Podcasts about protagonists

Jennie Nash launches a brand-new Hot Seat Coaching series on the podcast—real, on-air coaching sessions where listeners get to hear a story develop in real time.In the first episode, Jennie brings #amwriting podcast producer Andrew Parrella out from behind the microphone as he begins work on his first novel. Fresh off completing the Blueprint challenge, Andrew shares his gothic horror premise: a Dracula-inspired story set in 1920s London, where Abriana Harker—the daughter of Mina Harker—faces a string of mysterious deaths unfolding against the backdrop of the suffrage movement.Jennie and Andrew pressure-test the blueprint together, refining the novel's central point, exploring how Van Helsing's legacy shapes the world of the story, and identifying ways to strengthen Abriana's role so the plot is driven by her choices. Andrew leaves with clear next steps—and this is just the beginning: he'll return in future episodes as Jennie continues coaching him through the process of developing the novel.You can connect with Andrew via his website AndrewParrella.com#AmWriting is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.TranscriptJennie: [00:00:00] Hi, I'm Jennie Nash and you're listening to the hashtag am Writing podcast. The place where we help writers of all kinds play big in your writing life. Love the process, and stick with it long enough to finish what matters most. Hi, I'm Jenny Nash and you're listening to the hashtag am Writing podcast.This is something new. It's a hot seat coaching episode where we're gonna work through a real challenge in real time with a real writer. And today. I'm joined by a really special guest. His name is Andrew Perella, and he has been the producer of this podcast for many, many years and is stepping out from behind the microphone to write his first novel.Andrew participated in the Winter Blueprint challenge that we recently completed. Which is to say he answered all 14 of the blueprint questions during our challenge and, and produced a [00:01:00] finished blueprint. And so I wanted to get on with him and talk about what do we do next? How do we go from there to the next thing?And he agreed to do that to help show our listeners how it goes. And I'm so excited about it because. He just did incredible work and also has so much work to go, so hopefully we're gonna get to, we're gonna get to follow Andrew as he does this for a few episodes and bring you along on the journey. So welcome Andrew from Behind the Microphone.Andrew: So much work to go. Thank you, Jenny. I'm really excited to be here.Jennie: So Andrew is, has a long career in public radio and is a producer of podcast for many people and is a storytelling guy, you know, as well as a sound guy. So this is, this is a big move. I feel like this is a right big move for you for sure, for deciding.This is the time to embrace the fact that you wanna do this thing. Does it [00:02:00] feel like that to you?Andrew: It, it feels like a right big move for me that I'm kind of prioritizing now this writing project for me. I'm prioritizing my project, um, over, over, uh, the projects of others whom, whom I help with projects.Yeah. So this is a big, big a right big moment for me.Jennie: It is totally a riping moment and. You're in the hot seat personal coaching, which I, I really appreciate you being willing to do So, um, where we stand today is, as I said, you, you finished the blueprint, you did all the work, you did the thing. So I'm just curious to sort of check in.How do you feel? Do you feel like that's an accomplishment? Do you feel some momentum? Like, what, where are you feeling, what are you feeling? Um,Andrew: I, I feel like it is a, a really big accomplishment because as we were working through the blueprint, I was getting feedback, uh, from you and KJ Dium about, uh, about, uh, how I was, how I was creating my [00:03:00] blueprint.It got me, it forced me to think about the book in some very real terms, in ways that I hadn't yet, and in ways that, you know, I had been kind of thinking about the book in more abstract notions. Um, and like this was putting pen to paper, uh, on so many things to think about, you know, beyond the, beyond the simple plot structure.Um, and I realized as I was going through this. How much I hadn't yet considered, and I think this helped to show me where the holes in my story were. Um. And he, even, even as I've finished, quote unquote, finished the blueprint, it's like I finished one inter iteration of it and like already the story has changed since I first started work on the blueprint.And so already I know I gotta go back and start reiterating on, on, on this, uh, uh, as we go along here.Jennie: Yeah. I mean, and that's the point, right? Yeah. Is the whole point is this is a tool that reveals. [00:04:00] What's working and what's not working? Is this what I want? Does this reflect my vision? And you get to, to play with that wet clay of the idea.So that's really what what we're doing. But the reason that I thought you'd be such a good candidate for coaching live in this way is your story. It really hangs together in so many ways. It's so great in so many ways and it, it would be easy to feel like, oh, I'm, I'm not that far. I got this. I could, I could start right?I can start writing. Yeah. But I hope, I hope what we're gonna show is, is really pushing yourself to answer core questions is gonna just make it so much stronger.Andrew: Absolutely.Jennie: So, um, all that being said, do you. What do you think the best way to share what you're writing with our listeners is? Do you think reading your book jacket copy feels good or do you wanna just say it out [00:05:00] loud?Andrew: Um, I feel like the book jacket copy, I. Um, that I, that I wrote doesn't quite, doesn't quite capture, I think in many ways what I think the book is going to be so Well,Jennie: and we're gonna actually getAndrew: to that. So I, and we're gonna get to that, I think. Yeah.Jennie: So why don't you just, just share what, what it is.Andrew: So, uh, the premise of the book is this happens, uh.Uh, the, the novel, it happens 20 years after the events of, uh, Bram Stoker's Dracula. Um, and so. It involves some of the same characters, and then it also involves the next generation of these characters. So these, those characters children. Um, the, uh, our protagonist is a Abriana Harker, who is the daughter of Mina Harker, who was, um, kind of the female, uh, lead in, in, in Dracula.And she was, she was bitten by Dracula in, in the original novel. [00:06:00] Um, and she is, uh, someone who is defended, um. Uh, by her, uh, by her friends and, and counterparts in, in that story, Abriana is her daughter. And Abriana is now facing a similar challenge. There are bodies that are turning up around her circle and uh, they appear to have similar injuries that Dracula's victims had 20 years ago, and some people recognize that and are.Going to begin trying to unravel the mystery. And this is all set against the backdrop of the universal suffrage movement, which is also happening in, uh, you know, 1920s London, where, where the novel is, novel is set. And so in broad strokes, that is, that is the, the, the primary premise of the book.Jennie: So the genre is horror.Gothic and I, I did some, some digging. I'm not a big reader of horror, so I did some digging into the genre to make sure that that was right. Because there [00:07:00] there's also thriller elements. There's mystery elements. Mm-hmm. There's, you know, there's other elements and it is, I always liked to, to test. Is this right?Is this right? Could it be tweaked? Could it be better? And it feels, it feels like there's really no question about the genre. Right. Do you feel thatAndrew: I, I feel that, I feel definitely, definitely feel that. And I think I, I, like gothic is, is, is a genre that I really enjoy and I want to develop some of those gothic themes in the story a little bit more than I have so far.But yes, I think gothic and, and horror is very much where, where this, where this book lives. Yeah.Jennie: Yeah. And that is something I wanna talk about for sure when we get to the inside outline. But I wanna start with, um, the second question of the blueprint is what's your point? And I know this is something you've struggled with a little bit.Yeah. Um, but so the current point that you have here is. I feel like maybe this came from me. So, [00:08:00] uh, I, it's, you can't change the world without upsetting people. The more you want to change, the more people you upset, and that's fine, but it, but it doesn't, it does, it doesn't feel like it captures. There's a real moral, philosophical debate at the center of your story.Right.Andrew: Yeah, absolutely. I think, you know, the, the characters are certainly, uh, in the midst of a paradigm shift, you know, there's the, there, the, the world order is changing as, uh, as suffrage is, is being opened to more and more people. Um, and times a world order like that changes. There are people who are for it and there are a lot of people who are against it.And so I think that's. That's an element in, in play here in the, in the novel. And that, and that's something that I wanted to explore. And obviously there are parallels in current times as well for, uh, for this, for this sort of change. So I think that's, I think that's, that's certainly, that's certainly part of, uh, of, of [00:09:00] the story.Yeah.Jennie: So I was, when I, when I review a blueprint, and for anybody who's, who's got one all on the page and, and you, you like it and it feels pretty good. The step is to, to really pressure test everything. So I, I read through the whole thing. I love looking at a blueprint. A blueprint as a whole rather than piece by piece.And in this particular case, it's like this. Yeah. This point feels bloodless, which is something we definitely don't want in this story. So I went back to your why and your why is really powerful and really personal and really political. Um, it's, it's fiery, it's articulate, like there's so much about your why that I.You can see my comments on the page. Mm-hmm. Not the listener, but Andrew can Right where I was going. Great. Yes. Very powerful. Awesome. You know, it's just, it's excellent. And you had some lines in there [00:10:00] about the, the monster in this story is not the vampire, but a man who is refusing to change with the times basically.And. That felt to me, given everything else you're saying about the parallels between this, the milieu of this story and the milieu we live in right now, the, the fraught. Climate, political climate. Cultural climate that felt more potent as a point. And I, I wondered what you thought about that.Andrew: Yeah, I mean, I think that that is as mu that is as much a part of the, the premise as I've conceived it, as, as anything else that I've, I've said, um, you know, the, the, the.Spoiler alert, the the murders aren't being committed by, by the vampire, uh, or vampires. Uh, the murders are being committed by an old white dude who is not [00:11:00] happy with how the politics are shifting under his feet and how the world is changing around him, um, and is trying to, at all costs, prevent that from happening, even sacrificing a bit of his own humanity in, in the process.And so I think that is. Is is something that certainly resonates, but I think it yeah. Is, as you say, there's a passion, there's a blood there that in in, in the why that didn't quite make it to my point. Um,Jennie: yeah, yeah, yeah. So I would suggest for the next iteration mm-hmm. To, to really push that point and.It's gonna keep changing, it's gonna keep, um, you know, getting refined as you go. But I think it's important to move it forward as you keep writing. So the, um, yeah, something that's, that's fiery and that's, um, about, ‘cause that's a, that's a, you're flipping an important trope in a. In a [00:12:00] classic novel, right?Mm-hmm. That it, it's not the vampire. So like, why that? Why, why are we flipping out? What is that showing us? What is the point of, of doing that in the story? That, so I would really play with that. Um, does that make sense? Mm-hmm.Andrew: Yes, it does. Okay. Yes, it does.Jennie: Okay, so the next thing I wanna talk about is your super, your super simple story.Mm-hmm. And. What's interesting about the super simple story is, I mean, I love everybody always. Here's me say this, who's listened to me for very long, but I love a constraint on in creativity. And this, trying to get this story in a really short space often reveals something. And what it, when it was revealing to me is, so you've got, you've got a abriana, she wants to, uh, become a doctor.Because of her mother's, [00:13:00] her mother died in childbirth with her. Um, so that's the, that's the storyline. You've got the murders that are happening and, and then you've got the universal suffragette movement, this political debate that's going on. So there's these three threads and. Even in the super simple story, it was feeling a little bit like they're disconnected.I don't think they're disconnected in your mind. I think they're disconnected on the page.Andrew: Okay.Jennie: So I wanted to just ask you to articulate that a little bit more. ‘cause you hint in the um, book jacket copy later, AA has things in common with Finn halting who's. Her uncle, the Vampire Hunter. Are you comfortable sharing what those are?Andrew: Yeah.Jennie: What those commonalities are?Andrew: Yeah, I think, I think, [00:14:00] um, uh, Abraham Von Helsing is, is a character from the original novel, um, and he helps guide the team to, uh, uh, find, track down and destroy Dracula. Um. In the world of my novel, his understanding of vampires changes as he's, as he continues to do research on them.And so he's discovered, he's discovered more about them. That will spell out a little bit more in the, uh, in the novel, but. First and foremost, and one of the, one of the primary roles he plays in the, in, in the original novel is a, as a doctor. And that's one thing that Abriana really admires about him. He becomes a bit of a, a, um, a surrogate.Parent to her with her mother dying and her, uh, her father's grief, turning into a little bit of emotional distance from, uh, from Abriana. And so von uh, van Helsing kind of fills that gap and so she associates her. I think her desire [00:15:00] to become a doctor stems from both her birth, you know, ultimately killing her mother, but also because, and, and, and wanting to prevent that from happening to other women, but also because she's seen, you know, van Helsing.Perform his, his service as a doctor. He, she's seen it in action and what it can do and wants to, and wants to, wants to emulate that. And so, and, and I think one of the, one of the things that, that I get excited about is incorporating a little bit of like historic realism into, into the novel as well. And there was in, uh, the 1920s a, a medi, the London School of Medicine for women.Um, it had it, it had been. Open for a, a decade or so. It was still a fairly new school at the time. And so that there was an, uh, a real place that she would've been able to go and get an education is something that, uh, is something that I'm, I'm excited to have part of, part of the novel and like that school wouldn't have been possible if it was not for the Women's Liberation [00:16:00] Movement, which resulted obviously in the universal.In the universal suffrage movement. And so all of that I feel, kind of ties, ties together in a way that I haven't explained very well in my super simple copy, super simple story explanation there.Jennie: So, so that's what I'm trying to get at is Adrianna is not just some random young woman. No, I mean she's, she's very clearly descended from.A, a particular, uh, family who's had a particular thing happen and you know, there several generations. So have you designed her as a protagonist using those elements of the family yet, or, or is it more kind of just convenient that she's there? Does that make sense?Andrew: I think so, [00:17:00] and I think it's probably somewhere in the middle.I think I like the idea of tying her into these characters that who have an existing history, and it then gives her a little bit of, a little bit of, uh, gravitas for the listener when they, when they start digging in that maybe they, maybe they, maybe they have read Dracula, are familiar with those characters and so, okay, this is the next, this is the next generation.But yeah, I mean, I think Abriana reflects. A lot of other things that, that aren't in, that aren't represented in the original novel. Um,Jennie: I guess what I, I guess what I'm saying is it feels, one of my concerns is it feels as if you could write this story about Adriana and not have her beat from this family.She could, she could be kind of. Anyone Gotcha. In this [00:18:00] situation? Gotcha. Does that, am I, am I missing, am I missing that? What would make, you know, let's just, um, I know there's, there's several women in the novel who have, have important roles. So I'm gonna pick a name that's not them. Let's say that, uh, there's a young woman, Catherine, you know, not connected to, um.Ben Helsing not connected to her mother, not connected to that whole thing. And same time period, same motivation. She wants to be a doctor. Maybe she had someone in her family die, and that's her motivation. You know, like suffrages, like that whole story could still play out with Catherine. Uh, am I wrong? I want you to prove me wrong.Andrew: So like, yes, it could, I feel like, I feel like one of the things I like about tying in Van Helsing is it, it presents a red herring, um, in the sense that it's like, oh, we all think. [00:19:00] That we're gonna find out vampires are responsible for all of these deaths. Um, like, I don't know, like, and I, and I can kind of slow burn the, you know, the reveal of vampires in general and, and, and how they end up not actually being the antagonists in this By, by which is So by borrowing, by borrowing his name and sharing his glory a little bit.Yeah.Jennie: Right. But back to Catherine, our, our mm-hmm. Mythical protagonist.Andrew: Yeah.Jennie: Same thing could happen there. Everybody thinks, oh, the vampires are back. Um, Catherine, you know, they, they keep happening around her. She's gotta figure it out. You know what I mean? So,Andrew: well, so, soJennie: isAndrew: Yeah,Jennie: no, go ahead.Andrew: The question, the question I, I think that I've been grappling a bit with too is do we exist in a world where.Is, does the novel, does the world of the novel, a place where people [00:20:00] have recognized the efforts of Van Helsing and that vampires exist? Is that, is that common knowledge in this world, or is all of that still unknown to folks?Jennie: Okay, this. Is the piece that I've been missing.Andrew: Okay.Jennie: That's exactly the piece that I've been missing.That's totally it. That, so here, this is world building. If anybody's writing anything with magic, fantasy, sci-fi, even just straight up history, and maybe it's a retelling