Writing Excuses Writing Excuses Season 3 Episode 8: What Star Trek Did Right
14 snips
Jul 20, 2009 In this podcast, the hosts analyze what Star Trek did right in terms of plot, character development, and setting. They discuss how the writers engaged the audience, created relatable characters like Kirk and Spock, and evolved the setting throughout the series. Spoiler alert - full of insights and writing prompts to learn from this iconic franchise.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Use Expectations To Surprise, Early
- Subvert audience expectations by steering familiar setups toward a universe-changing event instead of a bland origin story.
- Reveal the twist early to avoid making readers slog through clichés only to feel betrayed at the end.
Delay Twist And Lose Readers
- Howard recounts seeing authors who delay a genre twist until the end, which makes most of the book feel like a slog.
- He warns that only readers who liked the initial clichés will reach and enjoy such twists.
Prioritize Character Climaxes
- Focus major climaxes on character change rather than pure action sequences to make events resonate emotionally.
- Let character relationships drive the stakes so viewers care about the outcomes of action scenes.