Fictionology 101: Recent Episodes
Beth Portnoy
A podcast where avid reader, writer, and poet Beth Portnoy covers all the fascinating things about fiction that nobody seems to really notice (not even that one English teacher). From suspension of morality to what actually defines an anti-villain, to an in depth analysis of writing techniques and their perception by their audiences, Fictionology 101 will cover all those topics and more in weekly bite-sized episodes.
Although a complicated topic even more complicated by magic, in this episode Beth Portnoy discusses the science of thought when coupled with magic and other such fictional creations..
And on that ending note, my new poetry book, The Sunday of Summer and my first Short Story collection, The Seven Parodied Tropes, which both came out last week so check it out right here in my linktree ( linktr.ee/bethportnoy ) or on Barnes and Noble by searching for Beth Portnoy or either title! Don’t forget to click subscribe for episodes every Monday to start off your week.
Sibling relationships in storytelling is so often misinterpreted and miswritten. Join host Beth Portnoy on this bite-sized Monday morning episode about sibling relationships where she pieces apart what, exactly, is so misrepresented as a whole.
And on that ending note, my first book, Lorem Ipsum Dolor, came out recently so check it out right here in my linktree ( linktr.ee/bethportnoy ) or on Barnes and Noble by searching for Beth Portnoy or Lorem Ipsum Dolor ! Don’t forget to click subscribe for episodes every Monday morning to start off your week.
Summary: Fanfiction is a fascinating concept and reality that this show has hinted at way too often to ignore. Join host Beth Portnoy on this bite-sized Monday morning episode about fanfiction and it’s real-world ramifications.
And on that ending note, my first book, Lorem Ipsum Dolor, came out recently so check it out right here in my linktree ( linktr.ee/bethportnoy ) or on Barnes and Noble by searching for Beth Portnoy or Lorem Ipsum Dolor ! Don’t forget to click subscribe for episodes every Monday morning to start off your week.
Did you know each and every human brain, yours included, has an inbuilt autocorrect feature? This week, tune into your Monday morning start-of-the-week episode to find out how, exactly, that nifty little feature works.
And on that ending note, my first book, Lorem Ipsum Dolor, came out last week so check it out right here in my linktree ( linktr.ee/bethportnoy ) or on Barnes and Noble by searching for Beth Portnoy or Lorem Ipsum Dolor ! Don’t forget to click subscribe for episodes every Monday morning to start off your week.
How does one hit their audience in the face with a wet fish (metaphorically, of course)? By following the newly born Portnoy rule of poetry flow, of course. Tune in to this episode to find out how, exactly, humans fill-in-the-blank psychology works so well with all kinds of fiction pieces alike.
On that joyous note: my first book, Lorem Ipsum Dolor, came out yesterday so check it out right here in my linktree ( linktr.ee/bethportnoy ) or on Barnes and Noble by searching for Beth Portnoy or Lorem Ipsum Dolor ! Don’t forget to click subscribe for episodes every Monday morning to start off your week.
In a truly bite-sized season finale, Beth covers the phenomenon of the single-name description mentioned in the last episode.
Chekov’s gun is one of the core principles of foreshadowing and hints in fiction storytelling. In this episode, Beth Portnoy explains both Chekov’s gun as Chekov’s coffee cup.
Language creates the very origin of storytelling, for how can there be stories without a way to communicate them? But how does this works when, for full immersion in the setting, the author needs to use more than one language? In this episode, Beth covers the translation convention and what that means for readers. (Hint: see if you can catch the Easter egg in the middle!)
Write what you know is legendary advice for authors. However, there are two sides to it. For one, you do need to know certain things, but you don't always have to experience them firsthand (although sometimes you very much do). This episode follows up on the previous episode, Kings and Queens, as well as reaching into newer, more example-based themes into an episode that's almost entirely description of the nuance of author's craft (the one nobody listened to your middle school ELA teacher lecture about until you actually end up needing it).
"A King must have a Queen but a Queen only needs a Prince." In this episode, Beth discusses representation, especially feminism, in unrealistic storytelling literature.
Villains are the backbone of the story they star in, especially in stories that require more suspension of disbelief than not. But not only do their insides, their thought process, motivations, history, and actions need to be crafted, but so do their outsides, their appearance.
This episode covers the pros and cons of different routes of crafting villain's appearances from the storyteller’s point of view.
Suspension of Disbelief is a concept we all know, whether from secondary school Lit teachers, or from the realization that we cannot do some of the things our favorite fictional characters can. This episode dives into the parallel concept of suspension of morality and (at least the basics) of all that it entails.
Characters are classified, sorted and resorted into categories and under labels almost as often as people are. The oldest ones, existing since people have told stories, are the hero and the villain. Good and Bad. Right and Wrong. But once in a while, characters will come along that push at those boundaries. And so the anti- card comes in. But what is an anti-hero and an anti-villain? Click play to find out in the premiere episode of Fictionology 101.