or a re um, imagining, you often know those, those questions for sure. And especially for where for. My understanding, I, I'm, like I said, I'm not a horror reader, but I do know a little bit about Dracula, but the, it was a, a sort of science versus, um, like science played a big role in that.What [00:21:00] can we know? Mm-hmm. What can we prove? What is, what is unknowable?Andrew: Mm-hmm.Jennie: Those sorts of things. Absolutely. So that, you've gotta know that here. Mm-hmm. Has it been proved? Is it. Accepted knowledge. Is Van Helsing a hero who's locked away in his lab continuing to, you know, with funding and whatever to research his thing?Or is he some. You know, recluse who was shamed in the public eye and people think he's crazy, like that's gonna color everything. Mm-hmm. Okay. And that's gonna be, that's gonna then be the answer I'm looking for. Like, why Adriana as our protagonist and not Catherine. Right. So she's gonna have that, you imagine her going to medical school with.Those two different stories behind her, how different it's [00:22:00] gonna be when she shows up in the classroom and people know, you know, or when they know who she is.Andrew: Right? Yeah.Jennie: So there, there's a real, the reveal to the reveal to the reader about her connection and who she is and then her, her reveal to the society she lives in about.Who she is and you know, the meaning she makes from all that you know, and did, no matter what you decide about Van Helsing, she then you have to all just also decide about her. Does she agree with the prevailing wisdom? If everybody thinks he's a hero, does she think he, he is too? Or does she think he's kind of whacked and then, um, learns otherwise or, you know, like the or, or the other wayAndrew: around?Jennie: Yeah. Or the other way around. Yeah. Yeah. Right. So yeah, this is the piece that's missing is I feel like you have, and this is what I felt the second I heard you talk about your story. I'm like, oh, this could be so [00:23:00] good. Like, this is so potent, but you're like, you're missing it. You're just, it's like it's, it's like it's not landing as as solid as it should, and I think this is why.Right. I had not been able to figure it out, but. And you have, so I gotta make sure I understand the character. So a Adriana's dad is the brother of Van Helsing.Andrew: Uh, they're not related in the original, in the original novel. They're, they're, uh, they're just friends. Okay. Okay. But they're, but they're clo Okay.They're, they're close friends. And because Van Helsing ultimately saved both of their lives, uh, he is kind of a, a, a surrogate uncle. So, uncle, uncle in quotation marks. Yeah,Jennie: yeah, yeah. Uncle is Is an honorific.Andrew: An honorific, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Yep.Jennie: That confused me. Okay. So I thought that there was a direct lineage there.Andrew: Right.Jennie: But there's not No,Andrew: no genetic link. Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:24:00]Jennie: But a link through. Her mother a link to Van Healthing Through the mother.Andrew: Yes.Jennie: Um, and, and what happened to her. So, okay. Yeah. We have to understand his role, who he is, what he's doing in the world, what people think of him. Mm-hmm. Um, and also this is important for.Just the environment of your story, because we've got this division, political division around the suffragette movement. Is there, is there o, are there other, um, like, I wanna say mood, like what's the mood of the place where she's, this story's taking place? Is it, you know, a creeping sense of doom on many levels?Uh, is the do the vampire, like, is the fact, oh, maybe the vampires are [00:25:00] back. Does that make sense for the times? Um, like you and I are talking right now in 2026, um, during very extreme political upheaval and also during the time when there's this been this kidnapping of this prominent. Um, media personalities, family member that hasn't been solved.And there's this sense like, well of course this is happening now. Like this, you know, is there a weird, are we gonna have a, um, famous serial killer? Story unfolding in our time. Right. Like, that's what I keep thinking, right? Like there's a sense of, of course these things are going to start happening now ‘cause things are, feel so unstable and unsettled.Andrew: Yeah.Jennie: Is that what's going on there? [00:26:00]Andrew: I mean, I think potentially yes. I, I've, because yeah, I feel like this, it, it, it, it was an unsettled moment politically. And also a little bit medically as they as like the medical establishment is transitioning from miasma theory to germ theory. And that was kind of late, late, uh, 19th century, early 20th century.But like there's, there's kind of been a, a paradigm shift there. So I think, I feel like yeah, there does wanna be, as you were saying, kind of like this constant, creepy. Creepy feeling. Yeah. I'm like, I'm like to lean into the gothic, like I thought, like, I really want that to pervade every, every chapter, every page.I want that kind of like creeping sensation that that doom is around the corner. Um, that, thatJennie: Right. And doom for many sources. Right. Because I think that that's kind of one of your points.Andrew: Mm-hmm.Jennie: Is well, what I'm going back to what [00:27:00] the point, point was. The point we're kind of, um. Leaning toward is people who review, refuse to evolve.When the world demands, it can become monsters. So the world is evolving in many different ways and probably getting the opportunity for a lot of different people to have to evolve in a lot of different ways. It's not just one way. It's not just like, oh, get on this bus, or you're missing. Get on, you know, what's the metaphor?Like you'll miss the boat if you don't get on the boat. But it feels like there's all kinds of boats one, one might miss here, right? Um, I think so. And so that's that. Yeah. Okay, so, so in terms of what to do next, I think your, your homework here is you've gotta get to know Van Haling. Yeah. And the, and the world a little bit better.So I would do some character [00:28:00] development work on, on him and what the world thinks of him and what a Brianna's stepping into the, the light by. Insisting on going to medical school does to Van Haling. Does it delight him? Does it challenge him? Does it, um, you know, what does he think of that? I think that's important.Andrew: Yeah.Jennie: Um, to know too.Andrew: Yeah.Jennie: Um,Andrew: a couple, a couple of things that are occurring to me. I think I had taken for granted the reader's knowledge of the events of Dracula, and I don't think I can do that. I think I need to. To develop these characters for my own, as you're saying, I, I gotta, I have to develop Van Van Hels, the Van Helsing character.I have to develop him for, for my own purposes for this novel. Um, which makes a lot of sense.Jennie: Well, that's actually a really good question. You defined your ideal reader in a way that I thought was. [00:29:00] Completely delightful. Like she was so fleshed out. She felt like a, a full on character and I was like, oh, I know that.I know that woman. I loved it. It was great. But an important piece you missed in that is you said that she enjoys books about. London, the city and maybe some horror and gothic, but what is her relationship to Dracula, your ideal reader? You need to know that.Andrew: Yeah. Yeah.Jennie: My, you know, this is what's funny sometimes about being a book coach is I always say that the, the writers, the god of their own story, I can't possibly know everything that the writer knows about what they're writing about, what they've read, what they've thought, how they've lived, any of it.And, and in this particular case, I don't read. I don't read horror. I, I, I could barely tell you the, the bear outlines of Dracula if, if press, [00:30:00] um, I mean, I know the, you know, cartoon, the cartoon version. I, I, I could tell you a little more about Frankenstein only because I, against my will, watched the recent, um.Retelling.Andrew: Oh yeah. I haven't actually seen that yet.Jennie: So I say against my will because I was like, oh my gosh, this is too much for me. But um, you need to know if, so here's a perfect, let me finish my sentence. You need to know if your reader is a fan, is a reader, is a immersed in the gothic world, is gonna know all these things.Know all the tropes and know all the connections or not. And the, um, perfect example of that is, remember that book, um, pride and Prejudice and Zombies?Andrew: Yes.Jennie: So that appeal to people who love Jane Austen.Outro: Mm-hmm.Jennie: Like, you're probably not gonna read that book if you're not a Jane Austen [00:31:00] fan, but if you are a Jane Austen fan, you're, you cannot wait to get your hands on that.And. Also probably if you're a zombie horror fan, you know, you would delight in that even if you didn't understand the depths of the Jane Austen piece. But that book spoke to such a very particular audience that turned out to be a massive audience. Right, right. So, yeah,Andrew: yeah, yeah.Jennie: You know, I think you need to make a decision.Are you writing for someone like me who's, who's like, I don't know, like I think when I first read it, I was like. Who's Ben Sing? And you're like, he's the famous guy from the thing, right? So are you writing for someone like me or does your, a avatar, your ideal reader hear, you know, does she watch the movie?Does she, does she read the books? Does she gobble that stuff up?Andrew: Right? Yeah.Jennie: What, what is your instinct right now?Andrew: Singling out one or the other is going to, is going to change [00:32:00] how I write the book. Um. What is my instinct? Uh, I dunno. When I think about the character that I, that the character of the reader that I fleshed out in the blueprint, um,Jennie: yeah,Andrew: I don't think she necessarily would have read Dracula.She might be familiar with the story, but she might not have, um, uh, have read, uh, Dracula itself.Jennie: Okay. So yeah, let's get to, let's get really clear on that. Mm-hmm. Because it's gonna really change. And for those listening. The ideal reader. Oftentimes people think it's just a throwaway part of the blueprint because they kind of can just picture, you know, generally who their reader is.I mean, first of all, no part of the blueprint is the throwaway. Uh, something really important can come from any one of these. So really go back to your ideal reader. And think about them in relationship to their story. ‘cause this [00:33:00] conversation reveals how drastically you would change the writing of this book, depending on your ideal reader's relationship to the, to Dracula.Andrew: Yeah.Jennie: And, and there's no right answer. Either answer's. Great. Right. So, um, so that's, I just put that on the list of, of things too, um, that you're gonna be thinking about. Um. So once you get that, so yeah, the understanding of of Van Healthy's re reputation in the universe right now is going to be the way that you bring your reader up to speed a little bit.Right? Like famous Vampire Hunter still doing his thing or, or. Famous vampire hunter, you know, shamed and, uh, not doing his thing. Um, that's, those are gonna tie [00:34:00] together,Andrew: right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.Jennie: And cement down the world that we're coming into, um, more.Andrew: Absolutely. No, I can, I can see how that will change things.Yeah.Jennie: Okay. So, um. We're not gonna have time to dig, to dig into this yet, but I just wanna touch on it so that, um, when you're doing this work, you can be thinking about, um, thinking about this piece, but the, um, there's a cause and effect trajectory that's obviously what the inside outline is. And at some really key places in yours, you miss an opportunity to to tie in.So we always want our protagonist to have agency to be making the [00:35:00] decisions that cause things to get worse or cause them to be in a worse position or, um, and, and there's several places in your inside outline where. Things just sort of happen, which is the plot, and then she sort of happens to be there.But if you understand better these parts of her and her connection to this, uh, the not her uncle now, uh, her, this guy, uh, and her connection to what's happened with her mother and those things, then we wanna use that to push the story. To push the, so the plot has to serve the story. So the things that happen are gonna push your character in ways they don't wanna be pushed to make decisions that are gonna then push them further and, and they're gonna get deeper and deeper each time.And [00:36:00] you have a murder mystery. So each murder, we wanna feel more and more as if. She is boxing herself in by what she does. By what she thinks. By what she believes, by what she wants. And the, the CLO is gonna squeeze her to the point where she asks to make a, a big decision, you know, comes, that's the climax, comes to that like, will I, in this case, um, confront.Uh, both the murderer and her father is kind of where it all ends, so,Andrew: yeah. Yeah.Jennie: You know, it's not gonna be just like, and now we arrive at a place where she confronts the people. It's gotta be like. Gut wrenching along the way. Right,Andrew: right.Jennie: So, um, there's a lot to say there, and I made some comments on the outline, which, which you'll see [00:37:00] sort of my thoughts and thinking there, but I actually think that this conversation we've had is gonna be the solution because the, the big question I had was, is it coincidental that Adriana is.These murders are sort of following her around and people think that it, she might be responsible. Is that coincidental or is there something real there? Yeah. Do you know the answer or not?Andrew: I, I, I'm, I've been thinking about that and I think there are ways that it's not entirely coincidental. I mean, obviously she's not causing the murders, but I think, I think yes, I think there are things that she does that prompts these.That prompts these women to become targets of the murderer.Jennie: That's what I hoped you were gonna say. Yeah, because that's what's gonna, that's like, it's, I think this was on the page and maybe you didn't realize it, but. [00:38:00] Being friends with Adriana is a little dangerous,right?Andrew: Yes. Yes. I think that could be, that could definitely be part of the part, part of the, part of the theme there. Yeah.Jennie: So that, that shouldn't, that shouldn't be coincidental. Well, and this is what's so, so great about the blueprint and showing it to a critique partner or a writing group or an editor or a book coach, is.Somebody else can say, do you see that you're doing this thing that's actually really cool? Or do you, do you see that you're not doing this? Like it's things are just revealed. So,Andrew: yeah. Yeah, yeah. Absolutely.Jennie: So let's just wrap this up. Your next iteration, you're gonna work on sharpening your point. You're gonna work on sharpening the super simple story so that the Dracula connection is clear.Dracula connection to your [00:39:00] protagonist is, is more clear and you're gonna under in order to do that. You're gonna understand then Helsing, the world that we live in and what his relationship of that world is 20 years after Dracula. What, what is happening with him? What is happening with the world? And and that's gonna help inform the connection between your.Protagonist in these things. And then I think you already answered the ideal reader, but just make sure that you're comfortable with that, that she's not a super fan. This is not a insider. Um, folks who know and love and read Dracula, it's, it's more someone like me. He was a little clueless. And then if you have time to dig into.How that all plays out in the cause and effect of the inside outline. That's, that's where I would go. [00:40:00] So it's, um, I had an agent, my first agent, way back in the day, used to say, run it through the typewriter one more time because we were actually writing on typewriter. Yeah. Right. Back in the day. And, uh, that's kind of what I feel, you know, with these ideas in mind, like, run it all through one more time and let, let it all flow through One more time.Um, and we'll see where it goes.Andrew: Excellent. No, this sounds good. This is, this is some good homework. I'm looking forward to, to digging into this now.Jennie: I know. I can't wait to see too, and I hope our listeners have enjoyed, uh, going along on this conversation and gotten some inspiration for what, how to pressure test your own, uh, blueprint.And if you're not doing the blueprint. Uh, also fine, but pressure test what you're writing. Uh, this is just a tool for doing that, but there's this kind of questioning and making sure that things are not [00:41:00] assumed. That's, that's the key, right? It's that you, you sort of make these assumptions, but we have to articulate them and pin them down so that we can use them to make a much better story.Well, thank you Andrew. Really thank you for being willing to, uh, expose yourself in this way. Come out from behind the mic, uh, share your journey. It's not easy to do that, and I appreciate it.Andrew: Well, it's, it's fun. Thank you for pushing me outside my comfort zone. Uh, I've really enjoyed this.Jennie: I have too. So, uh, for our list.Thanks for joining in. Now let's get back to work.Outro: The hashtag am writing podcast is produced by Andrew Perilla. Our intro music aptly titled Unemployed Monday was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output because everyone [00:42:00] deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Zimmerservice unerwünscht! Im letzten Teil unserer Besprechung von H. P. Lovecrafts Schatten über Innsmouth werden die Hotelmitarbeitenden anscheinend etwas zu aufdringlich. Deshalb macht sich unser Protagonist mitten in der Nacht aus dem Staub und lässt das Gilman House und die Stadt Innsmouth nach einer spektakulären Flucht (vorerst) hinter sich. Zurück im Alltag stößt unser Held jedoch auf immer mehr Verbindungen zwischen seinen Vorfahren sowie den Familien Marsh und Obed. Am Ende der Geschichte steht eine Selbsterkenntnis, die sich auf ganz unterschiedliche Art und Weise deuten lässt. Wir sehen darin eine positive Auflösung und finden: Der Erzähler trifft die richtige Entscheidung, indem er sich nicht von den Konventionen und der Intoleranz seines Umfelds in den Untergang treiben lässt. --- Hier seht ihr, wie Leslie Nielsen in Wrongfully Accused von einem Zug durch den Wald gejagt wird. Erstklassiger Humor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjbUnn32_zU --- In der nächsten Folge lesen wir Das Haus an der Grenze (The House on the Borderland) von William Hope Hodgson. Wenn ihr die Geschichte auf Deutsch lesen wollt, müsst ihr euch leider eine analoge Ausgabe kaufen. Das englische Original gibt es aber hier online: https://archive.org/details/william-hope-hodgson_the-house-on-the-borderland --- Unterstütz uns auf Steady für noch mehr Content abseits der Literatur

