To Trope or Not to Trope
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
Tenacious Tauruses
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Taurus season, and we just keep coming back with more episodes. You’ll never stop us! This month’s episode is all about tenacious and stubb...
Grumpy & Sunshine
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Opposites attract… or do they? Whether your grumpy and sunshine characters are falling in love or falling for each other’s nefarious schemes, this...
Sensitive Pisces
06 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Pisces season! Go ahead, get emotional. We’ve got a great episode for you all about sensitive and emotional characters, from your moody brood...
InstaLove
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Love is in the air! How long after Cupid’s arrow strikes should a couple wait to get together? If we’re talking fiction, probably longer than you ...
Ambitious Capricorns
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Capricorn season, so dust off those perennial New Years writing resolutions and channel that ambitious Capricorn energy into a new story. But f...
Christmas Special
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
’Tis the season…for cash grabs and phoning in episodes of your favorite sitcoms. Join us as we talk about all things Christmas Specials, from the ...
Witty Sagittariuses
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Sagittarius season, and the sass is strong with this episode. Well, sort of. Join us as we discuss the differences between sass, snark, sarcasm...
Nurturing Cancers
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s nowhere near Cancer season, but we’re talking about it anyway because we’ll be on hiatus in July. Join us this episode as we talk about nur...
So You Vant to Talk About Vampires?
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Halloveen from your favorite podcasting writers! We’re here this week with an episode all about those blood-sucking demons of the night: VAMPI...
Mysterious Scorpios
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With spooky season upon us, we’re here with an episode all about that Mysterious Scorpio Energy. From the Phantom of the Opera to April Ludgate, fro...
Heel-Face / Face-Heel Turns
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We love a good corruption arc, almost as much as we love a good redemption arc. Whether your good guys are joining the villains or your bad guys are t...
Indecisive Libras
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Libra season is almost upon us, so we’ve got an episode for you all about that indecisive Libra energy and how it may or may not manifest in fiction...
Analytical Virgos
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Virgo season and we’re back with an episode all about that analytical Virgo energy and how it manifests in characters. From social manipulato...
Faking the Dead
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s…ALIVE! Sometimes dead characters are still necessary to the plot, and sometimes they’re just too beloved to stay off-screen for long. Wheth...
There Was Only One Bed
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Accidental cuddling? Blanket hogging? Deep, dark secret sharing? Pick your favorite forced proximity ending in this episode on There Was Only One Bed....
Shadow Archetype
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow Archetype does, because if you do it right, it’s literally that darkness personified. Sor...
Body Swap
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re getting freaky this week with the Freaky Friday Body Swap trope. Join us as we dive into the philosophical and ethical implications of mind vs...
Trickster Archetype
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
He’s witty, he’s unhinged, and he’s here to give your Hero a hard time. From comic relief sidekicks to actual trickster gods, the Trickster Arch...
Strong Female Characters
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking News! According to recent studies, women are, in fact, people. Who knew! Tune in this episode to learn how to write female characters that do...
Shapeshifter Archetype
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Werewolves and werebears and Norse gods, oh my! The Shapeshifter Archetype encompasses so much more than just your typical shifters, and in this episo...
Love Triangles (Part 2)
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Offed mistresses and sexy pool boys take the stage in this episode continuing our conversation about Love Triangles. This week we dive into the darker...
Love Triangles (Part 1)
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes you celebrate Valentine’s Day with flowers and chocolates and a romantic dinner. Other times you celebrate Valentine’s Day trying to cho...
Threshold Guardian Archetype
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From your classic bridge trolls to your very effective brick walls, Threshold Guardians are here to cause minor problems for your hero and maybe teach...
Evil Is Sexy
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes the temptation to the dark side is just too much… especially when the dark side is so much sexier than the boringly attractive good guys. ...
Herald Archetype
27 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hear ye! Hear ye! Join us this episode as we discuss the character archetype of the Herald and why we don’t really think it should be a character ar...
Snowed In
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the holiday season and we’re here with a fun wintry episode all about making characters fall in love, revealing murderers, worldbuilding info...
Ally Archetype
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Cowboys and eye candy and gardeners, oh my! Allies come in all shapes and sizes, and this episode we’re covering all of them. Join us as we talk all...
