As we come to the end of our series of NaNoWrimo special episodes, Ross admits, to Colin's horror, that he thinks this is a writing theory podcast!

Then they go on to explore the difference between character and plot driven stories.

F. T. Kulpa and Wendell Mitchell Snow are both writers and NaNoWriMo enthusiasts. They have taken part several times each.

In this interview they share their experiences about the process, how it is helpful and how to get the most out of NaNoWriMo.

Using theme and motif can be a great way to allow readers to enjoy your story on another level. It can also help focus your writing and add to that all-important NaNoWriMo word count! This week we discuss what we mean by using theme and motif.

Act structure is something that everyone talks and has an opinion about, but is it actually helpful when you are writing your story? No. No, it’s not. But maybe sometimes it is. Allow me to unlock the doors of the prison called “Act Structure” for you. It’s up to you if you leave…

Powers of Darkness is the recently rediscovered early draft of Dracula. Somehow, this early manuscript found its way into the hands of an Icelandic translator and was translated into Icelandic in 1900. For over a hundred years the Icelanders have been reading this book as Dracula, despite there being major, significant differences between the English version and the translated version. With a translation back into English, and a scholarly edition of Powers of Darkness now on the shelves, it is open to speculation as to the origin of these changes. Is this really an early draft, or just an embellishment of the original?

What was the first shared universe? The answer may be surprising (unless you listened to our last episode). Join us as we discuss the little-seen 1943 classic Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, as well as the following Universal Monster movies, and Ross compares Halloween as a kid in the US and the UK.

Why are the Universal Horror Movies important and why should we still talk about them today? Because believe it or not, the Hollywood movie industry is still making billions upon billions using the storytelling models that this specific series of movies developed that were kicked off over 85 years ago. Come inside and listen… if you dare!