Writing Excuses 21.05: The Same But Different
Feb 1, 2026
They unpack how stories stay familiar yet fresh by changing structure, tone, or context. They compare sequels, procedurals, and franchises to show which elements to keep or shift. They explore carrying core questions and authorial through-lines across projects. They discuss spotting repeated motifs, when repetition is intentional, and how personal change can reshape a writer’s work.
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Tropes Are Useful Building Blocks
- Readers want familiar genre beats, so tropes function as building blocks rather than flaws.
- Use those patterns deliberately to give readers the expected feeling while still innovating.
Keep The Core, Change The Structure
- Keep the emotional core or cast that readers came for when you write a sequel.
- Change structure or focus in other ways so the book feels fresh without alienating fans.
Zombies Run: One Action, Small Twist
- DongWon Song described writing for Zombies Run with one repeated action: running from zombies.
- They found small changes (e.g., zombies on fire) created big tension without rewriting everything.
