To wrap up Season 3, we’re doing a rundown of everything we’ve learned in the past ten episodes about the beginnings and endings of stories (and how they work as a unit), and sequences. Be sure to bookmark this episode so you can return to it whenever you need a quick refresher!

This is one strange movie. While we can understand it from an intellectual level, and we can deconstruct it (and yes, it won lots of awards), Lost in Translation didn’t evoke any emotion from us (except maybe, annoyance). That’s a big, big problem. Why is that the case? Where did this film go wrong, and how can we avoid making the same mistakes?

There are a handful of stories that theorists use as great examples of the craft, and Toy Story is one of them. (Chinatown is another, but sheesh, enough already!) Yes, the animation was groundbreaking for its day but that’s not what makes this film special. All the fancy tech in the world (or even the best actors in the world) can’t save a film from a script that doesn’t work. If you’re writing a buddy story, a story with two protagonists, or want to better understand character development, this movie—and this episode!—is for you.

It’s not uncommon for a subplot, or secondary character, to take over a story – especially when a writer is still learning the ropes. So, how do you keep a subplot in check and what do you do if it starts taking over? In this week’s episode, Valerie and Melanie discuss just that.

When fans talk about this movie, they usually mention the music. But an amazing soundtrack can’t save a story that doesn’t work. More importantly, for our purposes, music is outside the purview of the writer. So the question remains. Is the writing of this film solid, or does it rely on hits from yesteryear to gloss over its weaknesses? Tune in to find out.

This week, Melanie and Valerie fell into a discussion about whether Good Will Hunting is a miniplot story, or an archplot story with a couple of subplots. What’s the difference? Why does it matter? And how can not knowing put your work-in-progress at risk? Tune in to find out.

Filmmakers have special effects, costuming, casting and music to help them tell their stories. As novelists, we’ve got 26 characters, a handful of punctuation, and our readers’ imaginations. That’s it. So how can we put our readers’ imaginations to work for us? Tune in to this week’s episode to find out. Happy Hallowe’en!