It might be a rant, a heartfelt reminiscence, a personal reflection, an exposition dump, or a rousing speech, but whatever it is, there’s something special about one character taking a minute (or ten) to share what’s on his mind. This episode, Nick and Ti
Read MoreIt’s Christmas, and while that means food and festivities, hopefully it also means moments of silence and thoughtfulness. This episode, Nick and Tim muse over the use and flavors of silence in stories. In the second half, they present a special holiday co
Read MoreSound. It’s all around us–and it plays an important, if often overlooked, role in many of our stories. So Timothy and Nick decide to give sound its due. Then, because it’s our 90th episode, we share a aurally-enhanced Bit of Story and step into a especia
Read MoreAs spring comes, people everyone develop wanderlust. They want to get out, to travel and see the world. Well, guess what? Plenty of fictional characters travel, too. In this episode, Timothy and Nick examine the role of the journey in stories. Then, in th
Read MoreIt’s 2018, and we’re back with Episode 84 of Derailed Trains of Thought, your premiere podcast on storytelling! The facts: Story School, simple vs. complex plots; Our Take on Tales, our 2017 reads In other words: Your hosts, Timothy Deal and Nicholas Hayd
Read MoreIt’s Christmas! And among the many things people think about during the holidays, family is a big one. But did you know families also show up in stories? They do! So this holiday season Timothy and Nick examine the role of families in the stories we consu
Read MoreYou may not want to judge a book by its cover, but why not judge a character by his clothes? We can talk all day about motivation and emotional turmoil, but, seriously, can you believe what Effie Trinket is wearing? So, Timothy and Nick discuss what a cha
Read MoreYou may have noticed that political discussions are a thing on the Internet. This is not one of those. However, politics show up in stories as well. Why? Do we really want to spend an hour watching people debate each other? Is this another tale of trade r
Read More“Show, don’t tell.” It’s a rule pounded into storytellers, and for good reason. Many great stories are marked by the raised eyebrow and the evocative phrase, the shimmer of recognition in the hero’s eyes and the tantalizing hint of a dark past. In other w
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