This episode of Fictional Problems explores bad story ideas, how flawed concepts can be mined for better work, and examples from pop culture — including Tolkien’s abandoned sequel 'The New Shadow' and the 2017 film Bright. Hosts Gary J. Martin and A.R. McNevin discuss problematic premises (like racist 'ancient alien' notions), discarded drafts, worldbuilding missteps, and how to salvage or learn from discarded concepts.
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