S30E4 - The Portal Fantasy

While this plot trope is often restricted to certain genres (implied in the title), Portal Fantasies can be versatile and interesting, no matter how many times you've seen it. Popular examples of a portal fantasy include The Chronicles of Narnia, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and even Jumanji. They each share something in common: the characters emerging from one world into another, usually going from our mundane world to somewhere magical.

This trope also lends itself to being able to play with lots of sub-tropes. You can mix genres, swap the portal so the magical comes into our world, and even do a sci-fi version with technological time travel. There are even opportunities for a tragic love story of characters split by the portal, only able to reunite occasionally. Over all, portal fantasies lend themselves to the creativity of the author.

Listen to this episode for more about how to write one, what to avoid, and common pieces you can include if you choose to tackle this plot trope.

First aired March 14, 2022.