Inking Neon: Light Up Your Stories

In 2006 Peter Watts published Blindsight, a darkly creative and hugely popular sci-fi novel about first contact. We’re reacting to this classic, appreciating its themes, and trying to extract lessons for ourselves as writers. How do you challenge your readers with really creative ideas without losing them? Watts managed it, and we think we know how. Edited by Cullen McHael Produced by Cullen McHael Hosts: Stuart J. Tanner, Cullen McHael Follow us! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InkingNeon Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories/id1838329557 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qSplbBX4oYmd2pYoSAzOF Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c7826f91-085a-4509-9c69-d90fef1bdb5b/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-inking-neon-light-up-your-294206954 PodBean: https://inkingneon.podbean.com/ Cullen McHael: https://cullenmchael.com  Stuart J. Tanner: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08XW3G4WG/ https://www.amazon.com.au/Art-of-Story/dp/B08JL6GJBR/

Matt Dinniman’s breakout best seller is certainly popular, but is it good? We explore 7 reasons for its runaway success and try to extract some lessons to apply to our own writing. Jump on the ride and let us know what you think we missed!   The book itself: https://mattdinniman.com/books/dungeon-crawler-carl/   00:00 Introduction to Lit RPG and Its Appeal 04:38 Reason #1: The Vibe of Carl 11:15 Reason #2: Unhinged Chaos  17:38 Reason #3: Keeping Up with the Kardashians 21:25 The Two Kinds of Humor 23:18 Reason 4: Viscera 28:57 Absorb For +1 to Humor. Don't Sell Your Day Job. 37:52 Reason #5: They Call Them "Novels" 45:33 Short Readings 49:23 Reason #6: Can You Go Wrong With a Talking Cat? (Yes) 56:57 Reason 7: The Payoff Paradox 01:00:48 Summary and Final Thoughts Date Record: Mar 28, 2026 Date Publish: Apr 4, 2026 Edited by Cullen McHael Produced by Cullen McHael Hosts: Stuart J. Tanner, Cullen McHael   Follow us! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InkingNeon Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories/id1838329557 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qSplbBX4oYmd2pYoSAzOF Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c7826f91-085a-4509-9c69-d90fef1bdb5b/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-inking-neon-light-up-your-294206954 PodBean: https://inkingneon.podbean.com/ Cullen McHael: https://cullenmchael.com  Stuart J. Tanner: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08XW3G4WG/ https://www.amazon.com.au/Art-of-Story/dp/B08JL6GJBR/

In episode 7 of Inking Neon we sit down with author J.A. Merkel to discuss sustaining energy in a long running series, and techniques for building emotional realism. J.A. Merkel is the author of The Fall Gauntlet, a gladiatorial science-fantasy series.    Pick up your copy of Bear by J.A. Merkel here: https://store.jamerkel.com/products/the-fall-gauntlet-book-1-bear-ebook   00:00 Introduction to JA Merkel 03:01 Reading from Bear - Book 1 of The Fall Gauntlet 16:59 Short Stories As Strategy for Finding a Market 21:41 Turning a Short Story Into a Series 24:50 Planning for a Long Series 31:35 Merging Old and New: The Deeper Themes of Science-Fantasy 46:40 Writing Emotional Realism 53:34 Game Design Informing Fiction 57:55 Final Thoughts on Writing and Market Awareness   Follow us!   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InkingNeon Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories/id1838329557 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qSplbBX4oYmd2pYoSAzOF Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c7826f91-085a-4509-9c69-d90fef1bdb5b/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-inking-neon-light-up-your-294206954 PodBean: https://inkingneon.podbean.com/ Cullen McHael: https://cullenmchael.com  Stuart J. Tanner: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08XW3G4WG/ https://www.amazon.com.au/Art-of-Story/dp/B08JL6GJBR/ J.A. Merkel: https://jamerkel.com

