To Trope or Not to Trope

It’s Sagittarius season, and the sass is strong with this episode. Well, sort of. Join us as we discuss the differences between sass, snark, sarcasm, and wit, and talk about how to write witty characters (and what sorts …

It’s nowhere near Cancer season, but we’re talking about it anyway because we’ll be on hiatus in July. Join us this episode as we talk about …

Happy Halloveen from your favorite podcasting writers! We’re here this week with an episode all about those blood-sucking demons of the night: VAMPIRES. From your sexy paranormal romance heroes to your evil overlords, …

With spooky season upon us, we’re here with an episode all about that Mysterious Scorpio Energy. From the Phantom of the Opera to April Ludgate, from faerie princes to not-so-surprising plot twists, this episode covers …

We love a good corruption arc, almost as much as we love a good redemption arc. Whether your good guys are joining the villains or your bad guys are teaming up with the heroes (or your morally gray characters can’t …

Libra season is almost upon us, so we’ve got an episode for you all about that indecisive Libra energy and how it may or may not manifest in …

It’s Virgo season and we’re back with an episode all about that analytical Virgo energy and how it manifests in characters. From social manipulators …

It’s…ALIVE! Sometimes dead characters are still necessary to the plot, and sometimes they’re just too beloved to stay off-screen for long. Whether …

Accidental cuddling? Blanket hogging? Deep, dark secret sharing? Pick your favorite forced proximity ending in this episode on There Was Only One …

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow Archetype does, because if you do it right, it’s literally that darkness personified. Sort of. Sometimes. Join us this episode as we try to pick apart what a …

We’re getting freaky this week with the Freaky Friday Body Swap trope. Join us as we dive into the philosophical and ethical implications of mind vs …

He’s witty, he’s unhinged, and he’s here to give your Hero a hard time. From comic relief sidekicks to actual trickster gods, the Trickster Archetype is a meta character that keeps your protagonist guessing (and …

Breaking News! According to recent studies, women are, in fact, people. Who knew! Tune in this episode to learn how to write female characters that don’t suck. It’s not that hard, and yet somehow we had to make an …

Werewolves and werebears and Norse gods, oh my! The Shapeshifter Archetype encompasses so much more than just your typical shifters, and in this …

Offed mistresses and sexy pool boys take the stage in this episode continuing our conversation about Love Triangles. This week we dive into the …

Sometimes you celebrate Valentine’s Day with flowers and chocolates and a romantic dinner. Other times you celebrate Valentine’s Day trying to choose …

From your classic bridge trolls to your very effective brick walls, Threshold Guardians are here to cause minor problems for your hero and maybe …

Sometimes the temptation to the dark side is just too much… especially when the dark side is so much sexier than the boringly attractive good guys. With their sharp angles and slicked back hair and suave, competent …

Hear ye! Hear ye! Join us this episode as we discuss the character archetype of the Herald and why we don’t really think it should be a character …

It’s the holiday season and we’re here with a fun wintry episode all about making characters fall in love, revealing murderers, worldbuilding …

Cowboys and eye candy and gardeners, oh my! Allies come in all shapes and sizes, and this episode we’re covering all of them. Join us as we talk all things BFFs and sidekicks, take a brief foray into how feminism …

He’s big, he’s bad, and he’s got a plan to take over the world that would have worked, too, if it weren’t for you meddling kids! The Evil Overlord is …

Where there’s a Hero, there’s someone to tell that Hero he’s an idiot. Enter the Mentor. Join us in the second installation of our Archetype series …

It’s spooky season! So we’re here with an episode all about witches. From alewives and the Spanish Inquisition to Harry Potter, Frozen, and mass produced romances, we’ve got witchlore coming at you from every which way. …

He’s here to save the world! Or slowly devolve in a downward spiral of madness and obsession. Y’know, whichever works. Welcome to our Archetype mini …

He’s suave, he’s hot, he’s here to steal your heart…and maybe your grandmother’s jewels while he’s at it. Join us this episode as we discuss all things Gentleman Thief, that villain we all love to love. We talk ethics, …

Sometimes true love is written in the stars. Other times the stars are just petty and cruel. Join us this episode as we talk all things Star-Crossed …

Get in, losers, we’ve got a totally fetch season finale for you. Cady Heron isn’t like regular Nines, she’s a cool Nine. Join us this week as we talk …

This week we stray from strict tropes into the land of retellings and adaptations, discussing when you should, when you shouldn’t, and what makes us …

“Fight me.” –Lizzie Bennet, probably. No matter the challenge, Eights will rise to it. Join us this episode as we talk about megalomaniacal dictators and strong independent women and every Eight in between. This week, …

Sir, that’s my emotional support dead woman in a refrigerator! If you’ve ever considered killing off a character in your writing, listen to this episode. We discuss in depth when it’s okay to kill off characters and …

To live is an awfully big adventure, and Sevens are all about that adventurous life. Join us as we discuss the many iterations of Peter Pan and more …

I hate you. I love you. I hate that I love you. Join us this episode as we talk all things Enemies to Lovers and offer some very unhelpful advice on …

Me? An Enneagram Six? Shut. Up. From loyal faith in preexisting systems to skepticism of literally anything outside their comfort zones, Sixes show up in fiction in a variety of ways. Join us this episode as we talk …

It’s twosday! We’re coming at you on 2/22/2022 with an episode all about magical numbers, numerology, and symbolism. Head back to middle school …

It’s elementary, dear listeners. At least, that’s what a Five would have you believe. Join us as we discuss Sherlock Holmes and other Enneagram Fives …

He’s here, he’s hot, and he’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas. He’s got a lot of feelings and he’s not afraid to use them. He’s also …

But you just don’t understand! From tortured artists to empaths, from serial killers to characters who have so many feelings they just can’t help but sing about it, Fours just want to be special. Join us this episode as …

When someone says “elf,” what do you think of? If you didn’t answer, “a toymaker bearing the white hand of Saruman” or “an orc in jingly shoes,” you need this episode in your life. Join us as we discuss such hard …

Anything you can do, Threes can do better. It’s just a fact. (If you ask them, anyway.) Join us this episode as we discuss Tony Stark and his stereotypical Enneagram Three selfish selflessness, and disagree over whether …

Is it incest if you’re not technically related? Do evil scientists who specialize in human experiments actually create found families? If you’re all legally declared dead, can you still go through the adoption process? …

Do you want to build a… type Two character? Join us in our second Enneagram episode as we discuss Anna, Princess of Arendelle, and how we think she …

Sad boys here! Come and get your sad boys! Join us this episode as we discuss the real questions, like can a manic pixie dream girl exist without the dreamer? do sad boys really need more stories written about them? and …

From the benevolent rule of Mary Poppin’s cheerful dictatorship to Thanos’s perfectly balanced soufflé, join us as we discuss how to make an …

It’s spooky season! Join us as we discuss the limits of science vs fantasy and the separation between mad science and just, well, science. Byron …

Two people are attracted to each other. One of them has a boyfriend. Plot complications ensue. Join us this episode as we ask the serious questions, like is there a difference between friend chemistry and romantic …

Have you or someone you love been inexplicably chosen by mysterious forces to drive the plot forward? If so, you may be entitled to hundreds of pages of questionable decisions and unaccountable triumphs! Tune in today …