Karen Palmer joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about changing her identity to escape a dangerous ex-husband, being stalked, the consequences of deciding to disappear, coming to grips with the experience of domestic abuse, mistaking grief for maturity, telling a story as truthfully as possible, relinquishing a child, the long-term effect of PTSD, not ever completely knowing ourselves or others, deep truth vs. inconsequential truth, writing about ourself like we are a character, projecting a persona that isn't real, understanding the end of the story late in the writing, moving around in time without losing the reader, believing in a story and the ability to tell it, and her new memoir She's Under Here: a Love Story, a Horror Story, a Reckoning.   Also in this episode: -keeping the faith -trying a story out as fiction first -coming of age with many obstacles   Books mentioned in this episode: -In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado -Bluets by Maggie Nelson  -Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel    Karen Palmer's memoir She's Under Here grew out of her award-winning essay The Reader Is the Protagonist, first published in VQR and selected by Leslie Jamison for inclusion in Best American Essays 2017. She has received a Pushcart Prize and grants from the NEA and the Colorado Council on the Arts, and is the author of the novels All Saints and Border Dogs. Other work has appeared in the Kenyon Review, Arts & Letters, The Rumpus, and Kalliope. She teaches at Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver, CO, and lives with her husband in California.    Connect with Karen: Website: www.karenpalmer.com Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/karenpalmer.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/karenpalmer1989/ Facebook: facebook.com/palmer.karen She's Under Here can be purchased at:   AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Shes-Under-Here-Karen-Palmer/dp/1643757547?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V14dH3NYK1_JGqY01snjfw.dGdXTKkQ0h0_uH68hQXjNRQ82iK7rF80ygG6EAeafQ8&qid=1759333809&sr=8-1' BOOKSHOP.ORG: https://bookshop.org/p/books/she-s-under-here-a-memoir-karen-palmer/d5c065268851768c?ean=9781643757544&next=t For a signed copy from Diesel Bookstore: https://dieselbookstore.com/book/9781643757544s Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shes-under-here-karen-palmer/1147279207?ean=9781643757544   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book.   More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