Author Sill Bihagia reads from her book Red Demon and shares insights about how to find your family in science fantasy, what’s next in the world of mushroom brain science, and loads more. Join us and explore the craft of storytelling (and mycelia social networks)!   Pick up your copy of Red Demon by Sil Bihagia here: https://www.sillauthor.com/book-for-sale    00:00 Introduction 03:01 Reading from Red Demon by Sill Bihagia 18:57 Diving Deeper into Found Family 23:42 Fight Scene Dynamics 29:43 The Fascinating World of Mushroom Magic and Hard Science Souls 31:37 Neuroscience and Memory 34:49 Mushroom Community 44:11 Global Reach of Indie Authors 46:54 Character Development and Found Family Dynamics 50:02 The Importance of Kindness in Character Interactions 54:56 What Readers Want 59:32 The Essence of Found Family 01:05:49 Embracing Unconventional Relationship   Follow us! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InkingNeon Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories/id1838329557 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qSplbBX4oYmd2pYoSAzOF Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c7826f91-085a-4509-9c69-d90fef1bdb5b/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-inking-neon-light-up-your-294206954 PodBean: https://inkingneon.podbean.com/ Cullen McHael: https://cullenmchael.com  Stuart J. Tanner: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08XW3G4WG/ https://www.amazon.com.au/Art-of-Story/dp/B08JL6GJBR/ Sill Bihagia: https://www.sillauthor.com

Swashbuckling adventure author Nicholas Atwater joins us to share hard-earned insights learned from writing his book, Echoes of the Imperium. We discuss how to make your protagonist interesting in more than one way, and also how most great things come from spite. Well… most of our great things. You be the judge?    00:00 Introductions 02:32 Reading from Echoes of the Imperium, Chapter 1 09:02 Why a Goblin Captain? 15:54 How to Write Big Ensembles?  23:06 Protagonists Worth Rooting For 32:06 Managing Reader Bandwidth, and Understanding What You're Asking 42:17 The Evolution of the Mission 50:04 Characters as Investment Opportunities 59:19 Conclusions   Grab your copy of Echoes of the Imperium: https://www.nicholasatwater.com/    Follow us! Nicholas Atwater: https://www.nicholasatwater.com/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InkingNeon Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories/id1838329557 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qSplbBX4oYmd2pYoSAzOF Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c7826f91-085a-4509-9c69-d90fef1bdb5b/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-inking-neon-light-up-your-294206954 PodBean: https://inkingneon.podbean.com/ Cullen McHael: https://cullenmchael.com  Stuart J. Tanner: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08XW3G4WG/ https://www.amazon.com.au/Art-of-Story/dp/B08JL6GJBR/

Stuart says you’ve got to plot your stories. Cullen isn’t so sure! Maybe you can just fly by the seat of your pants? We lay out our arguments in the (timeless?) Pants vs Plot debate. Also featured: Joseph Cambell was a moron; is Save the Cat worthless?; the creativity of David Lynch; and examples of stirring scenes from Dune Part II and The Fellowship of the Ring. 00:00 The Plotter vs. Pantser Debate 02:15 The Plotter Opening Statement: The Importance of Plotting in Speculative Fiction 05:29 The Pantser Opening Statement: The Joy of Discovery in Writing 10:56 The Utility of Knowing Your Story's Themes 14:59 The Simplicity at the Heart of Complex Stories 20:40 Navigating Plot Structures 28:41 Exploring the Themes of 'The Lord of the Rings' 40:29 Exploring David Lynch's Creative Process 45:30 Dune: Themes of Power and Revenge 52:27 Stuart's Pathos, Ethos, and Logos Toolkit 57:16 Closing statements: The Balance of Plotting and Discovery in Writing Stuart’s Examples:   The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien Interpreted by Peter Jackson, screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Stephen Sinclair DUNE by Frank Herbert Interpreted by Dennis Villanueva, Screenplay by Jon Spaihts, Dennis Villanueva, Eric Roth.   Referenced in this conversation: The Hero With A Thousand Faces, Joseph Cambell Seven Basic Plots, by Christopher Booker Save the Cat, by ​​Blake Snyder The Writer’s Journey, Christopher Vogler The Heroine's Journey: Woman's Quest for Wholeness by Maureen Murdock Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes Aaron Sorkin Teaches Screenwriting   Date Record: Oct 14, 2025 Date Publish: Oct 15, 2025 Music by Cullen McHael Edited by Cullen McHael Produced by Cullen McHael Hosts: Stuart J. Tanner, Cullen McHael   Follow us! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InkingNeon Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories/id1838329557 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qSplbBX4oYmd2pYoSAzOF Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c7826f91-085a-4509-9c69-d90fef1bdb5b/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-inking-neon-light-up-your-294206954 PodBean: https://inkingneon.podbean.com/ Cullen McHael: https://cullenmchael.com  Stuart J. Tanner: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08XW3G4WG/ https://www.amazon.com.au/Art-of-Story/dp/B08JL6GJBR/

