In The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Yeine has little agency because she isn't meant to succeed.
Your hero doesn't have to save the day to make an impact.
Now entering spooky town.
Romance, fangs, and blood. What more could you ask for?
A protagonist death can make the audience rage-quit. Is it worth it?
Downward turning points make failure feel satisfying.
In a truly tragic story, the hero fails because they made the wrong choice.
Some character deaths are gruesome while others are slapstick comedy.
The movie isn't always worse than the book.
Audiences expect more from stories that feature distressing subject matter.
A thin garnish of gruesome tragedy won't make your story meaningful.
Both dark and comical elements can hinder a story.
Many stories use the possibility that the hero will die to keep the story tense.
Dark elements can help heighten drama, but if done poorly they'll just end up hollow.
Five villains who said "We're not so different after all"—and were right about it.
Elly and Rhys are back this week, once again joining Oren to keep the podcast on course.
What your characters can learn from their mistakes—and how that learning can improve your story.
What to consider when crafting your protagonist with a morally gray streak.
Logan