Narrative Rebellion

The craft podcast for historical, speculative, and sci-fi writers who are tired of cardboard empires and predictable plots. Join structural strategist Margaret to dissect the invisible architecture of power in iconic stories—and learn how to give your characters true tactical agency without defaulting to cheap tropes. mcnelliswrites.substack.com

Narrative Rebellion is a general podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Narrative Rebellion, a general show with 0 episodes published.

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  Episode #6

  Bonus Update: Podcast Schedule Changes, Narrative Rebellion Lab, and AI

  Aug 25, 202611 minS0

  <p>This week, host Margaret McNellis brings a special bonus check-in episode to unpack key takeaways from the WorldShift Conference, share exciting schedule changes coming to the podcast, and introduce her new coaching container, plus a writing exercise.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p>In This Episode, We Cover:</p><p>* AI and the Creative Process: Insights from the World Shift Conference Q&A regarding generative AI in writing and why keeping human connection central to storytelling matters.</p><p>* New...

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  Episode #5

  The Humanity of Villains: Dissecting Rodrigo Borgia in The Borgias

  Aug 18, 202622 minS0

  <p>This week, host Margaret McNellis kicks off a new dissection series focused on the hit show The Borgias. How do characters sitting at the very peak of a system navigate the rigid power structures around them? Margaret explores the complex agency of Rodrigo Borgia, breaking down how storytellers can write compelling, dynamic, and surprisingly human “villains” who subvert the very systems they aim to control.</p><p><p>This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p>In This Episode, We Cover:</p><p>* The Complexity of A...

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  Episode #4

  Pantsing Power Structures: Do You Really Need to Plan Your Subversive Arcs?

  Aug 11, 20267 minS0

  <p>Welcome to the first discussion-format episode of Narrative Rebellion!</p><p>This week, host Margaret McNellis tackles a critical mindset and process question: If you identify as a “pantser,” do you still need to outline your story’s power structures and subversive elements before you start writing?</p><p>The short answer is no—but a little bit of lightweight foundation can save you a massive headache in revision. Margaret breaks down how to balance structural planning with the creative pull of the blank page, why over-planning can trick your brain into thinking a story is already finished, and how to u...

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  Episode #3

  Micro-Power Dynamics: Why the Smallest Subversions Carry the Highest Stakes

  Aug 4, 202617 minS0

  <p>Welcome to the first official Deep Dive episode of Narrative Rebellion!</p><p>Host Margaret McNellis steps into the past to examine micro-power structures, using the household of the Italian Renaissance as a prime historical case study. While historical pop culture often paints Renaissance men as absolute rulers, real domestic power was far more nuanced, fluid, and conditional.</p><p>In this episode, Margaret breaks down how class, seasonal work, gender expectations, and domestic hierarchies dictated who held power under what circumstances—and why every act of rebellion carries physical, financial, and social costs. Whether you write historical fiction, sp...

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  Episode #2

  Antagonist Motivation & The "Mustache-Twirler" Trap (Heroes Reborn)

  Jul 28, 202615 minS0

  <p>Welcome to the very first Dissection Episode of Narrative Rebellion!</p><p>Host Margaret McNellis dives into the limited sci-fi series Heroes Reborn to analyze its primary antagonist, Erica Kravid (CEO of Renatas). While the series presents a high-stakes, civilization-saving premise involving solar flares and eugenics-driven future cities, it stumbles into a major craft trap: revealing the antagonist’s human motivations too late in the story.</p><p>In this episode, Margaret breaks down why delaying villain backstories flattens complex characters into “mustache twirlers,” how human inconsistencies make antagonists compelling, and how to avoid these missed opportunities in your own fi...

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