Send a textSupport the showBreakfast With Tiffany Show Official Facebook Page ~ https://www.facebook.com/breakfastwithtiffanyshow Tiffany's Instagram Account ~ https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyrossdaleofficial/ Breakfast With Tiffany Show Youtube Channel ~ https://bit.ly/3vIVzhE Breakfast With Tiffany Show Official Page ~ https://www.tiffanyrossdale.com/podcast For questions, requests, collaborations and comments, feel free to reach us via our e-mail ~ breakfastwithtiffanyshow@outlook.com SUBSCRIBE and SUPPORT us here ~ https://www.buzzsprout.com/1187534/supporters/new

9:00 - Jeremy and Joe break down the best sports movie protagonist names.

Hour 4 in full

3. Guest Author: George Black Headline: Two Protagonists and the Ashau Valley Summary:This segment introduces Manis Campbell and Chuck Searcy, exploring their motivations and the critical strategic importance of the rugged, North Vietnamese-controlled Ashau Valley. (3)1968 AUSTRALIA IN VIETNAM

Following the 2014 exhibition dedicated to his work, Pierre-Luc Granjon is back at the Bergamo Film meeting The post Pierre-Luc Granjon, interview with the protagonist of Animation cinema *pinscreen* at the 44° BFM appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Following the 2014 exhibition dedicated to his work, Pierre-Luc Granjon is back at the Bergamo Film meeting The post Pierre-Luc Granjon, interview with the protagonist of Animation cinema *pinscreen* at the 44° BFM appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Following the 2014 exhibition dedicated to his work, Pierre-Luc Granjon is back at the Bergamo Film meeting The post Pierre-Luc Granjon, interview with the protagonist of Animation cinema *pinscreen* at the 44° BFM appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Following the 2014 exhibition dedicated to his work, Pierre-Luc Granjon is back at the Bergamo Film meeting The post Pierre-Luc Granjon, interview with the protagonist of Animation cinema *pinscreen* at the 44° BFM appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Following the 2014 exhibition dedicated to his work, Pierre-Luc Granjon is back at the Bergamo Film meeting The post Pierre-Luc Granjon, interview with the protagonist of Animation cinema *pinscreen* at the 44° BFM appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Following the 2014 exhibition dedicated to his work, Pierre-Luc Granjon is back at the Bergamo Film meeting The post Pierre-Luc Granjon, interview with the protagonist of Animation cinema *pinscreen* at the 44° BFM appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Klassenkampf von oben, Feiertage abschaffen, 10 % Mehrarbeit ohne Lohnausgleich und das ewige Mantra: „Wir müssen mal wieder was leisten“. Gleichzeitig läuft die Bullshit-Bingo-Maschine rund um Friedrich Merz, den sogenannten CDU-Wirtschaftsflügel (laut LobbyControl das „Einfallstor für Konzerninteressen“) und die Arbeitgeberverbände so heiß, dass beim Thema Arbeit häufig nur noch gequirlter Mist die Münder der Protagonist:innen verlässt. Ihr merkt, wir haben uns ein bisschen triggern lassen. Wir – und hoffentlich auch ihr – werden aber im zweiten Teil dieser Folge schnell feststellen, dass man mit etwas Menschenkenntnis, Nachdenken und Zuhören bei diesem Thema doch sehr viel weiter kommt als so manche:r Politiker:in oder TV-Moderator:in. Scheinbar vergisst man bei diesem Thema Dinge, die vor zehn Jahren in öffentlichen Debatten noch als selbstverständlich vorausgesetzt werden konnten. Gab es da tatsächlich mal eine Studie, die festgestellt hat, dass wir nicht zwangsläufig weniger schaffen, nur weil wir weniger arbeiten? Machen nicht auch wir die Erfahrung, dass wir nicht mehr leisten könnten, nur weil wir eine Stunde länger absitzen? Und wer fängt eigentlich das marode Kita- und Schulsystem auf? Wer bezahlt die Altersvorsorge für die Lanz'schen Kleinsparer:innen, die sich von ihrem mühsam abgesparten Geld damals „nur“ fünf Wohnungen kaufen konnten? Warum strauchelt die Wirtschaft wirklich und tut sie es tatsächlich? Bevor wir uns aber kopfüber in die Abgründe der Arbeits- und Standortdebatte stürzen, atmen wir im ersten Teil der Folge erst einmal tief durch. Wir sprechen über den Einzug des Frühlings, teilen ein paar schöne Momente und lassen auch Platz für die traurigen Dinge, die uns gerade bewegen. Ein bisschen Erdung muss sein, bevor der Puls beim Thema Arbeitszeit wieder auf 180 steigt.

