has been given for someone new in the game to learn and process is absolutely overwhelming such as the leveling systems, upgrade methods, power grinds, currencies and all the tidbits in between. Shadowkeep ultimately is the right direction for the game but only makes that problem of where do I start if I’m a new person worse…..I’ve been an avid passionate player of Destiny since the alpha days of Destiny 1’s launch so I’ve grabbed a hold of this crazy train and won’t be letting go anytime soon. But for a new player, I can see where it would be harder to jump in at this point and time and know where to begin or what to do.

Destiny’s new armor system is absolutely amazing from a customization standpoint and downright almost MMORPG like in a way. It ultimately gives us gun-slinging, alien killing, nerds another level to geek out on while making the perfect killing machine of a Guardian. The new armor system brings a level of accomplishment and satisfaction the game has been missing for a long time but also has a level of complication to it, but not all additions in Shadowkeep make the game feel more complicated. Take the new finishers that were added which are just a fun way to execute an enemy and give it some flare. Finishers also provide a nice tactical benefit like damage resistance during the animation and the ability to instantly kill enemies at a distance, since most finishers have a large range.

When I jumped in for Shadowkeep’s campaign I instantly fell in love with the story as we get to walk alongside an old veteran of the game, Eris Morn. The story has us visiting Earth’s moon once again to stop a terrible evil that has been unleashed which turns into a story of suspense, and some extremely action-packed moments. With the moon being Shadowkeep’s main setting most of us veterans should feel right at home, but things definitely don’t look the same since the last time our Guardians were on the lunar surface. We first spawn in to see massive gray craters that have been split open, revealing these green ominous lights and rocky hills that have formed all over the surface. Along with the Hive doing their evil magic tricks around the moon, we now have ghostly phantoms located in every corner looming around and even calling out to you for missions which brings a fresh vibe to the new/old zones we all fell in love with from Destiny 1.

Though Shadowkeep’s story has some amazing chapters and great moments that engage you as a player, Bungie is setting everything up for the much larger story still to come. We have a couple different story timelines all happening at once which honestly is a great change for me personally as you have the main overarching campaign with Eris and the Darkness, but you also have the Season of Undying storyline with Ikora at the heart of things along with an old enemy friend the Undying Mind. I’m still hoping some of the planned upcoming content like the new dungeon will pull some loose plot ends together a little tighter. Bungie has definitely made a great position for themselves to unveil this huge overall story plot across multiple years and I hope we keep getting content just like Shadowkeep through it all.

Shadowkeep also has a massive endgame list of activities to be had as well along with the new raid Garden of Salvation that just launched a few days ago, and the Vex Offensive which is one of the best events Bungo has ever made. Bungie has definitely narrowed the available sources of “powerful drops,” which dropped like candy before Shadowkeep and helped you level up, but now the systems are more focused on new content and the staples of Destiny which are Strikes, Crucible, and Gambit and that true endgame content. The new artifact system is a great addition that also makes understanding that endgame goal and power level just a bit more hardcore and confusing in a way. Again, Bungie is adding all this content in for a true RPG experience and honestly has done a fantastic job bringing the new systems into place.

Shadowkeep truly is all about the “GRIND” so for the faint-hearted who don’t enjoy repeating activities or chasing that endgame, this expansion is going to be a rough place for you to have enjoyment. The good news here is that the content Shadowkeep does add is largely great, even if it feels like there’s too little of it, and Bungie has a content calendar that promises more coming in the future, all of which is built into the $30 cost of this expansion.

The new raid, Garden of Salvation sends us back on a quest to take on the Vex once again and it looks to be packed full of new mechanics, puzzles, secrets and more. Along with the raid we now have a new Vex themed event called the Vex Offensive that I became a huge fan of. It’s a new arena-style event that is quick, fast-paced, and a decent loot grind for a team of six guardians looking to have some fun killing the milk infused aliens. Shadowkeep as a whole has done a ton to improve Destiny 2 and has given it’s fans a massive taste of what’s coming in future expansions and content updates. There is a massive grind at the end of that campaign and story so get ready to pull out those big boy pants and grind that endgame content. This will make things a bit tougher for those new Guardians coming in for the first time because of the added complexity that truly caters to the hardcore Guardians that like the grind game. I’m excited for the direction Bungie has brought things and has set the story up to develop over the next few years. I truly am excited to see where and how Bungie can continue to roll this crazy train out and what they have in store for all the Guardians out there.

