Podcast
Mike, Oren, and Chris talk about stories in which characters use their knowledge of dramatic structure to anticipate what will happen next. They discuss worlds where story mechanics influence reality, and describe how self-awareness is used for parodies and subversions. Read more »
Oren, Mike, and Chris discuss how to do post-apocalyptic roleplaying games, how not to do them, and how really not to do them. They talk about cultural influences on post-apocalyptic settings, player expectations, and how game masters should prepare for running this kind of campaign. Read more »
Chris, Oren and Mike discuss mythic structure and the wide variety of works that use it. They talk about the themes that make the journey effective, and how it can help writers craft better stories. Read more »
Chris, Oren and Mike talk about the main Disney Princesses and how their stories have evolved over time. They discuss the idea of love at first sight as it appears in older Disney Princess movies, and examine depictions of gender and race in the latest … read more »
Mike, Oren and Chris speak in depth about Dr. Who episodes that terrify by forcing audiences to question reality. They discuss the real life fears that make this brand of horror effective, and how Dr. Who combines them with time travel to create an incredibly riveting story. Read more »
Chris, Oren and Mike discuss the unique challenges urban fantasy writers face when worldbuilding, and their share favorite solutions from books, shows and movies. They dissect tropes that are common in urban fantasy worlds and compare them from one world to the next. Read more »
Mike, Oren and Chris discuss the weaknesses and strengths that come with episodic, overarching, and anthology stories. They analyze TV shows that fell victim to the Monster of the Week or the Reset Button Ending, and praise American Horror Story for being new and innovative. Read more »
Mur Lafferty joins Oren, Mike, and Chris to talk about classic creatures. They revisit the long history of werewolves, vampires and zombies, share their favorite depictions of monsters in stories, and question whether it’s better to use existing creatures or make up new ones. Read more »
Oren, Mike and Chris discuss the difficulty in recreating popular storytelling tropes like main characters, mentors, and prophecies in roleplaying. They highlight TV shows with tropes that make them feel like tabletop campaigns, and swap stories about how resourceful and willful players can be. Read more »
Oren, Mike and Chris philosophize on the origins and meaning of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other speculative fiction genres. They discuss stories that cross genres, and sow confusion about the definition of “punk” and “orthogonal.” Read more »
