Oct 3, 2024

It's time for some writing advice! We talk about how to raise the stakes in a story without wrecking it. What exactly do we mean by "stakes," anyway, and does raising them always involve some kind of plot twist? Later in the episode we talk to the creators and musicians behind the blog Women of Noise to learn more about...

Sep 19, 2024

Science fiction is great at helping people get used to strange concepts — or people — and making us see them as more "normal." But what does "normal" mean, and is it always a good thing? Later in the episode, we talk to Rob Cameron, author of the new novel Daydreamer, about writing neurodivergent characters.

Sep 5, 2024

When someone disrespects you in a subtle way, with plausible deniability, it can do just as much damage as overt bigotry. So we're talking about microaggressions — what they are, and how science fiction explores them but also perpetuates them. And later in the episode, we talk to Stanford professor Evelyn Douek...

Aug 22, 2024

In one of our favorite episodes from 2021, we talked to TV news commentator and author (and scifi fan!) Wajahat Ali about nationalism in science fiction. It's feeling relevant again. We'll be back in your feeds with brand-new episodes starting in two weeks!

Aug 8, 2024

Dearest Listeners, you asked us for advice, and now we've got the definitive answers! From writing and relationship questions, to concerns about the best way to alter the timeline, we tackle it all.