The Beauty & Challenge of Writing Fantasy

October 7, 2019 / Detached / Leave a comment

Since I’ve been back to a more frequent schedule of writing both on my novel and here on the blog I wanted to take a look at some of the challenges of writing fantasy, scheduling time for it and doing what you love.

First of all, I just want to say how much I love epic fantasy, both as a reader and as a writer. To me, this genre is unmatched in the way you can make anything possible, with no boundaries on your creativity or imagination. This type of freedom in writing opens up so many possibilities but also brings in a lot of challenges as well.

I think everyone who has put a pen to paper or their fingers on a keyboard has run into the issues of staring at a blank page and thinking about all the things you could put down on the said page. It’s hard because once you start writing, you can and will be constrained at times by what you write on that page. When that light bulb moment kicks in and the initial idea becomes a reality for you it’s like a thrill ride honestly. Not really knowing where it’s going to take you, or what is coming up around the corner can be exciting and frighting all in the same moment.

For me, one of the biggest challenges and joys of writing comes with the creative freedom you have over the story and how it’s being told. Ultimate possibilities are within the power of your fingertips and absolutely no one can tell you what should or shouldn’t be done when writing. There really isn’t a rule book when it comes to this stuff, as you as the author can invent entire worlds filled with culture, history, and whatever you want it to have. The challenge though comes in once you start writing those ideas, as it must be consistent across the story just as things would be in real life, but you have a different set of rules you can play by per-say.

Another challenge you will probably encounter is around world-building and unfolding the history and creation in the story itself. I tend to immerse myself in the process, inventing names, cultures, beliefs, trying to envision them all in my head. This is extremely challenging and time-consuming, but once you have that idea solidified like you want it is very rewarding and freeing.

Building characters is also another challenging place when writing. It’s hard to stick to one point of view when writing an epic fantasy novel, so finding a balance between points of view to that character’s personality and connecting them with the audience can be tough. I’m working on my first novel right now and it’s been a long enjoyable, tiresome, exciting time but the challenges have been overwhelming at times.

Overall I wrestle with myself a lot and the world I’m creating as I will spend hours trying to make things perfect before they ever hit the page. Unfortunately this has caused a lot of unwritten things that probably could have been written badly and fixed while editing. I began book plotting which helped with this madness and over the last few years has kept my mind somewhat straight on where the story needed to go…..and allows me to visually see the overall plot, sub-plots, and timeline. When I began seeing things tie together, I simply could not believe what I was reading honestly. I was kinda shocked that things were making sense and that what I was reading was working. Ultimately, seeing this epic story, set in a made-up world come together is my reward. Having that sense of freedom and joy while writing is hard to explain but for everyone out there who has experienced it and managed to push through the challenges knows how rewarding writing can be.

Keep pushing through those challenges, have fun with your writing, and pursue those dreams as the process of learning and seeing your world come together is so worth it.

Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House: Season 1 Review

September 28, 2019September 28, 2019 / Detached / Leave a comment

One of my favorite series on Netflix over the last few months has definitely been The Haunting of Hill House. If you are a huge fan of the novel from Shirley Jackson written back in 1959 then you need to see this adaptation of the popular horror novel. One of the best parts about this show is the drama it brings to the screen, but also a level of terrifying moments that truly dig deep into the roots of the horror genre.

Following the Crain family and the ghosts of their past in 10 emotional packed episodes left me with needing to see more of this show now. The show starts with the Crain children, who, after growing apart, are tragically brought back together after one of the siblings dies. The Haunting of Hill House is loaded with a timeline you have to keep up with pretty close as each timeline is impacted throughout the season.

