To Trope or Not to Trope

Opposites attract… or do they? Whether your grumpy and sunshine characters are falling in love or falling for each other’s nefarious schemes, this episode is for you. Join us as we discuss such pressing questions as “can sunshine characters be introverted… or evil?” and “how sunshine is sunshine enough for this trope?” The answers will probably surprise you. If you’ve ever written grumpy and sunshine or plan to write an opposites attract romance, give this episode a listen. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

It’s Pisces season! Go ahead, get emotional. We’ve got a great episode for you all about sensitive and emotional characters, from your moody broody sad boys to your magical girls to every shade of unhealthy emotionality in between. With tips and tricks for how to keep these characters consistent and how to keep them from getting too annoying, you’ll never have to be sensitive about your emotional characters again! Disclaimer: We are in no way making a comment on actual Pisces, nor are we talking about canonically Pisces characters—we’re simply using Pisces traits as a frame to talk about writing fictional characters. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

Love is in the air! How long after Cupid’s arrow strikes should a couple wait to get together? If we’re talking fiction, probably longer than you think. Join us this episode as we discuss all things instalove and argue over the proper pacing for writing a believable relationship, including what shortcuts writers can take to get there…and which they definitely shouldn’t. If you’re looking to write characters falling in love, this is the episode for you. XOXO Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

It’s Capricorn season, so dust off those perennial New Years writing resolutions and channel that ambitious Capricorn energy into a new story. But first, check out this episode featuring everything you need to know about ambitious characters—those morally gray go-getters and hardworking heroes who drive plot and give stakes to a story. Covering such topics as character agency, what to do once a character has achieved their goal, and the difference between being ambitious and having ambition, this episode will take your writing to the next level. Or, at the very least, it’ll tell you what a goat fish actually is. Disclaimer: We are in no way making a comment on actual Capricorns, nor are we talking about canonically Capricorn characters—we’re simply using Capricorn traits as a frame to talk about writing fictional characters. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

’Tis the season…for cash grabs and phoning in episodes of your favorite sitcoms. Join us as we talk about all things Christmas Specials, from the good to the bad to the Star Wars Holiday Special and every elf and Scrooge in between. If you’ve ever wondered which iconic holiday tropes you should never write or which of the three of us is a Grinch at heart (the answers might surprise you), this is the episode for you. Merry Christmas! Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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 of characters really shouldn’t have a quick wit). From tips and tricks for how to learn comedic timing and broaden your bank of random references, to such profound advice as “pirates are always the answer,” this episode is here for all your witty character writing needs. Disclaimer: We are in no way making a comment on actual Sagittariuses, nor are we talking about canonically Sagittarius characters—we’re simply using Sagittarius traits as a frame to talk about writing fictional characters. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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 nurturing characters in every capacity, with such hot takes as “Steve Harrington is a better father figure than Hopper,” “Regina George is more nurturing than Lorelai Gilmore,” and “Carlisle 100% should have been the main character of Twilight.” From smothering mothers to reluctant father figures, side characters nerfed by niceness to plant girlies who should have ended up with Warren Peace, this episode is here for all your nurturing character needs. Disclaimer: We are in no way making a comment on actual Cancers, nor are we talking about canonically Cancer characters—we’re simply using Cancer traits as a frame to talk about writing fictional characters. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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, from Dracula to Edward Cullen to the Count from Sesame Street, we cover everything a vampire should and shouldn’t be, with writing tips and tricks to make your vampires stand out from the rest. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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 everything you ever needed to know about writing a mysterious character. …which I suppose is not very mysterious of us, but we’re not here to gatekeep good writing advice. Enjoy! Disclaimer: We are in no way making a comment on actual Scorpios, nor are we talking about canonically Scorpio characters—we’re simply using Scorpio traits as a frame to talk about writing fictional characters.

