Stylistic Choice: Writing Stories We Love

Alyssa Drew
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Hi fellow story lovers! I’m Alyssa, and here on Stylistic Choice, my guests and I break down our favorite books, TV shows, and movies to discover what makes them so excellent. Worldbuilding, characters, conflict — we cover it all as we enjoy a story well told. Be forewarned: spoilers abound!

  1. 02/11/2022

    12: Six of Crows / Shadow and Bone - Worldbuilding in the Grishaverse (Part III: Ravka)

    We're back for the finale in a series looking at the worldbuilding in the Grishaverse! At long last we discuss my favorite country (Ravka!) and how its terrible geographic position has led to its terrible political and socioeconomic situation (yikes!) but also to its more positive view on gender roles and Grisha (yay!). Much of this episode relies on details from the Shadow & Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, and the King of Scars duology -- so be aware of some minor spoilers! This series has been an absolute blast for me to record. By looking at the nuances of the world in these stories -- the countries, the cultures, the languages and stories and religions -- we can begin to see how the characters came to life. Truly, Leigh Bardugo is a worldbuilding master and I've only scratched the surface on we all that we can learn from her. Huge thanks to her for creating this beautiful world for us to explore! If you missed the first two episodes of this series (about the impact of the environment on Fjerda & Kerch), make sure to check them out!  Have suggestions for future episodes, or feedback on this one? I'd love to hear from you! Research / Resources: Books by Leigh Bardugo: https://bookshop.org/contributors/leigh-bardugo https://grishaverse.com/map-of-the-grishaverse/ Vox / Ezra Klein interview with N. K. Jemison on worldbuilding: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iyFCqcuQvDNQffwZQUSCX?si=emhiPivdTrCJsLAz6iCwcA Books by N. K. Jemison: https://bookshop.org/contributors/n-k-jemisin

    12: Six of Crows / Shadow and Bone - Worldbuilding in the Grishaverse (Part III: Ravka)

  2. 01/28/2022

    11: Six of Crows / Shadow and Bone - Worldbuilding in the Grishaverse (Part II: Kerch)

    We're back for part II in a series looking at the worldbuilding in the Grishaverse! Today, we talk about Kerch and more specifically, its capital city, Ketterdam. Home of the Crows, Ketterdam has some fascinating environmental influences that shape the culture and perspective of its people. I hope you enjoy this analysis of how the Kerch came to be so obsessed with commerce and so afraid of plague -- and how that allowed the Crows to succeed at the end of Crooked Kingdom.  Leigh Bardugo, the creator of the Grishaverse and writer of the Shadow & Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, and the King of Scars duology, is a worldbuilding master. By looking at the nuances of the world in these stories -- the countries, the cultures, the languages and stories and religions -- we can begin to see how the characters came to life. In this analysis series (check back for part 3!), I'm looking at these exact elements, but approaching it from the lens of the environment. I seriously LOVE these stories and am in awe of the worldbuilding prowess of Leigh Bardugo, and I hope this analysis series will help you appreciate them as well! Part I: https://anchor.fm/stylistic-choice/episodes/10-Six-of-Crows--Shadow-and-Bone---Worldbuilding-in-the-Grishaverse-Part-I-Fjerda-e1cjubi Research / Resources: Books by Leigh Bardugo: https://bookshop.org/contributors/leigh-bardugo https://grishaverse.com/map-of-the-grishaverse/ Vox / Ezra Klein interview with N. K. Jemison on worldbuilding: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iyFCqcuQvDNQffwZQUSCX?si=emhiPivdTrCJsLAz6iCwcA Books by N. K. Jemison: https://bookshop.org/contributors/n-k-jemisin Additional Research:  Walker, Jonathan. “Gambling and Venetian Noblemen C.1500-1700.” Past & Present, no. 162, 1999, pp. 28–69. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/651064. Accessed 17 Dec. 2020. Wiesner, Merry E, et. al. Discovering the Global Past: A Look at the Evidence. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2012.

    11: Six of Crows / Shadow and Bone - Worldbuilding in the Grishaverse (Part II: Kerch)

  3. 01/21/2022

    10: Six of Crows / Shadow and Bone - Worldbuilding in the Grishaverse (Part I: Fjerda)

    Leigh Bardugo, the creator of the Grishaverse and writer of the Shadow & Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, and the King of Scars duology, is a worldbuilding master. By looking at the nuances of the world in these stories -- the countries, the cultures, the languages and stories and religions -- we can begin to see how the characters came to life. In this analysis series (check back for part 2!), I'm looking at these exact elements, but approaching it from the lens of the environment.  This one is all about Fjerda. If you've ever wondered, why do drüskelle exist, and why do they hate Grisha? Why are Fjerdans so disciplined and cautious? Why is Matthias like that? Then listen up, because boy, do I have some theories for you! I seriously LOVE these stories and am in awe of the worldbuilding prowess of Leigh Bardugo, and I hope this analysis series will help you appreciate them as well! Research / Resources:  Books by Leigh Bardugo:  https://bookshop.org/contributors/leigh-bardugo https://grishaverse.com/map-of-the-grishaverse/ Vox / Ezra Klein interview with N. K. Jemison on worldbuilding: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iyFCqcuQvDNQffwZQUSCX?si=emhiPivdTrCJsLAz6iCwcA Books by N. K. Jemison:  https://bookshop.org/contributors/n-k-jemisin