When the kids are young and still living in Hill House, they continually get visions of ghosts, zombies, and a tall slender man, but these visions follow them into adulthood, but most of these ghosts they face seem to be of their own making. There’s a complex theme throughout the story concerning the house’s complicity in all of the kids’ failings as adults. This is where the show begins to take a really scary turn as things begin to manifest in the adult’s lives, and the plot really begins to thicken with a rich story.

When the story begins to expand on the children’s lives, Hill House and their father the scares kick off big time. In the flashbacks with the children, the directory used an amazing slow camera pan technique that really added a dark feeling to the overall story. While the children are the main focus of the narrative for Hill House, a family tale of ghosts and curses wouldn’t be complete without Mom & Dad. Hugh and Olivia Crane are introduced early on in the show but with a twist that unfolds throughout the entire season. Carla Gugino plays Olivia Crain, and Hugh Crain is played by Timothy Hutton which the two made a great pair and delivered some amazing performances.

Olivia like here children are affected by the house, but you also see a woman who is losing grip on reality which could be due to a troubled marriage, and stress of raising her five children. The director did something brilliant through the telling of the story and how things unfold to create a doubt in your mind as the viewer. You truly aren’t sure if what you are watching unfold on screen is because of a crazy family with mental issues, or if this family truly is seeing ghosts and have been living in a haunted house. Personally, the Haunting of Hill House has been one of the best Netflix original horror series released to date. Season 2 can’t get here fast enough to continue the unfolding of America’s most haunted family and haunted house.

Gears 5 – A Pleasantly Surprised Review

September 19, 2019 / Detached / Leave a comment

Let’s talk Gears 5 shall we as it’s managed to pleasantly surprise me, both in terms of its gameplay and its story. Honestly, I wasn’t overly excited when Gears 5 was announced but knew that I would end up playing it eventually to see what the story was about.

If you look at the overall series and the longevity this game has held it’s dang impressive. We are now six games in on the Gears franchise and the story just keeps getting better in my opinion. The developers really took their time it seems to give Gears 5 a well rounded and established character base. I personally wasn’t a huge fan of Gears 4 but with the newest story picking up right where Gears 4 ended, it puts 4 in the almost worth playing category for me…..or you can just ***Spoiler*** watch the recap of the ending of 4 before you kick off the new journey in 5.

Gears 5 makes absolutely no attempt in trying to fix what isn’t broken and I love the fact that what has worked they are staying with! We have a rock-solid story-based 3rd person shooting game loaded with mayhem that just looks good, plays good, and keeps you engaged. Combine all of that with an open world feel and a set of multiplayer modes that range from the old and classic to fresh and new on both the co-op and competitive gameplay, is to me what makes this one of the best action games of the year so far.

Gears 5 Campaign Review

Gears’ third-person action has evolved slightly over the years from game to game, but in Gears 5 they have added a new companion named Jack! This little robot can now be controlled to help you pick up weapons, unlock doors, safes, and a host of other handy options throughout the game. You will also be able to earn new abilities for this little guy that can be quite useful in combat, such as reviving you and your allies, stunning enemies, cloaking you and much more. To get these abilities you will find upgrade components throughout the world which can help you customize what this little companion can do.

Overall the Gears’ combat still feels dang good and keeps you engaged along the way. The weapons in this Gears’ felt good as well and the default weapon you start with….you know that good old Lancer was a constant goto for me. We had a the Overkill shotgun return from Gears 4, and good old classics that have been refined just a bit it seems. The overall weapon balance feels great between the old and new toys we get to play with.

Also new in the open world feel of Gears 5 comes a new toy you will get to roam around with. The wind-powered skiff, pictured here lets you tackle a huge open-world map and get to areas fairly quickly as well as going after those optional quests littered through the area. I found that these optional missions are worth the extra time as the rewards were usually upgrades for Jack. Along with some fresh new weapons, the open world feel, a wind-powered land cruiser and some very interesting boss fights, Gears 5 has become one of my favorites to date of the franchise!