Im neuen Schweizer Dokumentarfilm "Melodie" von Anka Schmid zeigen verschiedene Protagonist*innen ihre Gesänge, Gefühle und Melodien. Im Zentrum steht die Verbindung, untereinander und mit einem selbst. Im Gespräch mit Noemi Kilchenmann erzählt Anka Schmid, wie die unterschiedlichen Aspekte von Gesang in den Dreharbeiten angegangen wurden, wie auch die politische Dimension des Singens für sie von Bedeutung war und auch, wo sie am liebsten singt. Bild: Anka Schmid

Okay, wer möchte etwas über die Geschichte von Innsmouth lernen? Sehr schön! Dann nehmt euch einen Whisky und setzt euch zum alten Zadok auf den moosigen Fels am Ufer. Es ist vielleicht ein bisschen rutschig, aber das passt wunderbar zur Stadtgeschichte selbst, über die wir im zweiten Teil von H. P. Lovecrafts Schatten über Innsmouth mehr erfahren. Um an Zadoks Zeitzeugenbericht ranzukommen, muss unser Protagonist zwar zu unkonventionellen (und ziemlich merkwürdigen) Methoden greifen, aber was tut man nicht alles im Namen der Wissenschaft? Als der Bus nach Arkham auch noch zufällig einen Motorschaden hat und nicht abfahren kann, kommt unser Protagonist in der luxuriösen Präsidentensuite (ohne fließend Wasser) im Gilman House unter. Doch selbst mit einem behelfsmäßig montierten Türriegel fühlt er sich hier nicht hundertprozentig sicher. Wir sind gespannt auf das Finale! --- In der nächsten Folge lesen wir den Rest von Schatten über Innsmouth (The Shadow over Innsmouth) von H. P. Lovecraft. Hier findet ihr eine kostenlose, digitale Version auf Deutsch: https://www.bastiancleve.com/wp-content/uploads/Schatten_ueber_Innsmouth.pdf Und hier geht's zum englischen Original: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/73181/pg73181-images.html --- Wenn ihr möchtet, könnt ihr euch auch schon auf unser darauffolgendes Projekt vorbereiten: Das Haus an der Grenze (The House on the Borderland) von William Hope Hodgson. Wenn ihr die Geschichte auf Deutsch lesen wollt, müsst ihr euch leider eine analoge Ausgabe kaufen. Das englische Original gibt es aber hier online: https://archive.org/details/william-hope-hodgson_the-house-on-the-borderland --- Unterstütz uns auf Steady für noch mehr Content abseits der Literatur

Hello, Protagonists!Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture.Our next guest, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, is the author of the instant New York Times bestselling novels The Nest (named a best book of the year by People, the Washington Post, and NPR) and Good Company (a Read with Jenna selection). Her work has been translated into more than 28 languages, and The Nest is in development as a limited series with AMC Studios. Sweeney holds an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars.Today, we talk about:* writing distinct and integrated POVs,* finding the right pace of writing for yourself,* how we sometimes scare ourselves out of taking risks in writing,* the truth of having work developed into a TV series,* and so much more!xo,Joanna & Evelyn

Shhh, don't tell anyone!

This week on the Inspired Budget Podcast, Justine Nelson from Debt Free Millennials joins me to talk about the emotional side of money. We get into mom guilt, comparison, spending to relieve stress, and why so many women feel like they should be further along financially.Justine also walks me through a simple game from her coaching program called “I'm the Protagonist,” where you can play along and see where you feel confident with money and where you might still be holding back.It is a helpful episode if you are working on building financial self-trust and healthier habits.Links Mentioned:Debt Free Millennials YouTubeDebt Free Millennials WebsiteYou Might Like: Get the FREE Goodbye Debt Tracker! Grab my FREE Budgeting Cheat Sheet. Get the Budget My Paycheck Spreadsheet. Follow Allison on Instagram! @inspiredbudget Check out Inspired Budget's blog. Take my FREE class on How to Budget to Build Wealth!

Resident Evil Month rolls on! Patrick and Mark are joined by special guest Charlie Mihelich to definitively rank the many protagonists of Resident Evil.SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/nintendocartridgesocietyFRIEND US ON SWITCH / SWITCH 2Patrick: SW-1401-2882-4137Mark: SW-8112-0583-0050

Find our Interstellar review here: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/alostplot/episodes/2024-11-14T16_15_06-08_00 In this episode, the hosts discuss Christopher Nolan's film 'The Prestige,' exploring its intricate plot, character dynamics, and thematic depth. They share their initial impressions and ratings, delve into the non-linear storytelling, and analyze the rivalry between the two main characters, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden. The conversation highlights the film's exploration of obsession, sacrifice, and the nature of deception in magic. In this conversation, the hosts delve into the intricate character development of Borden in 'The Prestige', exploring how his duality and ambition lead to tragic outcomes. They discuss the overarching themes of rivalry and ambition, emphasizing how these elements drive the narrative and ultimately result in the characters' downfalls. The conversation also highlights the significance of side characters, such as Cutter and Olivia, and their roles in the story. Finally, they reflect on the lasting impact of the film and its masterful storytelling techniques, particularly in relation to misdirection and the consequences of ambition.----------Highlights:0:00 ‘The Prestige: Introduction'8:57L Opening Scene16:22 The Protagonist & Antagonist22:00 Robert Angier32:36 Borden's Character46:57 Themes & Messages56:08 John Cutter1:01:50 Olivia Wenscombe & Sarah Borden1:10:25 Lasting Impact#theprestige #christophernolan #alostplot #film #filmthoughts #christianbale #hughjackman #andyserkis #magic #michaelcain #davidbowie #plottwists #filmreview 

The video is a podcast episode of the Adventure Game Hotspot podcast, hosted by Joshua Cleveland and Jack Allin. They discuss adventure games released in the first two months of 2026 and anticipated games for the rest of the year.**Adventure Games Discussed:** * **Inkl games:** * ***Earth Must Die***: * ***Perfect Tides***: * ***Shadows of the Afterland***: * ***Reanimal*** * ***Life is Strange: Reunion*** * ***Anomalous Use Protocol*** * ***Anttos*** * ***Directive 8020*** * ***Crushed in Time*** * ***The Dark Eye*** **Anticipated Games (Likely not 2026 releases):** * **Tex Murphy - Under Killing Moon remake:** Started as a fan remake, but the original team, including Chris Jones and Matt Von Rune, are now involved. A Kickstarter was recently announced. * ***Less Miserables***: The next game from the creators of *Protagonist*. It is a hand-drawn spoof of *Les Misérables*. * ***Gilt***: Ben Chandler's project, with Dave Gilbert providing support. Chandler is the artist for Wadjet Eye's biggest games. The game has a "really unique premise" and is ambitious.**Media & Entertainment in 2026**The hosts also discussed movies and TV shows they are looking forward to in 2026, including: * ***The Magician's Nephew***: A Narnia movie funded by Netflix and directed by the director of *Barbie*. The host is excited they are starting with this prequel instead of remaking *The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe*. * ***Spider-Man Noir***: A live-action TV series on Amazon Prime starring Nicholas Cage as a 1930s detective Spider-Man. * ***Spider-Man: Brand New Day***: A new Tom Holland Spider-Man movie. * ***Alex Cross*** (new season): One host enjoyed the first season, finding it an easier-to-digest adaptation of the books with an added "tough guy" element to the main character. * ***Coyote vs. Acme***: A live-action and animated movie about Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Company for faulty products. It involves James Gunn. * ***The Bride***: A Frankenstein story starring Christian Bale, Jake Gyllenhaal, Annette Benning, Peter Sarsgard, Jesse Buckley, and Penelope Cruz, and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. * ***The Mandalorian and Grogu***: The movie extension of *The Mandalorian* series. * ***The Odyssey***: The next Christopher Nolan movie, based on Odysseus after the Trojan War, starring Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Jon Bernthal, and Robert Pattinson. * ***Blade Runner***: A new TV show set for release in 2026. * ***He-Man***: A live-action movie.Video was recorded using Google Meet.Description was scribed by Google Meet's transcription summaryThumbnail was created using CanvaAGH Overlay was created by artist: Alexander VHM

Unser Bild von kleinen Männern ist klischiert. Grosse Männer haben Erfolg, kleine Männer Probleme. Der Luzerner Filmemacher Fabian Biasio setzt sich in seinem Film auch mit seinen eigenen 165 Zentimetern auseinander. Kleine Männer werden belächelt, bemitleidet oder als Tyrannen gefürchtet – Stichwort Napoleon-Komplex. In der genetischen Lotterie haben grosse Männer das bessere Blatt: Studien belegen, dass sie mehr verdienen, erfolgreichere Karrieren hinlegen und bessere Chancen bei der Suche nach einem Partner oder einer Partnerin haben haben. Für viele kleine Männer hat das spürbare Folgen für Selbstwert und Lebensweg. Hormontherapien versprechen Wachstum, doch wer das Zeitfenster verpasst, sucht teils radikale Auswege. «DOK» begleitet Betroffene und wagt ein Experiment: Kann der 168 cm grosse Emanuel mithilfe einer Partnervermittlerin die Liebe finden? «Kleine Männer – Klischees auf Augenhöhe» geht Fakten und Mythen auf den Grund. Filmemacher Fabian Biasio tritt auch als Protagonist auf. Dass kleine Männer ihren Wuchs kompensieren, indem sie die Bühne suchen, ist wohl eines der Stereotype, das sich dadurch bestätigt. Doch gleichzeitig sorgt entwaffnende Selbstironie dafür, dass vorgefasste Meinungen des Publikums aus dem Lot geraten. Erstausstrahlung: 26.02.2026

