Musings of Two Creative Minds

Just uploaded a new video on my Vlog/YouTube channel about "Setting". This is the first of a few installments about how a person's setting can affect them, whether they are a character in a story or an author in real life. Please check it out and leave a comment either here or on my YouTube channel underneath the video. Thank you.

OKAY GANG HEADS UP:  Starting today, I will be on extremely limited or no interet access.  Because we are starting our move to the new place.  It will take 3 days to complete and then I don't know how long until the new  internet access will be up and running.  So if you don't see or hear from me for a few days, this is why.  Hope to be fully up and running again soon.  Take care.

Hi Gang, the traffic to my Vlog has been pretty good for an unknown but I'd like to increase the views. Please check out my latest installment about writing titled "Creating Tension In Your Story" and share the link. There are other installments about writing at the channel people can check out as well including a Concrete Ship from WWI. Thanks so much. http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=c9_Xhh6uc8o&feature=plc p

Settings... where does your story take place?  In Heaven?  Hell?  Another planet? This world?  If it is this world, what time frame?  Middle Ages? The future?  World War I or II?  Another time entirely?  And how does that setting affect the rest of your story?  Does the environment your characters are living in shape their personalities or how they get by in life?  Are they isolated with few friends because of the terrain or location? So many questions right?  But this is something that every writer has to deal with when telling a story. And of course your setting can also shape what genre of story you are telling.  Take Frank Herbert's "DUNE".  The setting of Arakis had a major role in shaping the main character Paul and his mother.  From leaving a world of splendor with water and lush vegetation to going to a barren desert planet, where water was more valuable than money or any riches.  The dangerous and harsh world re-shapes Paul from pampered youth to hard-bitten le

It's finally here. My new Vlog entry "CREATING TENSION IN YOUR STORY" is up. My apologies for the delay. I had to do a lot of editing and then it took 2 tries to get it uploaded onto YouTube.  As the title implies, this is a detailed  and visual exploration of how to generate tension in your writing.  I cover several levels and types of tension, along with detailed explanation of one terrifying scene from my current novel "THE SHIP".  I hope you find this enjoyable and informative.   Enjoy...

I added a new installment on my Vlog about writing.  Here's the video from my YouTube channel  "AllanTheAuthor".  This particular video is all about animals and how they can affect your writing.  Whether it be giving you ideas, or being used as plot points to help move a story along, or even finding out the animal has a story of its own. I hope you all enjoy it and if you feel like it check out my other writing videos on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/akrummenacker?feature=guide

Hi gang, got a new entry on my Vlog.  This one is about making your characters more real and easy for your readers to relate to.  You'll find how sometimes using experiences from real life (your own or maybe a friend's) can be used to make a character seem more understandable and sympathetic to your readers.  I mean, let's face it.  Readers like to feel that they are reading about someone who, like themselves, has ups and downs that they can relate to.  But sometimes figuring out how to do that can be a problem.  I hope this latest Vlog entry will help. The link is just below, please check it out and I hope you enjoy it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJcPkEltTdI