What If…?

Where we re-imagine some aspect of popular stories by asking, “What If…?”

Episode 52 – “…And I’ll Tell You Exactly How He Did It!”

“Show, don’t tell.” It’s a rule pounded into storytellers…but are there times when telling is better? After all, you can’t show everything, can you? Exposition is an essential part of storytelling, and your hosts Tim and Nick examine the good, the bad,

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Episode 55 – Why Don’t You Just Write Already?

Writer’s Block. You’ve had it. I’ve had it. Everyone’s had it, except possibly Isaac Asimov. The solution, of course, is to just start writing, but that’s like saying the best way to find patience is to wait for it. So, can podcast hosts Timothy Deal and

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Episode 58 – The End of the World as You Know It

Everyone loves zombies. Why? Because they’re the disgusting, shuffling, brain-eating, undying corpses of your friends and family. Wait–what? Let’s start again. Everyone loves an apocalypse. Why? Because the foundations of society crumple and instead of w

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Episode 62 – ‘Tis the Setting

It’s that time of year, the time we’ve been waiting for for months. Yep, that’s right, it’s finally Christmas! (Also: Star Wars opening!) As you settle down to watch your favorite Christmas movie (also: space opera), one thing you’ll notice right away–th

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Episode 65 – Of the World and Everything in It

Worldview. It’s one of those terms thrown around by people who like to talk about big ideas. So, of course, Tim and Nick have decided to talk about it. Every story presents a way of looking at the world. How can a reader/viewer navigate these different po

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Episode 73 – Not Another Political Post!

You 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

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Episode 77 – Believe in Yourself = x, Solve For y

There are many different types of logic in the world. Logic states that 1+1=2. It also states that your ability to survive a cataclysmic disaster exponentially increases if you are a well-loved furry animal. In other words, some logic is, well, logical, w

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Episode 82 – The Clothes Make the Character

You 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

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Episode 86 – Going There and Back Again

As 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

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Episode 89 – Which Came First, the Message or the Medium?

You have a story. Now you have a choice. Will you tell it visually, aurally, or textually? Is it long form or short? Does it lean into the constraints of the form or against it? And why does it matter? This episode, Timothy and Nick examine the relationsh

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