Episode 224 A plague this way comes

Today's Topic Scary and fun reasons to use plagues in your setting

Whenever the topic of a disease breaks into the news cycle I freak out a bit. I do not want Zika and as a father, I get more worried for my son. It freaks me out. What is this new strain, am I at risk. Is my FAMILY at risk. Truth is I do not know, that is what makes fictional viruses so pervasive and powerful in storytelling. Join Michael and me in this episode as we talk about why contagions and epidemics can take your story to the next level.

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What is good about using plague and pandemics in fiction
- People are scared to death of the invisible threats
  - People connect germs to more sickness
  - Via Pew Half of Americans Say Threats From Infectious Diseases Are Growing
  - Via Science daily Thinking about germs makes people concerned about how they look, study finds
- Pandemic spreading tales made great fast-paced thriller which ends …
  - Story of salvation
  - Apocalypse and so many have zombies
- If you want a theme about the overreach of man, nothing says overreach like…
  - A world man destroyed with a mam made contagion
- What do you need to know?
  - What theme are you trying to get at
  - Is it synthetic, natural, or magical?
    - If man-made why is it unleashed
    - Why was it created?
  - Is it selective or is everyone at risk?
  - Why will magic not cure it?
  - How does it present
    - Do you have symptoms before or after you present
  - What is the worst thing that could happen? Are there other possible outcomes, can you survive?
  - What causes it to spread?
  - Can it be stopped? If yes how can you stop it?
  - What is it called?