We recommend stories all the time, but what actually makes a recommendation good? We explore how our tastes, relationships, and favorite story elements shape what we recommend, why we trust certain people to know what we will enjoy, and how even our best intentions can lead to recommendations that get it so, so wrong.

Bards and Balladeers Podcast - bardsandballadeerspodcast.com

Discord - https://discord.gg/QVQWczk4Fh

C.E. Linares (Cait) - linktr.ee/celinares
Ozgur K Sahin (Oz) - www.ozgurksahin.com
M.R. Moraine (Rio) - linktr.ee/mistermoraine

Children see the world differently, and that perspective can make them some of the most compelling characters in a story. We explore how to write child characters who feel authentic, relatable, and capable of growth, the ways they mirror elderly characters through dependence and perspective, and how to avoid turning them into stereotypes or miniature adults.Bards and Balladeers Podcast - bardsandballadeerspodcast.com

Discord - https://discord.gg/QVQWczk4Fh

C.E. Linares (Cait) - linktr.ee/celinares
Ozgur K Sahin (Oz) - www.ozgurksahin.com
M.R. Moraine (Rio) - linktr.ee/mistermoraine

"Show, don't tell" is one of the most common pieces of writing advice, but every storyteller relies on exposition at some point. We explore when exposition strengthens a story and when it becomes a crutch. Why some audiences enjoy it more than others and how to find the right balance between showing, telling, and keeping the story moving.

Bards and Balladeers Podcast - bardsandballadeerspodcast.com

Discord - https://discord.gg/QVQWczk4Fh

C.E. Linares (Cait) - linktr.ee/celinares
Ozgur K Sahin (Oz) - www.ozgurksahin.com
M.R. Moraine (Rio) - linktr.ee/mistermoraine

We have talked about character motivations, but what are the different kinds of characters themselves? From heroes and protectors to outlaws, drifters, idealists, and every archetype in between, we explore why these familiar roles appear across storytelling, what makes them endure, and how to move beyond stereotypes to create characters who feel fresh, authentic, and memorable.Bards and Balladeers Podcast - bardsandballadeerspodcast.com

Discord - https://discord.gg/QVQWczk4Fh

C.E. Linares (Cait) - linktr.ee/celinares
Ozgur K Sahin (Oz) - www.ozgurksahin.com
M.R. Moraine (Rio) - linktr.ee/mistermoraine

Exploring the open-ended nature of worldbuilding. Need a tavern? A planet? A forest? An artifact? How do you decide what to create in depth, what to revisit later, and what works best as a one-time set piece? How do we decide what to flesh out, what to come back to, and what to make into a short-term set piece? Which bits of worlds do come back to and see dealt with again, and which ones that we've created do fans want to see again?

Bards and Balladeers Podcast - bardsandballadeerspodcast.com

Discord - https://discord.gg/QVQWczk4Fh

C.E. Linares (Cait) - linktr.ee/celinares
Ozgur K Sahin (Oz) - www.ozgurksahin.com
M.R. Moraine (Rio) - linktr.ee/mistermoraine

It's time to revisit tropes, this time through the lens of genre. From fantasy quests and locked-room mysteries to haunted houses, starships, love triangles, and historical epics, we explore the recurring plots and conventions that define the stories we love. Why do these tropes appear again and again? Do genres create tropes, or do tropes create genres? And when does following the formula strengthen a story instead of holding it back?

Bards and Balladeers Podcast - bardsandballadeerspodcast.com

Discord - https://discord.gg/QVQWczk4Fh

C.E. Linares (Cait) - linktr.ee/celinares
Ozgur K Sahin (Oz) - www.ozgurksahin.com
M.R. Moraine (Rio) - linktr.ee/mistermoraine

We always hear that talking about the weather is boring, yet everyone does it. Why? Because weather shapes daily life, influences decisions, and affects every character whether they acknowledge it or not. We explore how weather can establish mood, create conflict, reinforce worldbuilding, and make stories feel more immersive and believable.Bards and Balladeers Podcast - bardsandballadeerspodcast.com

Discord - https://discord.gg/QVQWczk4Fh

C.E. Linares (Cait) - linktr.ee/celinares
Ozgur K Sahin (Oz) - www.ozgurksahin.com
M.R. Moraine (Rio) - linktr.ee/mistermoraine

What drives a character to make the choices they do? We explore how motivations, priorities, and self-perception shape a character's actions, and why who they believe they are often differs from how others see them. From this broader perspective, we lay the foundation for understanding heroes, villains, antiheroes, mentors, tricksters, leaders, loners, and every role in between.

Bards and Balladeers Podcast - bardsandballadeerspodcast.com

Discord - https://discord.gg/QVQWczk4Fh

C.E. Linares (Cait) - linktr.ee/celinares
Ozgur K Sahin (Oz) - www.ozgurksahin.com
M.R. Moraine (Rio) - linktr.ee/mistermoraine

What is a myth, and what sets it apart from other kinds of stories? We explore why myths have endured across generations, how people respond to them, and what makes them so compelling even today. From creating new myths for fictional worlds to drawing from ancient traditions, we examine how mythology shapes storytelling and why its imagery continues to appear throughout books, films, games, and other media.

Bards and Balladeers Podcast - bardsandballadeerspodcast.com

Discord - https://discord.gg/QVQWczk4Fh

C.E. Linares (Cait) - linktr.ee/celinares
Ozgur K Sahin (Oz) - www.ozgurksahin.com
M.R. Moraine (Rio) - linktr.ee/mistermoraine

Sometimes a story begins with a single step into the unknown. Whether through a wardrobe, a portal, a dream, a wormhole, or a fracture in time, we are fascinated by the experience of encountering realities beyond our own. We explore how stories frame these moments of discovery, how characters process the impossible, and how writers can capture the wonder, fear, and transformation that come from seeing a new world for the first time.Bards and Balladeers Podcast - bardsandballadeerspodcast.com

Discord - https://discord.gg/QVQWczk4Fh

C.E. Linares (Cait) - linktr.ee/celinares
Ozgur K Sahin (Oz) - www.ozgurksahin.com
M.R. Moraine (Rio) - linktr.ee/mistermoraine