Developmental Editing for World-Building
Episode description
Developmental editor and anthropologist Andrew Hodges shares his view of the editor’s role in shaping fictional worlds—especially in speculative fiction. He brings a unique perspective to the craft, blending editorial expertise with a background in cultural anthropology. We discuss:
- How editors can guide world-building without taking over the creative vision
- Common mistakes writers make when creating new worlds
- Approaches to handling culture and social structures with nuance
- Tools and frameworks that make complex worlds easier to manage
- Why developmental editing for world-building is really about strengthening the story’s core
If you’re a developmental editor working with fantasy, sci-fi, or even historical fiction, this episode is full of ideas for making world-building more intentional, inclusive, and story-driven.
Andrew Hodges is a developmental editor and the founder of The Narrative Craft (TheNarrativeCraft.com), where he works with speculative fiction authors to bring their stories to life. With a PhD in social anthropology, Andrew offers deep insight into how culture, structure, and meaning shape the worlds we build.
Here’s a detailed list of the resources mentioned in this episode:
- Andy’s podcast: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/the-free-lancer-podcast
- Andy’s webinar https://payhip.com/b/UTCN9
- Sophie Playle Guiding Principles for Developmental Fiction Editing (Webinar) https://www.liminalpages.com/
- Jennifer Lawler Developmental Editing Courses https://www.clubedfreelancers.com/jennifer-lawler-editor/
- Beth Hill’s book, “The Magic of Fiction” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29510704-the-magic-of-fiction
- Janice Hardy’s “Revising Your Novel: First Draft to Finished Draft: A step-by-step guide to revising your novel”: https://a.co/d/f5y6PQu
- Wonderbook: https://a.co/d/3YCnoWJ
- Blog, podcast, discord: https://mythcreants.com/
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