Evil Overlord
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
He’s big, he’s bad, and he’s got a plan to take over the world that would have worked, too, if it weren’t for you meddling kids! The Evil Over...
Mentor Archetype
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Where there’s a Hero, there’s someone to tell that Hero he’s an idiot. Enter the Mentor. Join us in the second installation of our Archetype ser...
Witches, Witches Everywhere
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s spooky season! So we’re here with an episode all about witches. From alewives and the Spanish Inquisition to Harry Potter, Frozen, and mass p...
Hero Archetype
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
He’s here to save the world! Or slowly devolve in a downward spiral of madness and obsession. Y’know, whichever works. Welcome to our Archetype mi...
Gentleman Thief
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
He’s suave, he’s hot, he’s here to steal your heart…and maybe your grandmother’s jewels while he’s at it. Join us this episode as we discu...
Star-Crossed Lovers
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes true love is written in the stars. Other times the stars are just petty and cruel. Join us this episode as we talk all things Star-Crossed L...
Enneagram Nine
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Get in, losers, we’ve got a totally fetch season finale for you. Cady Heron isn’t like regular Nines, she’s a cool Nine. Join us this week as we...
To Retell or Not to Retell
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we stray from strict tropes into the land of retellings and adaptations, discussing when you should, when you shouldn’t, and what makes us...
Enneagram Eight
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Fight me.” –Lizzie Bennet, probably. No matter the challenge, Eights will rise to it. Join us this episode as we talk about megalomaniacal dict...
Stuffed in the Fridge
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sir, that’s my emotional support dead woman in a refrigerator! If you’ve ever considered killing off a character in your writing, listen to this e...
Enneagram Seven
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To live is an awfully big adventure, and Sevens are all about that adventurous life. Join us as we discuss the many iterations of Peter Pan and more t...
Enemies to Lovers
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I hate you. I love you. I hate that I love you. Join us this episode as we talk all things Enemies to Lovers and offer some very unhelpful advice on h...
Enneagram Six
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Me? An Enneagram Six? Shut. Up. From loyal faith in preexisting systems to skepticism of literally anything outside their comfort zones, Sixes show up...
Magic Numbers
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s twosday! We’re coming at you on 2/22/2022 with an episode all about magical numbers, numerology, and symbolism. Head back to middle school En...
Enneagram Five
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s elementary, dear listeners. At least, that’s what a Five would have you believe. Join us as we discuss Sherlock Holmes and other Enneagram Fi...
Moody Broody Sad Boy
25 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
He’s here, he’s hot, and he’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas. He’s got a lot of feelings and he’s not afraid to use them. He’...
Enneagram Four
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
But you just don’t understand! From tortured artists to empaths, from serial killers to characters who have so many feelings they just can’t help ...
The Great Elf Showdown
28 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When someone says “elf,” what do you think of? If you didn’t answer, “a toymaker bearing the white hand of Saruman” or “an orc in jingly s...
Enneagram Three
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Anything you can do, Threes can do better. It’s just a fact. (If you ask them, anyway.) Join us this episode as we discuss Tony Stark and his stereo...
Found Family
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is it incest if you’re not technically related? Do evil scientists who specialize in human experiments actually create found families? If you’re a...
Enneagram Two
17 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to build a… type Two character? Join us in our second Enneagram episode as we discuss Anna, Princess of Arendelle, and how we think she ...
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sad boys here! Come and get your sad boys! Join us this episode as we discuss the real questions, like can a manic pixie dream girl exist without the ...
Enneagram One
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From the benevolent rule of Mary Poppin’s cheerful dictatorship to Thanos’s perfectly balanced soufflé, join us as we discuss how to make an Enne...
The Mad Scientist
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s spooky season! Join us as we discuss the limits of science vs fantasy and the separation between mad science and just, well, science. Byron mig...
Friends to Lovers
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Two people are attracted to each other. One of them has a boyfriend. Plot complications ensue. Join us this episode as we ask the serious questions, l...
The Chosen One
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Have you or someone you love been inexplicably chosen by mysterious forces to drive the plot forward? If so, you may be entitled to hundreds of pages ...