Tropes can be useful building blocks of storytelling. They’re familiar patterns that help audiences quickly understand the parts of a story. In this episode, Russ and Tim explore why tropes aren’t inherently bad, how they support story structure, and what actually counts as a trope. From character types to plot beats. The key isn’t avoiding tropes, but using them in smart, fresh ways.
That’s a wrap on 2025! In this episode, Russ and Tim close out the year with a book swap discussion of Annihilation (Jeff VanderMeer) and Parable of the Sower (Octavia E. Butler), exploring themes, writing Read more
A reflective journey about finding your way back to the page after doubt, distraction, or burnout. This episode Russ and Tim talk about what it means to rediscover the path of writing, how creativity drifts Read more
Who wrote “Not Worth The Paper It’s Written On?” Was it film producer Samuel Goldwyn or an Irish Politician who coined this famous idiom? In this episode, Russ and Tim delve into the past to Read more