Buffy and the Art of Story

The Buffy and the Art of Story podcast looks at story elements in No Place Like Home (Season 5 Episode 5 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), where Buffy strives to learn what's making her mother ill, confronts Dawn, and faces a new foe. This podcast episode recaps No Place Like Home, focusing on: (1) making life harder and harder (and harder) for the protagonist; (2) climax questions that reveal plot; (3) how to write an ephemeral antagonist; and (4) anger management as a theme. Spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning). Last Episode: Bonus Spike Subplot Episode Next Up: Family (S5 E6) Support Buffy And The Art Of Story Podcast Become a patron and access to bonus episodes and content Make a one-time donation at Buy Me A Coffee Work On Your Story Download free Story Structure worksheets Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year in ebook, audiobook, or workbook form Help With Your Story at Writing As A Second Career As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you or influence my love of all things Buffy. More Links Lisa M. Lilly's Audiobooks Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two Part 2: Episodes 12-22 - How to Write About Love, Pyrrhic Victory, and Betrayal The Complete Awakening Supernatural Thriller Series ebook box set Buffy and the Art of Story Season One: Writing Better Fiction by Watching Buffy Buffy and the Art of Story Season Two Part 1: Threats, Lies, and Surprises in Episodes 1-11 Release schedule for the upcoming episodes Buffy and the Art of Story Facebook Page Like supernatural thrillers or private investigator novels with smart, strong female protagonists? Free ebooks from Lisa M. Lilly About Lisa M. Lilly In addition to hosting the podcast Buffy and the Art of Story, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series. She also wrote the Q.C. Davis mysteries, as well as numerous short stories. Her non-fiction includes books on writing craft under L. M. Lilly. She also founded WritingAsASecondCareer.com.

This week on Buffy and the Art of Story: Teacher's Pet, Season 1, Episode 4 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The episode focuses on point-of-view, tone, and all the major plot points from opening conflict to the climax. As always, the discussion is spoiler-free, except at the end (with plenty of warning). Story Elements in Teacher's Pet In this podcast episode we'll look at how Buffy handles: Viewpoint Characters in a Xander-centric episode Opening Conflict Story Spark (a/k/a Inciting Incident) The first major plot turn The story mid-point The three-quarter twist The climax Falling Action Highlights from the Buffy Season 1 DVD commentaries by Joss Whedon are also discussed. For more on the 5-point story structure the podcast covers, you can check out Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide To Plotting And Writing Your Novel. The 7 Season Plan Buffy and the Art of Story plans to cover every episode of Buffy in order and spoiler-free -- except at the end so I can talk about foreshadowing, but I'll give you plenty of warning. Down the road there'll be a Patreon account where you'll be able to get a free story structure template. As a patron, you'll also get access to bonus episodes. Those episodes will include Buffy-adjacent stories (such as key Angel episodes). Also films or TV episodes that are intriguing from a story, theme, or character perspective. Requests will be welcome. Next Up: Never Kill A Boy On The First Date, S1 E5 Episode Transcript for Teacher's Pet Hello, and welcome, or welcome back, to Buffy and the Art of Story. I am Lisa M. Lilly, author of suspense, mysteries, and supernatural thrillers and founder of WritingAsASecondCareer.com. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and you love creating stories or just taking them apart to see how they work, you're in the right place. This week we're talking about Episode Four of Season One: Teacher’s Pet. Teacher's Pet is a standalone episode, so we'll cover all the plot points and turns. Plus, we'll talk about point of view, and prologue. The discussion will be spoiler-free, except at the very end, and I'll give you plenty of warning. Okay, let's dive into the Hellmouth. The Prologue of Teacher's Pet We start with a prologue -- a woman is screaming, a vampire's attacking, Buffy seems really nervous. Already this scene just doesn't feel right. And I love that about it. Because although all those things could be happening in Buffy -- and this is only Episode 4 -- we already have a sense that the way Buffy is acting just doesn't feel like her. Then we have that confirmed when Xander says, “May I cut in?” and he slays the vampires. So we are in Xander's fantasy -- could be a dream -- but we find out it's a daydream. Because it ends with Buffy saying, “You're drooling.” We cut to the science class where she is really saying, “You're drooling.” What Is A Prologue? This is a prologue because it could be lifted out from the main plot without hurting anything because it really is giving us backstory. But it does something key, which is to tell us that at least some of this episode will be from Xander's point of view. And that is -- it's not that we haven't seen scenes before that Buffy is not in. Sometimes we've seen scenes with side characters or with the villain, particularly the Master. But they haven't been specifically from the emotional point of view of another key character who is on Buffy’s side, at least not to this extent. Is Xander the Protagonist of Teacher's Pet? So I can see a reason to have this prologue. It is setting up Xander's internal conflict, which was hinted at earlier. There are his feelings for Buffy, and his feelings that he is not quite a man. Earlier, he linked that to not being able to fight vampires. But we're going to see -- well, I shouldn't say ‘but’ -- we see that in this fantasy his feeling that impressing Buffy, being a man,

