The Great Plot VS Pants Debate, Round 1 Inking Neon: Light Up Your Stories podcast

16d ago 1:05:13

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Stuart says you’ve got to plot your stories. Cullen isn’t so sure! Maybe you can just fly by the seat of your pants? We lay out our arguments in the (timeless?) Pants vs Plot debate. Also featured: Joseph Cambell was a moron; is Save the Cat worthless?; the creativity of David Lynch; and examples of stirring scenes from Dune Part II and The Fellowship of the Ring.

00:00 The Plotter vs. Pantser Debate

02:15 The Plotter Opening Statement: The Importance of Plotting in Speculative Fiction

05:29 The Pantser Opening Statement: The Joy of Discovery in Writing

10:56 The Utility of Knowing Your Story's Themes

14:59 The Simplicity at the Heart of Complex Stories

20:40 Navigating Plot Structures

28:41 Exploring the Themes of 'The Lord of the Rings'

40:29 Exploring David Lynch's Creative Process

45:30 Dune: Themes of Power and Revenge

52:27 Stuart's Pathos, Ethos, and Logos Toolkit

57:16 Closing statements: The Balance of Plotting and Discovery in Writing

Stuart’s Examples:

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien Interpreted by Peter Jackson, screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Stephen Sinclair

DUNE by Frank Herbert Interpreted by Dennis Villanueva, Screenplay by Jon Spaihts, Dennis Villanueva, Eric Roth.

Referenced in this conversation:

The Hero With A Thousand Faces, Joseph Cambell

Seven Basic Plots, by Christopher Booker

Save the Cat, by Blake Snyder

The Writer’s Journey, Christopher Vogler

The Heroine's Journey: Woman's Quest for Wholeness by Maureen Murdock

Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes

Aaron Sorkin Teaches Screenwriting

Date Record: Oct 14, 2025

Date Publish: Oct 15, 2025

Music by Cullen McHael

Edited by Cullen McHael

Produced by Cullen McHael

Hosts: Stuart J. Tanner, Cullen McHael

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InkingNeon

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories/id1838329557

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qSplbBX4oYmd2pYoSAzOF

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c7826f91-085a-4509-9c69-d90fef1bdb5b/inking-neon-light-up-your-stories

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-inking-neon-light-up-your-294206954

PodBean: https://inkingneon.podbean.com/

Cullen McHael: https://cullenmchael.com

Stuart J. Tanner: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08XW3G4WG/ https://www.amazon.com.au/Art-of-Story/dp/B08JL6GJBR/

4 episodes