Most writers are driven to write when they strongly feel they have something to say or a story to tell. This is a good thing - readers can always tell when a writer is phoning it in. However, if you have strong opinions on various subjects and you're tackling them in your work, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that story is king and deliver your themes with more zeal than nuance. This week, the dragons look at books and films which have unfortunately strayed into preachiness as well as those who have handled their themes in a more balanced manner, before delving into how to avoid preaching in your own work. On the slab this week: Imaginary Friend - Stephen Chbosky, The Stand - Stephen King, The Black Magician Trilogy - Trudi Canavan, Shadow and Bone and many more.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Episode 293: Goblin Fruit and Faery Cobblers - The Horror of Getting What You Truly Want in Speculative Fiction
Episode 292: With Friends Like These - Reunions Reprises and Encores in Speculative Fiction
Episode 291: Absent Saints and Cruel Caretakers - How Parents Shape Characters in Speculative Fiction part 2
Episode 290: Absent Saints and Cruel Caretakers - How Parents Shape Characters in Speculative Fiction part1
Episode 289: Women, Swords and Trauma - the Backstory of the Female Warrior in Speculative Fiction
Episode 288 - Battle of the Animated Feature Films - Disney vs Don Bluth vs Studio Ghibli
Episode 287: Its All About Me - the Strange Appeal of Narcissism in Speculative Fiction
Episode 286: The Road to Hell - Moral Quandaries and Impossible Choices in Speculative Fiction
Episode 285 Challenging Expectations vs Wokewashing - Blindcasting, Diversity USPs and Nuance in Speculative Fiction
Episode 284: From Tea Houses to Taverns - Tea, Coffee and Intoxicating Substances in History and Speculative Fiction
Episode 283: Vanishing Acts and Secret Scandals - A Compilation of Author Mysteries
Episode 282: Mysterious Parcels and Mystical Cups - McGuffins, Plot Devices and Choosey Magical Objects in Speculative fiction
Episode 281: Mean Girls & Toxic Friends - Why Friendship Conflicts are Important in Speculative Fiction
Episode 280: Gentle Giants and Brick Outhouses - the Tank Character in Speculative Fiction
Episode 279: We're All in This Together - The Art of Collaborating in the Arts
Episode 278: Sins of the Father - Inherited Curses, Crimes and Responsibilities in Speculative Fiction
Episode 277: All Around My Hat - More Folksong Writing Inspiration Part 2
Episode 276: All Around My Hat - More Folksong Writing Inspiration Part 1
Episode 275: Mean Girls and Internet Trolls -Positive Body Representation in Speculative Fiction Part 2
Episode 274: Mean Girls and Internet Trolls - Positive Body Representation in Speculative Fiction part 1
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