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Brent Stypczynski, Author

Home of the works, blog, current projects, and writing updates from an amateur worldbuilder and fantasy non-fiction author.

“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.”
― G.K. Chesterton

Sitting on a castle wall in Trim, Ireland, 2008

  • Core Aikido Lessons (IMO)

    My thoughts on the core lessons I have taken from over a decade of aikido practice.

  • Labyrinth (Arena) (2D)

    Trap Percentage: 20% Encounter Percentage: 20% per hour (modified by character actions/noise) This is a very old part of the Labyrinth. It is so old that only one part of its original structure remains: an arena, located near a stairway to the Sword & Staff Inn of Vallione. The section is a maze of corridors…

  • Common Writing Pitfalls

    Some common writing issues that arise.

  • Dungeon Mapping #2

    Second set of Labyrinth mapping.

  • To Wiki or Not to Wiki

    Brief talk on using wikis for research

  • Labyrinth “Design Notes”

    Mapping Notes Traps & Encounters Notes Traps Each section of the Labyrinth has an X% chance per square of corridor length of having at least one trap. If the section’s percentage is 10%, then a four square corridor has a 40% chance of traps. If the section’s percentage is 15%, then the chance is 60%.…

  • What is the Labyrinth?

    A talk about the foundations or initial thoughts on my current worldbuild project.

  • Labyrinth Cosmology Mapping

    Sketching 2D representation of the Labyrinth’s cosmology

  • Self-Editing Tips

    A brief talk about self-editing tips that have helped me and my students.

  • What is Literature?

    Brief video of my thoughts on what literature is.