Rationally Writing
Webserial authors Daystar Eld and Alexander Wales talk about the craft of writing stories that make sense, and examine writing tropes and media through the lens of the Rational and Rationalist genres.
Intro and Outro music is G.A.T.O. Must Be Respected, by Tim Yarbrough
To contact us, please email daystar721@gmail.com
Latest episodes
Jun 25, 2020 • 58min
Episode 55 - Politics in Fiction
Exploring politics in fiction, discussing political plot structures and challenges. Delving into political dynamics in sci-fi episodes and justice systems in fiction. Navigating political structures and intrigue in sci-fi for first contact scenarios.
May 22, 2020 • 1h 3min
Episode 54 - Irrational Fiction
Discussion on distinguishing rational and irrational fiction, audience mindset in storytelling, and writing techniques for non-rational fiction. Exploring plot holes, critiquing stories, and challenges of online debates. Crafting stories with emphasis on genre, prose, and visualizations.
Mar 18, 2020 • 39min
Episode 53 - Horror
Daystar and Alexander explore different elements of horror in fiction, discussing personal fears, the distinction between horror and thriller, strengths of prose horror, and the intersection of spy and horror narratives. They analyze the impact of irrational fear, emotional dread, and the challenge of creating rational horror narratives.
Dec 25, 2019 • 52min
Episode 52 - Dropped Threads
Daystar and Alexander discuss dropped threads and side plots in stories, emphasizing the challenges of managing loose ends in serial fiction. They explore the reasons why threads get dropped, share personal experiences of dealing with abandoned plotlines, and discuss the impact of removing subplots on character development and pacing in storytelling.
Nov 17, 2019 • 1h 6min
Episode 51 - Character Flaws
Explore character flaws in storytelling, from conflict generation to Mary Sues. Delve into common flaws like arrogance and intelligence, and rare ones like flakiness. Unravel the complexities of flawed characters in media, justified stealing, and moral dilemmas.
Jun 6, 2019 • 1h 1min
Episode 50 - Abandoning Stories
Authors Daystar & Alexander delve into reasons for abandoning stories, managing burnout, and author trust. They discuss distinguishing between abandonment and hiatus, the challenges writers face, and strategies for returning to unfinished works. The podcast also explores the importance of balancing motivation, crafting credible magic systems, and the emotional impact of discontinuing stories.
Apr 27, 2019 • 57min
Episode 49 - Ideological Turing Test
Exploring the concept of Ideological Turing Tests in fiction writing, the importance of passing them authentically, and the challenges of crafting diverse characters with believable ideologies. Discussion on cultural context in storytelling and personal challenges in presenting ideologies in writing.
Feb 19, 2019 • 56min
Episode 48 - Romance
Exploring complex romantic conflicts in fiction, from body language and chemistry to compatibility. Discussing troubled vs doomed relationships, extreme contexts, conflicts from change, and new ongoing conflicts. Analyzing relationship dynamics and literary parallels, emphasizing the importance of authentic and meaningful romantic arcs in storytelling.
Jan 16, 2019 • 49min
Episode 47 - Timeskips
Dive into the challenges and impacts of using time skips in storytelling, exploring character development, relationships, and plot progression. Discover the balance needed for seamless incorporation of skipped periods, and the significance of showcasing character improvement through failure. Explore the complexities of relationships in fiction and the transition to new generations of characters with long time skips.
Jan 10, 2019 • 11min
Episode 46 Bonus
Exploring modern fae society in World of Darkness and Fate systems like Dresden Files for immersive gameplay. Blend historical accuracy with creative storytelling in a D&D campaign set in 1713 post-War of Spanish Succession. Dive into the Temeraire series, a historical fantasy world with dragons as key military assets during the Napoleonic Wars.
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