Gears 5 has done an amazing job balancing story, and a heavy 3rd person gameplay mechanic that is still exciting to play! This series has never really had a bad launch on the games, even when changing from the original developer Epic to The Coalition. Gears 5 brings some very welcome additions to both its gameplay and flow of the story which is why it’s become a quick hit with fans.

Mind Mapping for Blaugust (Brainstorming Week)

August 6, 2019 / Detached / 1 Comment

Kicking off week number two of #Blaugust2019 with the topic of (BRAINSTORMING) has been interesting as I’ve seen topics all over the board so far! With that said I have been wracking the brain on what to write about today!

I get a lot of questions around my system of note-taking, my sticky notes, and how I’ve used them to map out whatever I’m writing. So today’s post is all about brain dumping and mind mapping.

If you are anything like me I’m sure you at one point and time struggle with the idea of what to write when to write, how to write and why would I write! Whether it’s a blog post or book….that can be a big hill to tackle on where to start. For me, I finally just made the plunge and started writing, and a few years ago jumped in with the #NANOWRIMO group which was crazy good for getting with other writers and learning from them.

This is really where my book idea came to life as I was challenged by other writers to just jump in and begin. Even though I had no idea really where to start, or what things looked like at the time; I did learn a system and have enjoyed the process of getting to where I am today.

A lot of people don’t write a book or blog post as they simply don’t know how to start. They possess the idea for a book or a blog, but they don’t know what to do with it. They possess an idea for a book, but they don’t know what to do with it. They can’t imagine how they get from initial idea to a published blog post or that finished manuscript which isn’t a small feat at all so don’t think I’m playing this down.

It wasn’t until I began using the “Brain Dump” method to get my ideas that were just floating around that space in my head, to the paper so I could have a visual. Some call this mind mapping, but for me, this is just an old fashioned Brain Dump. Whatever you like to call it doesn’t really matter, just the methodology and way it’s used. Brain dumping will take you from a few grand book ideas to a detailed book outline you can work from to make a manuscript. This ultimately becomes the go-to place for when you need a guide to take you from start to finish of this novel you’ve dived into.

It’s funny how our brains work as we have an analytical and creative side, so mapping those ideas out for a book or blog post when thinking about that can be tough. Basically, mind mapping allows you to bring the two sides of your brain together in one location so that all the thoughts and information are easily visual and accessible. Once you’ve learned how to wrangle those thoughts it’s time to take a look at the actual brain dump. This is the point where the thought has to become a reality. So….how do you make the brain dump happen?

My favorites and staples when writing is using a large whiteboard to map out my ideas and plot pieces of the story together. My journal is always a go-to, though lately it’s littered with sticky notes from ideas I need to go back and form into the story section I need it in. Another favorite is the sticky note and poster board which is always fun for me as you get to move the sticky notes around and write on the poster board as well.

Examples below of my “Plot Board” and “Whiteboard”

On the left is an old push pin board my wife used to use that is currently littered with sticky notes which are all major, and minor plot points of the book. On the right is a large whiteboard that I use frequently…again with the sticky notes. Each of the sticky notes on the whiteboard represents a portion of the book such as chapter, plot, sub-plot, character info, etc and where they fit into the timeline of the book. May seem bonkers but visually it has helped me write clearer, cleaner and faster then I ever had before.

Maybe this is a super writing nerd kinda thing, but this is very relaxing and enjoyable for me and that’s why I’m writing this post. I’m hoping this sparks some ideas for you as well and lights a fire so you can get to moving on that great book idea you have.

Think of the brain like this and hopefully it will help you picture what needs to happen.

Brain Dump Process

Creative Right Brain is where the ideas flow from and all the magic happens. The fun stuff clicks on this side of the brain.
Analytical Left Brain is where the organization of all that creative material you just dumped to the paper happens. This is where the structure of the book comes from and where your – table of contents and outline of the book will look like.

If you’ve lined everything out and keep a good record of the book and use this process then you can produce some very detailed information and great chapter outlines for your book.

Now let’s look back at the Sticky Notes and how they will help you map this book out. This is the easiest way to make a mind map of your book.

