Just Another Word Podcast

In this epsiode we conclude our exploration of character by looking at the glue that holds a narrative together. We dive into Synthesis  and create three-dimensional people who breathe on the page. In this episode, we discuss: The Soldier-Healer Model: Analyzing Kaladin Stormblessed from The Stormlight Archive to see how the friction between contradictory identities creates a character that resona...

In this episode, we look at the labor of the secret and the burden of the mask.  In this episode, we discuss: The Performance of Identity: Using the historical model of the Chevalier d’Eon to show how a surreptitious life can navigate the highest circles of power while hiding a truth that would ensure total ruin. The Student in the Stacks: Analyzing Kvothe’s secret research in The Kingkiller Chron...

In this episode we explore the quiet, steady power of the planner and the thinker.  In this episode, we discuss: The Careful Giant: Using the model of Perrin Aybara from The Wheel of Time to show how prudence is born from responsibility, not fear. The Satisfying Obstacle: Why a "brutally prudent" antagonist who leaves no loose threads creates a more earned victory for the hero than a villain who i...

In this episode, we look at the roll of the dice and the whim of a tyrant to explore the terrifying force of the unpredictable. In this episode, we discuss: The Whim as Law: Using the model of the Absolute Monarch to create a conflict where merit doesn't matter and the rules change with the King’s mood. The Terror of the Random: Analyzing the "Anton Chigurh" effect, why removing logic from a confl...

In this episode, we look at the power of the unadorned. We explore the Austere archetype and why stripping away the noise often reveals the most unyielding truths of a character. In this episode, we discuss: The Medieval Model: Using the "Architecture of Silence" found in Cistercian monks to create characters who cannot be bribed or tempted. The Weight of Less: How the "Precedent" of an austere ch...

In this episode, we go back to Renaissance Italy to meet the "Prince of Florence" and explore the cold, calculating heart of power.  In this episode, we discuss: The Architect and the Arsonist: Comparing Thomas Cromwell to Littlefinger to see how manipulation moves a plot. The Historical Backbone: How anchoring your worldbuilding in the cynical realities of real-world politics like the War of the...

In this episode, we explore characters who are impossible to pin down. In this episode, we discuss: The Quicksilver Element: Tracing the word from the Roman messenger god to the liquid metal that shatters and reforms, providing a metaphor for characters who refuse to hold a permanent shape. Consistency in Inconsistency: The secret to writing "random" behavior that feels earned, ensuring that rapid...

In this episode, we look at the ultimate tool of the rebel and the most dangerous weapon in a writer’s arsenal: the power to take a foundation and flip it. In this episode, we discuss: Subversion from Within vs. Below: Exploring the difference between the high-level politician dismantling control from a desk and the disruptor throwing a wrench into the gears from the ground floor. The Shutter Isla...

In this episode, we talk about the most painful part of the creative process: cutting away what we love to save what we need. In this episode, we discuss: The Three-Day Pivot: Why I'm moving from a daily model to three episodes a week. In your current project, are you holding onto a habit because it’s useful, or are you just afraid to kill a darling that’s keeping you from your best work? Subscrib...

In this episode, we explore what might be the most misunderstood resident of the social ladder. In this episode, we discuss: Gravitas over Status: How the word "vagabond" shifts a character from a "problem to be solved" to a weathered observer whose lack of a destination is a deliberate identity. The Gleeman Model: Using the example of characters like Thom Merrilin (from The Wheel of Time) to show...

In this episode, we explore the invisible architecture of human interaction. We look at precedent, not as a legal term, but as the weight of history that dictates how characters trust, fear, and manipulate one another before a single line of dialogue is even spoken. In this episode, we discuss: The Predictability of the Past: Why a character’s "baseline" behavior should dictate how other character...

In this episode, we explore the Venerable archetype and the quiet, heavy burden of being a monument in a world that keeps moving. In this episode, we discuss: The Burden of the Pedestal: Why the venerable character rules through history rather than power, and the collective "standing up" that happens when a legend enters the room. The Relic of a Former Age: Exploring the friction that occurs when...