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 decide either way), this episode is for you. Featuring such groundbreaking revelations as “it’s not a redemption arc if the character doesn’t actually do anything” and “being hot isn’t the same thing as being redeemed,” this episode covers the worldbuilding, plots, circumstances, and character motivations necessary for a functional and satisfying redemption arc or corruption arc. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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 fictional characters. No matter how it’s branded—thoughtfulness, reluctance, introspection—indecision can be a key trait in character-driven stories. It can also make readers want to throw a book across a room, though, so choose your brand of indecision carefully. Disclaimer: We are in no way making a comment on actual Libras, nor are we talking about canonically Libra characters—we’re simply using Libra traits as a frame to talk about writing fictional characters. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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 to social malcontents, from eclectic eccentrics to nonhuman entities, this episode is here for all your analytical character writing needs. Disclaimer: We are in no way making a comment on actual Virgos, nor are we talking about canonically Virgo characters—we’re simply using Virgo traits as a frame to talk about writing fictional characters. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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 you’re writing a miraculous recovery, a ridiculous misunderstanding, or a magical resurrection, this episode is here for all your Faking the Dead needs. Tune in this week for such fascinating topics as the difference between faking your death for the government and faking your death for your friends, long running series that just need to stop, and why Gandalf is the only acceptable character resurrection.* *okay, fine, some of us have stronger opinions than others Spoilers for Lord of the Rings, The Princess Bride, Harry Potter, Fullmetal Alchemist, A Court of Thorns and Roses, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Lost City Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

Accidental cuddling? Blanket hogging? Deep, dark secret sharing? Pick your favorite forced proximity ending in this episode on There Was Only One Bed. Join us as we rant about how this trope (and others) can and should be subverted, and how it very much shouldn’t. A little bit of lampshading, a dollop of deconstruction, and heaping side of subversion mix to make this somewhat meta episode one that shouldn’t be missed. If you’ve ever written any trope, this one’s for you. And if you’re a writer and you haven’t ever written a trope, really, what are you doing? Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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 Shadow character is and isn’t and come to some (fittingly) murky conclusions. Villains and foils and mirrors abound in this conclusion to our Archetype series, filled with a little psychology and a lot of writing advice. So sit back, delve deep into your subconscious, and work on coming to terms with your Shadow self. Or, you know, just write a good story about it. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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 body and autonomy and consent, and discuss whose bodies we would and absolutely would not want to be swapped with. Also in this episode are totally foolproof ways to tell if your friends have been body swapped against their will and a heap of writing advice if you’re thinking about writing a Body Swap (or Body Swap adjacent) story. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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 occasionally gives them a swift kick in the pants). Join us this episode as we discuss whether it’s possible to write an unlikable Trickster or write from the Trickster’s point of view, and whether you should even try writing a Trickster at all. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

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 episode about it. Including such groundbreaking revelations as “strong female characters shouldn’t be male coded characters with boobs,” “characters who claim to be able to kick everyone’s ass but just fall down a lot are the actual worst,” and “even the strongest female characters who can never quite be stronger than your main male characters are not, in fact, good enough strong female characters.” Learn how to avoid all these pitfalls and more in this far from comprehensive rant about why so many existing Strong Female Characters™ suck. Oh, and there’s some writing advice, too. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

Werewolves and werebears and Norse gods, oh my! The Shapeshifter Archetype encompasses so much more than just your typical shifters, and in this episode we cover all of it. From repressed emotions to unreliable narrators to sexy boys with bat wings, we cover the big questions, like “how many times can a shapeshifter shift before becoming unbelievably annoying?” and “how morally gray is too morally gray?” and, of course, “but why are so many protagonists so DUMB?” If you’ve ever had questions about writing a Shapeshifting character—either literal or archetypal—give this episode a listen. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!

Offed mistresses and sexy pool boys take the stage in this episode continuing our conversation about Love Triangles. This week we dive into the darker side of Love Triangles, and talk extensively about how to make a main character relatable and interesting, especially when the main focus is the love interests. Featuring a lengthy detour about historical romance and bad worldbuilding, this episode is here for your every Love Triangle writing need. Have a trope you want us to talk about or a question about the episode? Email us at totropeornottotrope@gmail.com!