When you're creating tomes of information about your world -- spreadsheets of demographics, maps at every level of geography, tomes of lore -- how do you keep tabs on it all? How much can you keep in your head, and how much has to be written down, codified, and carefully tracked? In this episode, we explore our tools of worldbuilding.
We use all sorts of different methods and platforms, some of them physical and tangible, others entirely digital. From nebulous notions of "the world is like this" to a fully indexed world bible, the methods vary! Like so much else in writing, this isn't a thing where there's One Right Answer that will Unlock the Mysteries of Successful Publishing: it's all about finding what works best for you, your habits, your preferences, and even for individual projects.
In other news: If you're a Hugo-nominating type person, you've got til the end of January to become a member of Glasgow 2024! (If you weren't a member of Chengdu 2023, that is; if you were, you already have nominating privileges!) We think we had a pretty great year in 2023, and if you think so, too, we'd adore it if you became a member and thought of us when nominations open.
Episode 89: Stealing the Best Parts of History, ft. LAURA ANNE GILMAN
Episode 88: Hashtag Aesthetic, ft. MARY ROBINETTE KOWAL
Episode 87: Building Up Hope, ft BRANDON CRILLY
Episode 86: Live at WorldCon!
Episode 85: Falling in Love Again… with Worldbuilding Ft SARA MUELLER
Episode 84: Make or Break Worldbuilding Deep Dive: The MNG
Episode 83: Using Our Vacation Time
Episode 82.5: Live at ArmadilloCon!
Episode 82: From One-Note Worlds to Complete Space Operas, ft. Valerie Valdes
Episode 81: That’s Just Good Policy feat. VICTOR MANIBO
Episode 80: Festivus for the Rest Of Us
Episode 79: Building Past the Horizon
Episode 78: Reimagining Relationships w/ FOZ MEADOWS
Episode 77: Pull a Thread, Build A World w/ KRITIKA H. RAO
Episode 76: Farm to Table Fantasy ft. SARAH GAILEY
Episode 75: Worldbuilding Beyond Borders
Episode 74: FMK Worldbuilding Edition
Episode 73: In-Line Worldbuilding ft. MELISSA CARUSO
Episode 72: This is Cerulean, Right?: Fashion, Politics, and Power, ft. NATANIA BARRON
Episode 71: X Marks The Spot ft. PENG SHEPHERD
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