My Favorite Mind Mapping Process:

Grab yourself a large poster board or poster boards, or even a large whiteboard will work. Get yourself a big stack of sticky notes….multi-colored is what I like to use as I color coordinate topics to specific colors.
Take a single sticky note in the middle of the poster board and write your topic on it, or a book title, just depending on what you are working on.
Write all the related topics you can think of on sticky notes and place them anywhere on the poster board. Sounds like chaos I know, but don’t worry about where you place them, or about organizing them, unless you are absolutely sure the topics relate to one another.
Fill the board with as many topics as you can possibly think of as this is the “Brain Dump” phase and when you think you’re done, look again as you will more than likely come up with more topics after taking a break, or a step back.
At this point, I like to take a picture of the board for reference purposes in case I have to take a break or get pulled away for something. They are called sticky notes, not permanently held in spot notes.
Ok now comes the organization of the topics. The analytical side of the brain is ready to be worked right? Look for related topics. Pick up the notes and move them around. Take a close look at what you have grouped together as they just might become the chapters of your book. More than likely, this will be the groups with the most information lumped together. Just remember this is your book and your board so move things around how you feel fits best, and don’t be afraid to break apart groups into multiple chapters if one is too large. Just make sure you use a different colored sticky note to mark that chapter and don’t forget to name the chapter.
Use each of the sticky notes you have grouped together under a chapter as a sub-topic that you want to write about in that chapter. This is where the fun begins as writing guides and book maps are a must at this point. Sub-plots of a story can make things confusing if you don’t.

Hopefully, these few tips and my insanity have sparked some creativity for you all. Mind mapping for me is a blast and brings a lot of enjoyment to my writing. It takes a lot to get a story from your brain to that paper. Sit down, start slow, find something that works for you and enjoy the process of making the next best book or blog post!

All Things Geekery Podcast S3E12 – Shaping A Cinematic Universe (Podcasting for Blaugust)

August 5, 2019August 5, 2019 / Detached / Leave a comment

In this episode: We are going to discuss the top genres of the cinematic universe that have shaped our lives from childhood through adulthood. We will start off discussing the wonders and magic of the Sword and Sorcery genre. Moving into the folklores and myths we will talk about the Fantasy genre. Finally. We will wrap up the episode by discussing lasers, space travel, and aliens as part of the Sci-Fi genre.

Click to Listen: S312 – Shaping A Cinematic Universe

Show Notes

Sword and Sorcery Genre

Definition: Sword and sorcery is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural

Top 3 Films
- Detached
  - Krull
    - Is a fantasy swashbuckler which follows a journey of Prince Colwyn and his group of outlaws on the planet Krull to save future queen Princess Lyssa from the Beast and his constantly teleporting Black Fortress.
  - The Dragonslayer
    - Is a medieval fantasy set in a fictional kingdom that follows a young wizard who experiences danger and opposition as he attempts to defeat a dragon
  - Conan the Barbarian / Conan the Destroyer
    - Is based on stories by Robert E. Howard, a writer of the 1930s, about the adventures of Conan in the fictional world of Hyboria
- Victus
  - Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
    - The film has the same title as the video game and is primarily based on it. Elements from Warrior Within and The Two Thrones, the two other titles from the Sands of Time trilogy of the Prince of Persia video game franchise, are also incorporated.
  - Clash of the Titans
    - Perseus – Son of Zeus
  - Warcraft
    - (The film portrays the initial encounters between the humans and the orcs and takes place in a variety of locations established in the video game series) Draenor, the homeworld of the orcs, is being torn apart by a mysterious force known as fel magic. Gul’dan, a powerful orc warlock, unites the orc clans and forms the Horde, and creates a portal to the world of Azeroth.

