The Cycle of Long-Running Shows Raising their Stakes (A Follow Up) The Cycle of Long-Running Shows Raising their Stakes (A Follow Up) By Megan Cutler | July 28, 2025 | Comments 0 Comment Never in the history of this blog have I written a follow-up so fast. Just a few short weeks ago, I asked whether or not the constant raising of stakes serves long-running TV shows. And almost as if the universe was trying to answer, I’ve discovered an example that so strongly fits my premise, I … Read More Read More
Should Long TV Shows Stop Raising Their Stakes? Should Long TV Shows Stop Raising Their Stakes? By Megan Cutler | June 9, 2025 | Comments 1 comment I’m relatively new to the idea of comfort shows. When I was younger, I never really watched anything over and over. Usually it was music that accompanied me endlessly. I definitely had several comfort albums for any given situation. In recent years, my comfort show has become whatever I happen to be watching when I … Read More Read More
The Horrible Way Media Depicts Dealing with Toxic Relationships The Horrible Way Media Depicts Dealing with Toxic Relationships By Megan Cutler | October 7, 2024 | Comments 0 Comment I’ve noticed a disturbing trend lately in the way movies, TV shows and even some video games handle relationships with toxic individuals. Toxic characters are nothing new. Though I don’t think creators have been as willing to blatantly label them in the past. Many people have dealt with toxic individuals in their lives, whether they … Read More Read More
Why it’s Important for Reoccurring Characters to Inhabit your World Why it’s Important for Reoccurring Characters to Inhabit your World By Megan Cutler | February 5, 2024 | Comments 0 Comment Writing any story involves a complex balancing act between various different elements. Plot and pacing are two of the bigger ones, so they receive a lot of conversation. But lots of things contribute to the overall quality of the composition. Atmosphere is also important, and usually balanced according to individual scenes. Characters are another of … Read More Read More
The Challenges of Writing Strong Female Characters The Challenges of Writing Strong Female Characters By Megan Cutler | November 8, 2021 | Comments 0 Comment People have been talking about strong female characters for a long time. It’s become something of a buzzword since I started reading as a teenager. But what does it mean? In the beginning, I believe the idea of a strong female character was any woman who wasn’t a damsel in distress, a character granted their … Read More Read More
Three Ways to Prevent a Story from Stagnating Three Ways to Prevent a Story from Stagnating By Megan Cutler | September 6, 2021 | Comments 2 comments It’s hard to let go of a story, especially a long one. You get attached to the characters and the world they live in. As a reader, putting down the final installment of a series feels like losing a friend. As a writer, it’s even harder since you eat, sleep and breathe the details of … Read More Read More
The Difference Between Narrative Style and Writing Method The Difference Between Narrative Style and Writing Method By Megan Cutler | May 27, 2019 | Comments 1 comment In the wake of Game of Thrones Season 8 there have been a number of well-reasoned discussions about the differences between plotting and pantsing. And how switching between the two mid-narrative might be a source of trouble. I highly recommend this Twitter thread by Daniel Silvermint. Also this video by Jesse Cox. Both delve into … Read More Read More
Stories Should Sometimes Make Us Uncomfortable Stories Should Sometimes Make Us Uncomfortable By Megan Cutler | May 7, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment Shortly after the release of Mad Max; Fury Road, a friend of mine posted a lengthy Facebook diatribe about why she disliked it. The fact that I loved it and she didn’t has never really bothered me (I don’t believe my friends need to have the same opinions I do). But her reasons for disliking … Read More Read More
4 Annoying Story Tropes I Want to Kill 4 Annoying Story Tropes I Want to Kill By Megan Cutler | April 18, 2016 | Comments 4 comments Our favorite pastimes are full of tropes and cliches. It’s inevitable. Stories fall into predicable patterns. Not all tropes are bad, but it takes skill to make them feel original. And since I’m a romantic sap at heart, there are plenty of tropes I’ll willingly follow. But there are a few that aren’t just eye-rolling, … Read More Read More
Blame the Internet Blame the Internet By Megan Cutler | January 25, 2016 | Comments 0 Comment I’ve read a staggering number of articles lately about how technology is destroying the world. Studies show that people are ‘addicted’ to connectivity, unable to disconnect and walk away. Studies also show that children who grow up with this technological addiction have a harder time empathizing with their fellow human beings. Rather than hailing the … Read More Read More