One Piece 1176 Manga Recap: 'With Pride'

This week, Jon Negroni and Travis Hymas discuss the latest chapter of the One Piece manga, titled “With Pride.” One Piece 1176 is currently available to read for free on Viz. Topics this week include: Franky's new power upgrade! Fun theory about "ambient energy" being the key to Devil Fruits. How …

S5E6 – 'Far Away Places'

“Far Away Places” is one of those Mad Men episodes where the show quietly changes shape. This week on Mad Men Men, we dig into that Season 5 standout. First, the episode fractures a single day into three interlocking stories. Then, it follows Peggy, Roger, and Don as each tries to escape a life tha…

One Piece 1173 Manga Recap: 'Warrior Generation'

This week on Rookie Pirate Radio, Jon Negroni and Travis Hymas discuss the latest chapter of the One Piece manga, titled “Warrior Generation.” One Piece 1173 is currently available to read for free on Viz. Topics this week include: Brook and Gunko and Princess Shuri and Jon's wild Shuri-Vivi-Lily …

One Piece 1172 Manga Recap: 'The Elbaph I Dreamed of'

Jon and TRavis discuss the latest chapter of the One Piece manga, titled "The Elbaph I Dreamed of.” One Piece 1172 is currently available to read for free on Viz. Topics this week include: The God Valley Flashback! We've been on hiatus since last April, so we catch up on most of what's happened si…

How to Hook Readers in the First Page of Your Fantasy Novel

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re breaking down a first‑page excerpt from the fantasy writing subreddit and asking a deceptively simple question: what actually makes an opening work? Jon reacts in real time to a dark fantasy opening, unpacking why beautifully written prose can still fa…

How to Write Humorous Dark Fantasy (Like Terry Pratchett!)

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we're responding to an email from a listener who wants to know how they can incorporate humor and levity in their dark fantasy novel. They specifically reference Terry Pratchett, so I take a close look at how this works and why it seems far more effortless t…

How to Write Fantasy in the Age of Short Attention Spans

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re digging into a question a lot of fantasy writers are quietly wrestling with: has modern fantasy been reshaped by short attention spans? Using Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness as a jumping‑off point, Jon talks about why “hook them on page o…

How to Know if Your Fantasy is Young Adult, Adult, or New Adult

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we're answering a pretty thorny question. When it comes to young adult and adult fantasy, what are the real differences? There are a lot of rules and exceptions to the rules, so it can be a little tricky figuring out how to market your book to the right read…

How to Know When Horror Counts as Fantasy

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering a spooky-good question! Does horror count as fantasy? Jon dives into how genres overlap, why dark fantasy works best when it steals from horror’s toolset, and how to write sinister bargains, magical villains, and terrifying atmospheres that f…

How to Avoid Chapters Where Characters Just Talk

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering a hot-button question from the fantasy writing subreddit: is it bad if most of your novel is just people talking? Jon digs into why dialogue-heavy scenes can tank your pacing, when they actually work, and how to build a more dynamic scene str…