Top Honorable Mentions
- The Beastmaster
  - the film is about a child who is stolen from his mother’s womb by a witch. The child grows into Dar, who has the ability to communicate telepathically with animals. Dar grows up in a village, where he learns to do battle, but the village is destroyed by a race of beast-like warriors under the control of the sorcerer Maax. Dar vows revenge and travels with new friends to stop Maax from causing any more problems.
- The Sword & The Sorcerer
  - Is a film about a mercenary with a three-bladed sword who rediscovers his royal heritage when he is recruited to help a princess foil the designs of a brutal tyrant, and a powerful sorcerer, in conquering the land
- The Deathstalker
  - Was the first in a series of four films about the Deathstalker character and his adventures

Fantasy Genre

Definition: Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction set in a fictional universe, often inspired by real-world myth and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became literature and drama. From the twentieth century, it has expanded further into various media, including film, television, graphic novels, manga, and video games. Fantasy is distinguished from the genres of science fiction and horror by the absence of scientific or macabre themes, though these genres overlap. In popular culture, the fantasy genre predominantly features settings of a medieval nature. In its broadest sense, however, fantasy consists of works by many writers, artists, filmmakers, and musicians from ancient myths and legends to many recent and popular works.

Top 3 Films
- Detached
  - The Princess Bride
    - Is a fantasy adventure comedy film, adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel The Princess Bride, it tells the story of a farmhand named Westley, accompanied by companions befriended along the way, who must rescue his true love Princess Buttercup from the odious Prince Humperdinck. The film essentially preserves the novel’s narrative style by presenting the story as a book being read by a grandfather to his sick grandson
  - Ladyhawke
    - A medieval fantasy about a young thief who unwillingly gets involved with a warrior and his lady that are hunted by the Bishop of Aquila. As he comes to know about the couple’s past and secret, he finds himself determined to help them overcome the Bishop’s oppressions, both in arms and in the form of a demonic curse.
  - Excalibur
    - Is an epic historical fantasy starring that retells the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
- Victus
  - MCU
  - Lord of the Rings
    - Set in the fictional world of Middle-Earth, the films follow the Hobbit Frodo Baggins as he and the Fellowship embark on a quest to destroy the One Ring, to ensure the destruction of its maker, the Dark Lord Sauron.
  - Harry Potter
    - The film’s chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends, all of whom are students at Hogwarts. The main story arc tells Harry’s struggle against Lord Voldemort

Top Honorable Mentions
- Time Bandits
  - Is the first of a “Trilogy of Imagination”, followed by Brazil, and ending with The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. All are about the “craziness of our awkwardly ordered society and the desire to escape it through whatever means possible. All three films focus on these struggles and attempts to escape them through imagination: Time Bandits through the eyes of a child, Brazil through the eyes of a man in his thirties, and Munchausen through the eyes of an elderly man.
- The Secret of NIMH
  - The film is an adaptation of Robert C. O’Brien’s children’s novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film follows the life of a widowed field mouse, Mrs. Frisby, who seeks the aid of a group of former lab rats and mice in rescuing her home from destruction by a farmer’s plow.

Sci-Fi Genre

Definition: It typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, time travel, parallel universes, fictional worlds, space exploration, and extraterrestrial life. It often explores the potential consequences of scientific innovations.

Top 3 Films
- Detached
  - Predator
    - Follows a leader of an elite military rescue team on a mission to save hostages in a guerrilla-held territory in Central America. The team is stalked by a technologically advanced alien
  - Aliens
    - The film follows Weaver’s character Ellen Ripley as she returns to the moon where her crew encountered the hostile Alien creature, this time accompanied by a unit of space marines.
  - Star Wars
    - Star Wars was released in theaters in the United States on May 25, 1977. It earned $461 million in the U.S. and $314 million overseas, totaling $775 million. In 1989, it became one of the first films to be selected as part of the U.S. Library of Congress’s National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Today, it is regarded as one of the most important films in the history of motion pictures.

- Victus
  - 1 – Star Wars
  - 2 – Star Trek
  - 3 – Avatar

Top Honorable Mentions
- Back to the Future
- Robocop
- Star Trek

Be sure to subscribe to the All Things Geekery Podcast with any of your favorite podcast apps. Stop by and drop us a review so we know how we’re doing.

Thanks for listening, and we can’t wait to hear from you!

A Hobbits Journey