Unser Bild von kleinen Männern ist klischiert. Grosse Männer haben Erfolg, kleine Männer Probleme. Der Luzerner Filmemacher Fabian Biasio setzt sich in seinem Film auch mit seinen eigenen 165 Zentimetern auseinander. Kleine Männer werden belächelt, bemitleidet oder als Tyrannen gefürchtet – Stichwort Napoleon-Komplex. In der genetischen Lotterie haben grosse Männer das bessere Blatt: Studien belegen, dass sie mehr verdienen, erfolgreichere Karrieren hinlegen und bessere Chancen bei der Suche nach einem Partner oder einer Partnerin haben haben. Für viele kleine Männer hat das spürbare Folgen für Selbstwert und Lebensweg. Hormontherapien versprechen Wachstum, doch wer das Zeitfenster verpasst, sucht teils radikale Auswege. «DOK» begleitet Betroffene und wagt ein Experiment: Kann der 168 cm grosse Emanuel mithilfe einer Partnervermittlerin die Liebe finden? «Kleine Männer – Klischees auf Augenhöhe» geht Fakten und Mythen auf den Grund. Filmemacher Fabian Biasio tritt auch als Protagonist auf. Dass kleine Männer ihren Wuchs kompensieren, indem sie die Bühne suchen, ist wohl eines der Stereotype, das sich dadurch bestätigt. Doch gleichzeitig sorgt entwaffnende Selbstironie dafür, dass vorgefasste Meinungen des Publikums aus dem Lot geraten. Erstausstrahlung: 26.02.2026

Die Folge startet mit einer dichten Bockbier-Atmosphäre. Dabei zeigt sich, wie sehr Bier für die beiden mehr ist als Alkohol – es ist Ritual, Erinnerungsträger und Einstieg in größere Themen.​ Sorbisch, Preußler und die Ernsthaftigkeit des Kasper Sie landen beim Sorbischen und bei Otfried Preußler, dessen Krabat von sorbischen Mythen und Figuren geprägt ist. Und Preußlers Kasper ist eher Ermittlerfigur eingebettet in eine reduzierte Figurenwelt. Von dort aus spannen Jan und Gordian den Bogen zur Debatte, ob alte Kinderliteratur an heutige gesellschaftliche Empfindungen angepasst werden sollte. Sie sprechen über Astrid Lindgren, Michael Ende, koloniale Exotik, problematische Begriffe und die Umbenennung von Figuren wie Pippis Vater als „Südseekönig“. Beim Räuber Hotzenplotz fragen sie, wer eigentlich der Protagonist ist – Kasper und Seppel oder Hotzenplotz – und wie sich Bedrohung, Handlung und Identifikation in Kinderbüchern verschieben.​ Asterix, Lucky Luke, Tim und Struppi: Comic-Universen als Weltverstehmaschine Im Laufe des Gesprächs tauchen weitere Ikonen auf: Asterix, Lucky Luke, Tim und Struppi und die Drei Fragezeichen. Comics und Hörspiele erscheinen als zugängliche Weltmodelle, die mit klaren Typen, humorvollen Überzeichnungen und historischen oder gesellschaftlichen Anspielungen arbeiten – von Rom über den Wilden Westen bis zur heutigen Zeit. Diese Popkultur-Welten helfen, Ordnung in das Chaos der Realität zu bringen, auch wenn ihre Bilder heute kritisch befragt werden müssen.​ Darwin, Mendel und der blinde Fleck der Sinnfrage Im weiteren Verlauf wird es philosophisch und naturwissenschaftlich: Darwin, Mendel und die Evolution stehen für Erklärungsmodelle ohne „höheren Plan“. Ganz radikal: Die Frage nach dem Sinn des Lebens ist eigentlich sinnlos, weil ein System sich nicht aus sich selbst heraus begründen kann – eine Idee, die mit Gödel-inspirierten Gedanken über die Grenzen formaler Systeme verbindet. Sinn braucht immer einen größeren Bezugsrahmen, der außerhalb unserer eigenen Perspektive liegt – etwas wie Gott oder eine höhere Instanz, die wir aber nie wirklich fassen können.​ Douglas Adams, Gott und der Witz der Weltformel Douglas Adams' „Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis“ liefert den ironischen Kontrapunkt: Vielleicht sitzt irgendwo ein Gott mit Katze auf einem Planeten und weiß längst Bescheid – nur hat niemand eine gute Marketingstrategie dafür. Jan und Gordian fragen, ob die wirklich großen Denker vielleicht einfach untergegangen sind, weil sie kein „virales“ Moment hatten, während Namen wie Bach und Goethe Stars ihrer Zeit waren. Am Ende bleibt eine skeptische, aber lebensnahe Pointe: Die Sinnfrage greift alles an – inklusive Religion –, doch Menschen lieben Bejahung, Geschichten und das Weitererzählen. Dies macht diese Folge zu einer Mischung aus Kneipengespräch und philosophischem Salon.​ In dieser Episode erfährst du: - Wie Hamburger Senatsbock, tschechisches Schwarzbier und Craftbier-Kultur Gespräche über Identität und Erinnerungen anstoßen.​ - Warum Kindergeschichten, Hörspiele und Comics uns bis heute prägen, wie wir Abenteuer, Gerechtigkeit und Bedrohung erzählen.​ - Wieso Debatten um Astrid Lindgren, Michael Ende und koloniale Bilder zeigen, wie sich gesellschaftliche Normen verändern - Wie Darwin, Mendel und Gödel helfen, die Grenzen der Sinnfrage zu verstehen - Welche Rolle Douglas Adams' Humor spielt Abonnier unseren Podcast hier oder auch auf Spotify, Apple oder auf YouTube, teile diese Folge mit Freund:innen und erzähle uns in den Kommentaren auf YoutTube oder auf Bluesky von den Geschichten und Figuren deiner Kindheit und wie sie dich und deine eigene Suche geprägt haben. Denn gute Geschichten beginnen beim Zuhören. Folge auf Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7kVdmMboEGhSOrZ5JeIRsj Folge auf Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/von-zeit-zu-zeit-vzzzpodcast/id1455281628 Folge auf YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordianScheuermann/podcasts

Hour 2 of Atlanta Soccer Tonight shifts from preseason questions to real answers, as Jason Longshore and the full crew translate what Steven Alzate and Juan Berrocal told the media ahead of Saturday's season opener in Cincinnati. The group breaks down Tata Martino's demanding, sprint-heavy preseason, the vertical intensity Atlanta wants to play with, and the key word that defines the new mentality: being “protagonists” — playing with personality, courage, and no fear. From there, the show turns to Atlanta United at 10, with a fun look back at favorite kits, the wildest matches in club history, and the moments that shaped the first nine seasons. The hour closes with the 3-4-3: critical players for 2026, defining season themes, and the things that make everyone smile heading into Year 10.

Hello, Protagonists!Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture.Our next guests, Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegmund-Broka, are a married Romance writing team! They met and fell in love in high school. Austin went on to graduate from Harvard, while Emily graduated from Princeton. Together, they are the authors of multiple novels, including The Roughest Draft and Reese's YA Bookclub Pick Heiress Takes All. They are also two-thirds of USA Today bestselling author E.B. Asher. So much teamwork! Seeing Other People is their latest novel.Today, we talk about:* writing in partnership,* trends in the romance genre,* incorporating speculative elements,* and the writing scene in LA.xo,Joanna & Evelyn

“Hot Flash” is the talk of Yorkshire right now. It isn't just a romantic comedy about menopause… it actually feels like a real shift in seeing midlife women being seen on screen. Because how many times have we seen women at this stage of life properly represented on screen? Writer and producer Jan Birley has created something that feels real. Real women. Real stories. Not glossy. Not pretending. Jan shares her journey of creating the film, the importance of representation in the film industry, and the unique challenges faced in bringing this project to life.Hot Flash is a romantic comedy celebrating Yorkshire grit and wit. A failed menopausal hairdresser is sacked from her job. Needing to fund her son's school trip, she discovers the only way to true success is to be true to herself. Even amidst brutal brain fog...One of Yorkshire's favourite actors Gaynor Faye will be taking the lead and our very own Primed For Life, Christine Talbot will be featuring as herself. You may even spot a few more familiar faces appearing too!Jans own story of how she's stepped out of her comfort zone to make this film happen is another example of how its never too lat to follow your dreams and you just don' t know what it may lead to.I had the pleasure of attending the press day and took a sneaky peak behind the scenes. The energy on set is amazing, you can tell there is so much passion and love for this film, I can't wait to see come to life.We need more of this. More stories that show women as funny, complicated, visible, not fading into the background. Chapters00:00 Introduction to 'Hot Flash' and Its Significance04:36 The Protagonist's Journey and Relatability07:46 The Importance of Representation in Film10:33 Challenges in Film Production13:35 Yorkshire as a Cultural Backdrop16:36. The Role of Music in Film19:38. Personal Journey and Motivation22:29 Anticipation for Filming and Future Plans25:21.Collaboration and Creative ControlGo and follow @hotflash.film to keep up to date with their progress.If this conversation resonated with you:Subscribe to Liberté – Free to BeLeave a rating or reviewShare it with a woman who might need to hear it todayThe more women who find this podcast, the more confidence, courage, and permission we can spread.✨ See you next week for another inspiring conversation.Keep being fabulousRachel xmenopause, women in film, Hot Flash, Yorkshire filmmakers, representation, comedy, women's stories, film industry, personal journey,

Josh sits down with legendary soccer journalist Kartik Krishnaiyer to discuss the state of the USL, the labor impasse, and what has to be done to make the move to D1 a successful one.

This week's episode touches upon so many interesting topics for memoirists—from catalyst moments that create the foundational stories of our memoirs; to the ways we can prism experience through “before” and “after”; to the journey of titling and subtitling; to the wild and unpredictable individual journeys that lead to published books. Author Karen Palmer is an insightful guest whose memoir and journey to publication will inspire and propel you along, and remind you to stay the course. Your story matters! Karen Palmer's memoir She's Under Here grew out of her award-winning essay The Reader Is the Protagonist, first published in VQR and selected by Leslie Jamison for inclusion in Best American Essays 2017. She has received a Pushcart Prize and grants from the NEA and the Colorado Council on the Arts, and is the author of the novels All Saints and Border Dogs. Other work has appeared in the Kenyon Review, Arts & Letters, The Rumpus, and Kalliope. She teaches at Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver, and lives with her husband in California. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Josh and Dan get together to talk about the state of play in USL and its upcoming realigniment. Then on to the USWNT friendlies and the US Open Cup. 

