Ali discusses storytelling clichés including hackneyed phrases, stereotypical characters, love triangles, miscommunications and many other tropes.
Storytelling Clichés
Author: alithewriter
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Ali discusses the movie, Kiki’s Delivery Service, written, produced and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. She reminisces about watching the movie with her siblings and gushes over how much she loves Kiki’s black cat, Jiji. She also talks about the powerful message of finding what inspires you in order to regain your confidence as depicted through Kiki’s journey in this coming-of-age film.
Hey Arnold! + “Care”
Ali discusses the amazing Nicktoon, Hey Arnold!, created by Craig Bartlett. She shares her interesting interpretation of the show’s title when she was a kid, poignant moments that move her to tears, various lines that always crack her up, key scenes that stood out to her as a kid and what she feels is the all-encompassing theme of the series. She also talks about the qualities she admires most about Arnold and the reasons Helga G. Pataki is one of her all-time favorite characters. Afterward, she shares a Hey Arnold! story she wrote called “Care.”
The Devil Wears Prada
Ali discusses the movie, The Devil Wears Prada, starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, recapping her favorite moments from this fashion-centric film.
Story Endings + “The End”
Ali shares tips from various articles about crafting effective story endings. She also shares a super short story she wrote for a college assignment called “The End.”
Ed, Edd n Eddy + “Edd the Stud”
Ali discusses the gut-bustingly hilarious cartoon, Ed, Edd n Eddy, created by Danny Antonucci. She shares her favorite episodes, quotes and fourth wall breaking moments, plus a few behind-the-scene tidbits and her theory on what’s under Double Dee’s hat. She also shares her thoughts on the fitting series finale, Ed, Edd n Eddy’s Big Picture Show, and she shares an Ed, Edd n Eddy story she wrote called “Edd the Stud.”
Invader ZIM: Enter the Florpus + “Sitting in a Tree”
Ali discusses the movie, Invader ZIM: Enter the Florpus, written by series creator, Jhonen Vasquez. She shares everything she loved about the movie in all of its ridiculous glory, from the incredible visuals to the hilarious dialogue to the surprisingly sweet moments. Afterward, she shares another Invader ZIM story she wrote called “Sitting in a Tree.”
Be sure to also check out Invader ZIM + “Dodgeball of Doom.”
First Anniversary! + “Rules of Rejection”
Ali celebrates the first anniversary of Storytelling Saga by sharing behind-the-scene details of the podcast, from preparing, recording and editing to her goals for the podcast as it heads into its second year. She also shares some advice if you’re thinking about starting your own podcast, and she shares an extremely short story she wrote a while back called “Rules of Rejection.”
Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling with Sylvie
Ali and special guest, Sylvie, discuss the Netflix special, Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling, written by series creator, Joe Murray, with additional writing from Mr. Lawrence, Martin Olson, Cosmo Segurson, Dan Becker and Tom Smith. They discuss first reactions to finding out Rocko’s Modern Life was getting a special, favorite meta jokes and callbacks, thoughts on the overall theme and message, their opinions on how this special compares to other Nicktoon reboots and much more!
Check out Sylvie’s podcasts, the Sylvie Soul Writing podcast and The Vacant Lot – a Hey Arnold! podcast, as well as her website, sylviesoul.com. Be sure to also follow her on Twitter.
The Secret Life of Bees
Ali discusses the powerful imagery and the connecting theme of motherhood in Sue Monk Kidd’s critically acclaimed novel, The Secret Life of Bees.
Storytelling Saga 