In Doublemeat Palace (S6 E12 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Buffy gets a job and Willow struggles when Amy gives her magic as a gift. Along with the recap, this podcast episode focuses on: (1) how to create a fair fight between a villain and a superstrong protagonist; (2) layered dialogue (like Hallie’s and Anya’s) that reads differently each time you hear it; (3) when it’s okay for someone else to save your hero; (4) writing a subplot with strong, clear plot turns; and (5) why realism matters most when you’re writing fantasy or humor. Last Episode: Gone Next Episode: Dead Things Download free Story Structure worksheets Support the podcast and get bonus episodes by becoming a patron Get Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (ebook, audiobook, or workbook) Get The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year (ebook, audiobook, or workbook) Read Buffy and the Art of Story Books As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you or influence my love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. About Lisa M. Lilly In addition to hosting the Buffy and the Art of Story podcast, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series as well as numerous short stories. She is currently writing the latest novel in her Q.C. Davis mysteries. Her non-fiction includes books on writing craft under L. M. Lilly. She also founded WritingAsASecondCareer.com. Click here to check out free books by Lisa M. Lilly.

In Wrecked (S6 E10 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Willow meets Rack and dives into dark magic as Buffy deals with the fallout from her night with Spike. Along with the recap, this podcast episode focuses on: (1) repetition and pacing; (2) Wrecked as a full story or Part 2 of Smashed; (3) conveying emotion through actions and indirect dialogue; and (4) how well the Willow/Rack/addiction story fits in the Buffyverse. Download free Story Structure worksheets Support the podcast and get bonus episodes by becoming a patron Check out the course How To Plot Your Novel: From Idea To First Draft Get Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (ebook, audiobook, or workbook) Get The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year (ebook, audiobook, or workbook) Make a one-time donation at Buy Me A Coffee Read Buffy and the Art of Story Books As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you or influence my love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. About Lisa M. Lilly In addition to hosting the Buffy and the Art of Story podcast, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series as well as numerous short stories. She is currently writing the latest novel in her Q.C. Davis mysteries. Her non-fiction includes books on writing craft under L. M. Lilly. She also founded WritingAsASecondCareer.com. Click here to check out free books by Lisa M. Lilly.

In Villains (S6 E20 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Warren flees, Buffy and friends grapple with Tara’s death, and Willow’s out for revenge. Or is it justice? Along with the recap, this podcast episode focuses on: (1) whether Villians is Buffy’s story or Willow’s; (2) why viewers might not love Season 6 Buffy as a character; (3) seamless scene endings and beginnings that move us through the story; (4) how Warren’s evil deeds contrast those done by others, first for fun, then for sympathy. Last Episode: Seeing Red Next Episode: A Very Buffy Holiday Bonus New Release: Buffy and the Art of Story Season Three Part 1: Write More Gripping Plots, Characters, And Themes By Watching Buffy Download free Story Structure worksheets Get more content while supporting the podcast by becoming a patron Get Super Simple Story Structure: A Quick Guide to Plotting And Writing Your Novel (ebook, audiobook, or workbook) Get The One-Year Novelist: A Week-By-Week Guide To Writing Your Novel In One Year (ebook, audiobook, or workbook) Try the first Q.C. Davis Mysteries ($0.99 each 11/13/23 through 11/19/23) by clicking here As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this site, but that doesn’t change the purchase price to you or influence my love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. About Lisa M. Lilly In addition to hosting the Buffy and the Art of Story podcast, Lisa M. Lilly is the author of the bestselling four-book Awakening supernatural thriller series as well as numerous short stories. She is currently writing the latest novel in her Q.C. Davis mysteries. Her non-fiction includes books on writing craft under L. M. Lilly. She also founded WritingAsASecondCareer.com. Click here for free books by Lisa M. Lilly