    10: Six of Crows / Shadow and Bone - Worldbuilding in the Grishaverse (Part I: Fjerda)

  4. 01/14/2022

    9: Loki - Character Arcs (Part II) (Marvel on Disney+)

    Hello and welcome back! If you're like me, you, too, have been thinking about the glorious parallels between Loki and Sylvie's characters on the television event of the summer, Marvel's Loki. In this two-part episode, I break down Sylvie and Loki's character arcs on this series, specifically showing how they fit into the classic negative-change fall arc and the classic positive-change hero arc. And, of course, I touch on why this is so important for the story as a whole (spoiler alert: it's because the story's not about Loki!) Take a listen, and I hope you enjoy!  Links to further reading: Archetypal Character Arcs, Pt. 3: The Hero Arc: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/archetypal-character-arcs-pt-3-the-hero-arc/  Learn 5 Types of Character Arc at a Glance: The 2 Heroic Arcs (Part 1 of 2): https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/learn-5-types-of-character-arc-at-a-glance/  Learn 5 Types of Character Arc at a Glance: The 3 Negative Arcs (Part 2 of 2): https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/learn-5-types-of-character-arc-at-a-glance-the-3-negative-arcs-part-2-of-2/

    9: Loki - Character Arcs (Part II) (Marvel on Disney+)

  5. 01/07/2022

    8: Loki - Character Arcs (Part I) (Marvel on Disney+)

    Hello and welcome back! If you're like me, you, too, have been thinking about the glorious parallels between Loki and Sylvie's characters on the television event of the summer, Marvel's Loki. In this two-part episode, I break down Sylvie and Loki's character arcs on this series, specifically showing how they fit into the classic negative-change fall arc and the classic positive-change hero arc. And, of course, I touch on why this is so important for the story as a whole (spoiler alert: it's because the story's not about Loki!) Take a listen, and I hope you enjoy! (Make sure to check back next week for part 2!) Links to further reading: Archetypal Character Arcs, Pt. 3: The Hero Arc: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/archetypal-character-arcs-pt-3-the-hero-arc/ Learn 5 Types of Character Arc at a Glance: The 2 Heroic Arcs (Part 1 of 2): https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/learn-5-types-of-character-arc-at-a-glance/ Learn 5 Types of Character Arc at a Glance: The 3 Negative Arcs (Part 2 of 2): https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/learn-5-types-of-character-arc-at-a-glance-the-3-negative-arcs-part-2-of-2/

    8: Loki - Character Arcs (Part I) (Marvel on Disney+)

  6. 07/21/2021

    7: Loki - Whose Story Is It? (Marvel on Disney+)

    This episode might not be "hot off the presses" (because the show ended last week), but I have a serious hot take about who's the true main character of this story. Marvel knows we're onto their twist endings, so they've been working hard trying to subvert our expectations and continually provide a viewing experience that is both fresh and exactly like the last movie we loved. In this episode, I discuss the way the titular character's point of view impacts our experience as the audience and changes our understanding of this series. Thanks for taking a listen!  Links to inspiration:  Film Theory: Predicting Loki's Final TWIST! (Marvel Loki) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxd4mOkM0qI   If you have recommendations for future episodes or feedback on past episodes, leave me a message at: https://anchor.fm/stylistic-choice/message. I'd love to hear from you! :D

  7. 07/13/2021

    6: WandaVision - Hero or Villain? (Marvel on Disney+)

    On the last episode (for now) discussing WandaVision, I examine Wanda's role in this show and ask the question we're all wondering: is she Marvel's next big villain? With a little digging into the difference between protagonists and antagonists, heroes and villains, I come to a conclusion that might surprise you (or maybe not, depending what you currently think). Looking back, this was the perfect show for a world collectively grieving and in quarantine as a result of a global pandemic. I highly recommend watching it if you haven't already! If you have recommendations for future episodes or feedback on past episodes, leave me a message at: https://anchor.fm/stylistic-choice/message. I'd love to hear from you! :D Links to sources:  https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-protagonist-vs-antagonist-characters#2-tips-for-writing-a-strong-protagonist  https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/8-%C2%BD-character-archetypes-writing/ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/common-hero-archetypes-in-literature#6-types-of-heroes-in-literature https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-write-multiple-antagonists-what-i-learned-writing-storming/

  8. 07/09/2021

    5: WandaVision's Genre-Breaking Storytelling (Marvel on Disney+)

    WandaVision: the show the kicked off Marvel's re-entrance into the world of story after a brief pandemic hiatus. Like most watchers, I genuinely loved this series and its messages about grief and love and, of course, kids with superpowers. In this episode, I specifically discuss how the creators used genre and our expectations to develop the story and its themes -- and how their stylistic choices, while subtle, direct our experience of the show as an audience.  If you have recommendations for future episodes or feedback on past episodes, leave me a message at: https://anchor.fm/stylistic-choice/message. I'd love to hear from you! :D

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Hi fellow story lovers! I’m Alyssa, and here on Stylistic Choice, my guests and I break down our favorite books, TV shows, and movies to discover what makes them so excellent. Worldbuilding, characters, conflict — we cover it all as we enjoy a story well told. Be forewarned: spoilers abound!

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