Stuart J. Tanner and Cullen McHael trade examples of compelling antagonists in speculative fiction from Sci-Fi to Fantasy, deconstruct the role of the antagonist, and offer advice from hard earned lessons about how and when to consider your antagonist in your writing process. Cullen lists nine kinds of antagonist, which one are you?     0:00 Intro 5:28 The Role of the Antagonist 8:40 Antagonist Example: The Joker in the Dark Knight 15:41 The Antagonist Letdown 24:32 9 Kinds of Antagonist: Which One Are You? 30:46 The Complexity of Antagonists 33:01 The Bully: from Nurse Ratchet to Big Brother 41:23 Antagonists Beyond Ideologies 48:26 Cullen's Final Comments: Lowering the Bar and Escaping Inflated Expectations 53:04 Stuart Final Comments: Joys of Speculative Fiction Questions of the Day: When do you decide on an antagonist? Great Antagonists—what makes them great? The Joker from The Dark Knight Roy Batty in Bladerunner Sauron in The Lord of the Rings Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Johan from Monster Failed Antagonists—why?  Types of antagonist?  Fallen hero Competitor hero Evil mask Bully Corrupt priest Unstoppable force Grand shadow Wild beast Hostile environment How might you fit an antagonist into the narrative, especially at the first third of the book? How does your choice of antagonist shape your narrative? How do we set out to decide what kind of antagonist to use in a given story?   Follow us! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InkingNeon Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories/id1838329557 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qSplbBX4oYmd2pYoSAzOF Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c7826f91-085a-4509-9c69-d90fef1bdb5b/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-inking-neon-light-up-your-294206954 PodBean: https://inkingneon.podbean.com/ Cullen McHael: https://cullenmchael.com  Stuart J. Tanner: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08XW3G4WG/ https://www.amazon.com.au/Art-of-Story/dp/B08JL6GJBR/   Music by Cullen McHael Edited by Cullen McHael Produced by Cullen McHael Hosts: Stuart J. Tanner, Cullen McHael

Stuart J. Tanner and Cullen McHael share hard-earned lessons about getting your fight scenes right. 0:00 Intro 1:34 What are Fight Scenes For? 10:00 The Fun Element 11:00 Problem Solving 14:39 Scaffolding, Worldbuilding, and Playing With Rules 24:22 The Great Challenge: Clarity 28:25 Examples of Compelling Fight Scenes 32:52 4 Things a Fight Scene Can Do 34:56 Establishing Stakes: Costs, Risks, and Invincibility 40:17 Reading: Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan 45:10 Analysis of Altered Carbon's Effectiveness and Choices 55:18 Final Thoughts Edited by Cullen McHael Produced by Cullen McHael Hosts: Stuart J. Tanner, Cullen McHael Questions of the Day: 1. Why are fight scenes important in speculative fiction? 2. Examples of compelling fight scenes? 3. What makes a fight scene compelling? 4. Why have fight scenes? 5. Where do authors sometimes go wrong with fight scenes? Book Recommendations Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan

On this first episode of Inking Neon, journalist, author, and teacher Stuart J. Tanner is sent to Baghdad at the height of the Iraq occupation and discovers that and other strange worlds. We discuss what makes for compelling characters, the process of investigation in writing, and read from Stuart's book Devas: A Sci-Fi adventure in which a serial murder case spirals out of control when a detective discovers an alien civilization. 0:00 Intro 7:21 The Ultimate Challenge 10:15 Visitors in a Strange Land 19:04 Examples of Compelling Characters 29:30 The Case of the Tabula Rasa Character 35:34 How to Keep Your Characters from Knowing What You Know 43:00 How Do Good Author’s Make Bad Characters? 52:41 Reading: Devas, a Sci-Fi Novel Buy Devas, by Stuart J. Tanner: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XWSCFP9