Hello, Protagonists!Welcome to another episode of the Creative. Inspired. ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture.Our guest, TARA MOHR, is an internationally renowned coach and educator on women's leadership and well-being. She is also the author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead, which empowers women to overcome self-doubt and pursue their dreams by finding their voice and taking bold action.Along with her coaching certification, she also has an MBA from Stanford University and an undergraduate degree in English literature from Yale. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Today Show, and the Harvard Business Review.Today, we talk about:* playing big in a creative career,* cultivating our inner mentor,* unhooking from criticism and praise,* promoting our art with courage,* and tapping our deepest authenticity.xo,Joanna & Evelyn

OK, stop me if you've heard this one before. You're loading up an RPG and you can make whatever decisions you want. You can make your character a total chad or butt ugly. You can make him a douche or a charmer. What we call that kind of protagonist? An avatar. And the opposite, where you're inhabiting a complete character, that's authored. Tonight, we're going to chat about both! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Want to watch these episodes live? Check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@somederpsplaygames or twitch.tv/somederpsplaygames Check out the podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/somederpstalkaboutgames Want to tell us something? Email us at podcast@somederpsplaygames.com Like our Facebook page too! www.facebook.com/SomeDerpsPlayGames/ We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/somederpsplaygames Rate us on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/some-derps-talk-about-games/id1048899720 Follow us on Twitter! SDPG: twitter.com/somederps Buddy: twitter.com/thatbuddysola Mango: twitter.com/theonetruemango Intro and Outro courtesy of twitter.com/VinceRolin

Older protagonists are having a moment. They're starring in all kinds of novels, from mysteries to love stories to end-of-life reckonings. Our columnist Alicia Cox Thomson has noticed this ageing-up trend in books and she's here now to recommend some titles that stood out for her. Plus, Daphné Santos-Vieira recommends Motherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood and Radical Acceptance as her staff pick.Books discussed on this week's show include:Norma by Sarah MintzPalm Meridian by Grace FlahiveMotherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood and Radical Acceptance written by Julie M.Green

Wimbledon, ein sonniger Tag oberhalb des berühmtesten Tennisrasens der Welt. Abseits von Centre Court und Tribünen liegt Wimbledon Village. Grün, weitläufig, fast ländlich. Herrenhäuser aus dem 19. Jahrhundert, offene Commons, Reitwege, kleine Seen. Ein Ort, den viele übersehen und der doch zu den schönsten Ecken Londons gehört. In dieser Folge BRITPOD – England at its best erkundet Alexander-Klaus Stecher gemeinsam mit dem britischen Komponisten Richard Blackford Wimbledon Village. Blackford ist an diesem Tag Stadtführer und zugleich Protagonist eines musikalischen Höhepunkts am Abend. Ein Spaziergang durch Geschichte, Architektur und Alltagsleben, vorbei an Buchläden in Familienbesitz, traditionsreichen Pubs und der berühmten Reitschule mitten im Ort. Wimbledon Village erzählt von England jenseits der Metropole. Von Weite mitten in der Stadt, von Lebensqualität, die sich nicht aufdrängt. Hier treffen sich seit Jahrhunderten Sport, Kultur und Natur. Dichter wie Robert Graves wurden hier geboren, Musiker finden Inspiration, und selbst das Reiten durch die Straßen gehört zum gewohnten Bild. Der Tag führt weiter zur Musik. Im Rahmen des Wimbledon International Music Festival erlebt ein neues Werk von Richard Blackford seine Uraufführung. Ein Streichquartett, inspiriert von einem ukrainischen Volkslied, interpretiert vom renommierten Sacconi Quartet. Ein stiller, intensiver Moment, der zeigt, wie sehr Orte, Menschen und Kunst miteinander verbunden sind. Zwischen Spaziergang, Pubbesuch und Konzert entsteht ein Porträt eines Viertels, das Geschichte bewahrt und zugleich lebendig bleibt. Wimbledon Village als Ort der Ruhe, der Kreativität und der Begegnung. Was macht Wimbledon Village so besonders im Schatten des großen Tennisturniers? Wie lebt es sich an einem Ort, der Natur, Kultur und Stadt vereint? Und warum entstehen gerade hier ganz besondere Musik, Gespräche und Geschichten? BRITPOD – England at its best. WhatsApp: Du kannst Alexander und Claus direkt auf ihre Handys Nachrichten schicken! Welche Ecke Englands sollten die beiden mal besuchen? Zu welchen Themen wünschst Du Dir mehr Folgen? Warst Du schon mal in Great Britain und magst ein paar Fotos mit Claus und Alexander teilen? Probiere es gleich aus: +49 8152 989770 - einfach diese Nummer einspeichern und schon kannst Du BRITPOD per WhatsApp erreichen. BRITPOD – England at its best. Ein ALL EARS ON YOU Original Podcast.

The Cups are joined again by SirSitsALot for our January patron chat, where we discuss what would happen if protagonists swapped games. What happens if Eivor is the star of a game in America? Will the timeline get messed up? Who will survive, who will die, and who will become a star? Listen now and let us know your thoughts! Now introducing Assassin's Creed Lorecast merch for everyone! Check it out at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our shop!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want to chime in on the conversation? You can become a patron at the Master Assassin tier or higher and join us ON THE SHOW! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/aclorecast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We've launched merch! Become a patron at the Assassin tier or higher to get these exclusive rewards! Check out our website! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cupspodcasting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you enjoyed our podcast, give us a rating and review on Apple and/or Spotify! We'll even read your review out on the show! Join our The Cups Podcasts discord server where we dive deeep into all video game discussions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/fxR2WVDNhP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Come hang out on the Robots Radio discord server to join the fun! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/AW5Wc4kgZb⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you love our merch, check out the artist behind the designs! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://libanezink.wixsite.com/libanezart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you love our music, check out the musician behind our theme! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pipeman Studios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can also find us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠aclorecast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can dm us or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠assassinscreedlorecast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pipeman Studios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website designed by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠H-I-T Media Solutions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch designed by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lauren Ibañez Ink Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Regen Radio Podcast, a SoilCraft production. This week, Denver Black is joined by farmer Craig Harding for a raw and honest conversation about what it really means to “learn how to farm again” in a world dominated by chemical dependency and short-term fixes.

In this spoiler-filled review, we break down Dead Ringer by Chris Hauty, a political thriller centered on JFK assassination conspiracy theories, Cold War espionage, and modern intelligence operations.We analyze the full plot, major twists, and dual-protagonist structure, dig into how the novel reimagines the JFK conspiracy, and discuss what works, what strains credibility, and how Dead Ringer compares to other conspiracy-driven thrillers.If you enjoy political thrillers, CIA intrigue, historical conspiracies, and deep spoiler discussions, this episode goes all in.—

In this compelling two-part episode, author Laura Buchwald joins the podcast for an in-depth conversation centered on her book, The Book of Reservations, and the deeper spiritual themes that define her work. Laura shares her journey as a writer and how The Book of Reservations fits into the broader vision of her acclaimed Ghost Table Trilogy, a series rooted in grief, love, and communication beyond the physical world.The discussion explores Laura's beliefs in the afterlife, spirituality, and the role of mediums, weaving together personal experiences with loss and her reflections on maintaining meaningful connections with departed loved ones. She offers insight into her creative and character development process, revealing how spiritual inquiry and lived experience shape her storytelling.In Part One, the conversation also dives into the craft of writing—examining the challenges of building a trilogy, the distinctions between fiction and memoir, and the evolving role of AI in the modern writing process. Throughout both episodes, The Book of Reservations serves as the foundation for a broader discussion on belief, creativity, and the unseen forces that influence how stories are written and received.This episode is a must-listen for readers, writers, and anyone drawn to conversations about spirituality, the afterlife, and the enduring bonds we share with those who have passed.Visit: www.LauraBuchwald.comVisit: www.TheRawVibe.comRead a sample: https://amzn.to/4r1EpXO00:00 Beliefs in the Afterlife and Spirituality05:23 Inspiration Behind the Ghost Table Trilogy08:10 Character Development and Protagonist's Journey11:24 Exploring Themes of Communication with Spirits14:12 The Role of Mediums and Personal Experiences16:50 Interpreting Signs from the Afterlife20:03 Personal Anecdotes and Reflections on Loss21:43 The Spiritual Journey of Writing22:29 Crafting a Trilogy: The Writer's Process26:23 Fiction vs. Memoir: The Writer's Dilemma32:32 AI in Writing: A Double-Edged Sword

Hello, Protagonists!Welcome to another episode of the Creative. Inspired. ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture.Our guest, Deepa Anappara, won the Edgar Award for Best Novel and was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction for her debut novel, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line. Anappara is also the co-editor of Letters to a Writer of Colour, a collection of personal essays on fiction, race, and culture. Her next novel, The Last of Earth, is out now.Today, we talk about:- researching historical fiction,- the influence of her journalism on her fiction,- if and how an author should translate a culture,- building bridges between the writer and the character,- and the perseverance needed for publishing.xo,Joanna & Evelyn

Jason Longshore breaks down Atlanta United's new identity under Tata Martino as the club leans into being protagonists on the field and in the league. Plus, AFCON semifinals deliver drama and destiny, Real Madrid face turmoil after a stunning Copa del Rey exit, and the NWSL's High Impact Player rule sparks a major labor debate. From the U.S. national team to the global game, today's Morning Espresso connects the stories shaping soccer in 2026.

