Most people assume every lyric in The Life of a Showgirl is Taylor Swift speaking directly, giving her perspective—but what if they're not?
Understanding the secret of the unreliable narrator changes everything about how we read this album—especially the opening track, “The Fate of Ophelia.” Once you recognize when and how the narrator shifts, a whole new layer of meaning comes into focus.
In this episode, we’ll explore what the different between author and narrator + the concept of an unreliable narrator—and why it might just be the key to unlocking the entire album.
Stick around for a the writing prompts at the end to help you try the technique yourself!
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It's not too late to snag the replay for Write Like Taylor Swift: a 90-minute immersive workshop to help you apply Taylor's most powerful techniques to whatever you already write.
Get all the LIT112 writing prompts in one place: www.maraeller.com/prompts.
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Come join the discussion!
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Follow my new podcast, The Soul and Science of Great Writing! You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you usually listen. Weekly episodes begin dropping in January 2026.
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