In this episode, we reach the peak of the pyramid to look at the one who doesn't just hold power, but is the power. We explore the Hegemon and why this archetype is the ultimate engine for conflict in our most epic stories. In this episode, we discuss: The Social Island: How the burden of the crown creates a unique character study of isolation. The Voice of Certainty: Analyzing the terrifyingly ca...

In this episode, we move into the basement of the mind to meet the character who has gone so far down the rabbit hole they’ve forgotten that not everyone lives in the dark with them.  In this episode, we discuss: The Island of Knowledge: Why the abstruse character differs from the pedant; it’s not about being right, it’s about being thorough to the point of isolation. The Signal-to-Noise Conflict:...

In this episode, we step into the world of the observer, the scientist, and the tracker.  In this episode, we discuss: The Power of Proof: Why the empirical character is the ultimate engine for plot progression, using the "Sherlock Holmes model" of accumulating observable facts to solve the puzzles of the world. The Driven Journey: How a single piece of physical evidence can become more powerful f...

In this episode, we’re looking at the specialist who prioritizes the "correct" over the "useful." We dive into the Pedantic archetype. The Strength of the Flaw: Why a pedantic character's greatest social disadvantage is also their narrative superpower. The Viewpoint Challenge: How to keep a hyper-pedantic narrator from becoming tiresome. Which of your characters would be most likely to correct som...

In this episode, we explore the archetype that refuses to be contained: the Polymath. In this episode, we discuss: The Collision of Interests: Why the Polymath’s true value in a story isn’t their intelligence, but the friction created when their different obsessions come into conflict. What secondary hobby or obsession could you give your protagonist that directly contradicts their primary profess...

In this episode, we turn the page on the calendar and turn a corner in our craft. After a month of sharpening our sensory tools, we begin a brand-new series: Character Archetypes. In this episode, we discuss: The Advantage of the Blueprint: Why using recognizable roles like the Hero, the Mentor, or the Trickster provides a "safety net" for the reader, allowing you to focus on the subversion and th...

In this final installment of our five-part mini-series on the Five Senses, we finish with the sense that grounds us in our own skin and confirms reality: Touch. We explore "haptic" and why the secret to powerful prose lies in the "feedback loop" between a character and their environment. In this episode, we discuss: Awareness: Why haptic description goes beyond simple texture to include the weight...

In this episode, we take a bite out of the world as we reach the penultimate stop in our five-part mini-series on the Five Senses.  In this episode, we discuss: The Visceral Shortcut: Why describing a taste—like the metallic "taste of iron"—bypasses logic to trigger immediate physical responses like a puckered lip or a tightened throat. The "Double-Edged" Nature: How to transition from physical fl...

In this episode, we tune our ears to the world as we continue our five-part mini-series on the Five Senses. We explore "Sound" through the word "susurrus"—a beautiful, whispering term that serves as a vital warning for storytellers: just because a word is "literary" doesn't mean it’s the right tool for the job. In this episode, we discuss: The Trap of the Niche: Why reaching for a high-level vocab...

In this episode, we open our eyes to the light, but we aren't looking at the obvious. We continue our five-part mini-series on the Five Senses by focusing on Sight. We explore "nacreous"—the luster of the mother-of-pearl—and why the most effective visual storytelling happens when the writer provides the spark and lets the reader build the fire. In this episode, we discuss: The Mother of Pearl: Div...

In this episode, we kick off a five-part mini-series on the Five Senses by diving into the "air" of your story: Smell. We explore "petrichor"—the blood of the stone—and why scent is the ultimate storyteller's shortcut to the human nervous system. In this episode, we discuss: The Blood of the Stone: Breaking down the ancient Greek roots petra (stone) and ichor (ethereal fluid of the gods) to unders...

In this episode, we have reached the summit. We’ve traveled from A to Y, and it is only fitting that we end at the highest point.  In this episode, we discuss: Managing the Descent: Why you shouldn't rush the view once your character reaches the top, and how to use prose to bring your story to its natural, hard-earned conclusion. The sun is at its zenith and the alphabet is complete—what will you...

In this episode, we explore a word that is as much about a feeling as it is about a function.  In this episode, we discuss: The Character of the Explainer: How using niche language like "yare" acts as a window into a character’s high standards, isolation, or private passions. Is your prose bogged down and sluggish, or is it "yare" ready to guide your reader exactly where you want them to go withou...