The new 9 Points Rating System is coming soon!In this episode, Maverick and his co-hosts Avalon and Andrew discuss the Nine Point Rating System for reviewing films, focusing on the importance of storytelling and character development. They explore the significance of the opening scene, the necessity of character flaws for growth, and the role of side characters in enhancing the narrative. The conversation emphasizes the need for a critical approach to film analysis while acknowledging the diversity of storytelling across genres. In this segment of the conversation, the participants delve into the intricacies of storytelling, focusing on the roles of protagonists, supporting characters, and villains. They discuss how character motivation is essential for audience engagement and how the presence or absence of supporting characters can shift the weight of the narrative onto the protagonist. The conversation also explores the importance of themes and messages in storytelling, emphasizing that a well-crafted story should leave the audience with something to reflect upon. The participants agree that while multiple themes can exist, a cohesive message enhances the overall impact of the narrative. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the intricacies of film analysis, focusing on themes, character development, and the impact of plot twists. They discuss the importance of heightened tension in storytelling, the significance of world-shattering loss, and how revelations can shape audience engagement. The dialogue emphasizes the need for character transformation and the nuances of how characters respond to challenges, ultimately shaping the viewer's experience and understanding of the narrative. In this final segment of the podcast, the hosts discuss the closure and denouement of films, focusing on the overall satisfaction of the story's ending and the final image's reflection on character journeys. They delve into the nine points system used for film reviews, debating its applicability across different genres, including romance and horror. The conversation emphasizes the importance of narrative structure and audience engagement, while also considering the need for clarity in the review questions.----------Highlights:0:00 Introduction8:28 Do Film Openings Matter?21:14 Main Character Flaws30:21 Side Characters43:43 Main Character's Motive57:32 The Villain1:00:52 Themes in Film1:06:12 Themes Building into a Message1:10:41 Heightened Tension1:14:37 Great Loss for the Hero1:25:26 Transformation of the Hero1:37:51 Transformation & Character Development1:44:40 Closure1:55:31 Purpose of the Rating System2:08:16 Final Thoughts#storytelling #alostplot #filmreview #ratingsystem #filmthoughts #cinema #villains #hero #josephcampbell #psychology 

The new 9 Points Rating System is coming soon!In this episode, Maverick and his co-hosts Avalon and Andrew discuss the Nine Point Rating System for reviewing films, focusing on the importance of storytelling and character development. They explore the significance of the opening scene, the necessity of character flaws for growth, and the role of side characters in enhancing the narrative. The conversation emphasizes the need for a critical approach to film analysis while acknowledging the diversity of storytelling across genres. In this segment of the conversation, the participants delve into the intricacies of storytelling, focusing on the roles of protagonists, supporting characters, and villains. They discuss how character motivation is essential for audience engagement and how the presence or absence of supporting characters can shift the weight of the narrative onto the protagonist. The conversation also explores the importance of themes and messages in storytelling, emphasizing that a well-crafted story should leave the audience with something to reflect upon. The participants agree that while multiple themes can exist, a cohesive message enhances the overall impact of the narrative. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the intricacies of film analysis, focusing on themes, character development, and the impact of plot twists. They discuss the importance of heightened tension in storytelling, the significance of world-shattering loss, and how revelations can shape audience engagement. The dialogue emphasizes the need for character transformation and the nuances of how characters respond to challenges, ultimately shaping the viewer's experience and understanding of the narrative. In this final segment of the podcast, the hosts discuss the closure and denouement of films, focusing on the overall satisfaction of the story's ending and the final image's reflection on character journeys. They delve into the nine points system used for film reviews, debating its applicability across different genres, including romance and horror. The conversation emphasizes the importance of narrative structure and audience engagement, while also considering the need for clarity in the review questions.----------Highlights:0:00 Introduction8:28 Do Film Openings Matter?21:14 Main Character Flaws30:21 Side Characters43:43 Main Character's Motive57:32 The Villain1:00:52 Themes in Film1:06:12 Themes Building into a Message1:10:41 Heightened Tension1:14:37 Great Loss for the Hero1:25:26 Transformation of the Hero1:37:51 Transformation & Character Development1:44:40 Closure1:55:31 Purpose of the Rating System2:08:16 Final Thoughts#storytelling #alostplot #filmreview #ratingsystem #filmthoughts #cinema #villains #hero #josephcampbell #psychology 

Text: Luke 4:1-13 Preacher: Derek Baker

Hello, Protagonists!Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, Alive podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture.New Year, New Name! - Creative. Inspired. Happy is now Creative, Inspired, ALIVE!Our guest today is Roshani Chokshi, New York Times Bestselling author. Her books have been translated into over two dozen languages, and one of them was even named in Time Magazine‘s Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time. Her latest novel, The Swan's Daughter, is out now.Today, we talk about:* using mythology and legend as inspiration in fiction,* how motherhood has changed her as a writer,* the long arc of a career over a decade,* shifting definitions of success, and so much more.xo,Joanna & Evelyn

Becoming The Main Character: Read the notes at at podcastnotes.org. Don't forget to subscribe for free to our newsletter, the top 10 ideas of the week, every Monday --------- Launch into the new year with the best ideas learned from the stories of 2025. I've gone through 70+ lessons that I took from the stories of the last 12 months and picked the 8 that I think are the most powerful for you to apply in your life.Listen, and then go forth and conquer the year.Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes to take you even deeper into the story with more scenes, more lessons, and more of everything that makes the show what it is, as well as access to all of the Character Analysis episodes. Sign up link below: ---------------------------Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingmain.supercast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠--GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM"Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@schoolofprotagonism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

THE OSTER CONSPIRACY AND THE CRISIS OF 1938 Colleague Charles Spicer. During the crisis year of 1938, the protagonists provided robust intelligence regarding the "Oster Conspiracy," a credible plan by German military and police officials to remove Hitler from power if he invaded Czechoslovakia. However, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain undermined this potential coup by pursuing "Plan Z," his personal initiative to fly to Germany and negotiate directly with Hitler, effectively removing the conspirators' casus belli. Following the Munich Agreement, the brutality of Kristallnacht shocked the world, yet the Anglo-German Fellowship was not vilified; instead, it remained a vital conduit for intelligence flowing to Lord Vansittart and the British cabinet. Despite the moral impossibility of forgiving the regime after November 1938, British officials and amateur spies continued to maintain relations in a desperate attempt to find a solution short of total war. NUMBER 10 1945-46. THE ACCUSED HANS FRANK IN HIS CELL.

Launch into the new year with the best ideas learned from the stories of 2025. I've gone through 70+ lessons that I took from the stories of the last 12 months and picked the 8 that I think are the most powerful for you to apply in your life.Listen, and then go forth and conquer the year.Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes to take you even deeper into the story with more scenes, more lessons, and more of everything that makes the show what it is, as well as access to all of the Character Analysis episodes. Sign up link below: ---------------------------Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingmain.supercast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠--GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM"Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@schoolofprotagonism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/becomingmain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join Richard Walter and Julie Ann Sipos at AWP26: The Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference & Bookfair, the largest literary event in the U.S., happening March 4-7, 2026, in Baltimore, MD. Walter and Sipos came together for two speaker sessions that will be part of this year's virtual program, learn more by visiting: https://www.richardwalterbooks.com/eventsHave any questions about screenwriting? Comment below and I'll address them in future podcasts.My novel Deadpan is out in hardcover! Order it here. Get full access to Get Reel with Richard Walter at richardwalter.substack.com/subscribe

Ready or Not (2019) is one of our favorite Feel-Good Horror Movies Consider Feel Good Horror as a palate cleanser for those of you looking for a bit of optimism and good vibes in your horror movies. For those of you who may have followed up on our recommendations from Episode 205: Mean Horror, we’re making it up to you now. Triumph over evil! Protagonists for the win! Fist pumps all around. It’s time for some emotional healing through horror with Episode 206: Feel Good Horror. Just because the primary motivation of a horror film is often to scare you, that doesn’t mean you can’t be smiling the entire time. Horror films elevate your emotions, and often that means your happiness as well as your fear. Those movies that do both are usually big winners. When we consider feel-good horror, we ask ourselves the following questions: Is there a happy ending? Do you have a real rooting interest in the protagonists? Are there good nostalgia vibes? Was evil vanquished satisfyingly? Is there a fist-pumping “OH YEAH!” moment? Is the movie fun? Are we laughing throughout? Do the antagonists/monsters get what they deserve? Does the movie make you laugh (for the right reasons)? Did I immediately want more of the movie? Is this a movie that I would go back to as “comfort food” Final girls fit this model. Horror comedies often fit this category. Horror romances are often feel-good films. But, as always, the emotional takeaways from a movie are specifically subjective. Heather has different kinds of horror: films that are comforting and familiar, and films that are light, colorful, and breezy. These are the horror movies that put you into a happy place, however you get there. Podcast Episode 206: Feel-Good Horror You can listen to us discuss our selections using the link below. Don’t forget to find us on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, or wherever you like to stream your podcasts! Key Feel-Good Horror Films include: Totally Killer (2023) Ready or Not (2019) The Hitcher (1986) Day of the Dead (1985) Love and Monsters (2020) Godzilla Minus One (2023) Happy Death Day (2017) Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) Deathgasm (2015) Extra Ordinary (2019) The Final Girls (2015) A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Aliens (1987) Attack the Block (2011) Abigail (2022) Zombieland (2009) Shaun of the Dead (2004) Young Frankenstein (1975) Cargo (2017) Prey (2023) Berserk (1967) Humanist Vampire Seeks Consenting Suicidal Person (2024) The Monkey (2025) The Blob (1987) The Lost Boys (1987) Your Monster (2024) Tremors (1990) Deep Rising (1998) Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) Escape Room (2019) They Live (1988) Dangerous Animals (2025) Re-Animator (1985) Jaws (1975) Nope (2022)