In this episode of the WorldCraft Club podcast, James and Dave dive into the perennial debate about whether Star Wars is science fiction or science fantasy. Building on a previous discussion with Seth on genre from an author's perspective, they now explore it from a broader, more critical angle. They discuss various elements of genre classification, especially focusing on the definitions and roles of science fiction and science fantasy. The conversation touches on the differences in narrative fo...
Sep 10, 2024•31 min
In this episode of The Worldcraft Club, host James and guest Seth delve into the complex topic of genre and its impact on storytelling and worldbuilding. They explore the dual-edged nature of genre as both a helpful guide for setting reader expectations and a restrictive boundary for creative expression. Seth shares his seasoned perspective on genre, discussing how it has influenced and sometimes constrained his prolific writing career. He argues that focusing on tropes rather than strict genre ...
Aug 06, 2024•24 min
In this episode of the WorldCraft Club podcast, the hosts dive into the intricate relationship between worldbuilding and storytelling, particularly focusing on the concepts of systems and progression. They discuss how overly complex systems can overshadow character arcs and the importance of limiting the agents of change in a story. Using examples such as Terry Pratchett’s Discworld and the popular series Arcane, they explore how to effectively integrate technological advancements and political ...
Jun 07, 2024•32 min
Don't worldbuild at the cost of wonder! In this episode of The WorldCraft Club, James and Dave delve into the origins of worldbuilding, tracing it back to ancient myths and fairy tales. They discuss how early storytelling, through tales of trolls, fairies, and elves, laid the groundwork for what would become known as worldbuilding, notably evolving with Tolkien's work. The episode explores the distinction between allegory and modern worldbuilding, examines Tolkien's impact, and considers the imp...
May 07, 2024•25 min
In this episode of the WorldCraft Club podcast, James is joined by guests Max Moyer, an epic fantasy author of 'Zodak the Last Shielder', his brother Eli, and audiobook narrator Dallin. They discuss the creative process behind the making of the 'Zodak the Last Shielder' audiobook, highlighting the collaborative effort required to bring the fantasy world to life through nuanced voice acting. Max and Eli share their journey from ideation to publishing, emphasizing the challenges and rewards of cre...
Apr 22, 2024•45 min
Check out this episode on YouTube ! Adaptations are BIG right now! Live action interpretations of childhood shows (like Avatar the Last Airbender, or anime like One Piece) or books being turned into movies or comics, there is so much IP out there to be adapted. Today Seth and I talk through why a lot of these adaptations receive harsh criticism, how creatives should frame their work for adaptation, and why adaptations are even made to begin with! Check out the only link you'll ever need < our...
Mar 25, 2024•31 min
In a WorldCraft Club first, we interview an animation studio, YGKrow, and talk about the process of animation and how it can enhance your worldbuilding. In this episode we explore the differences between the eastern and western approach to animation and what that reveals about the priorities of each. Key Takeaways Ma (Space) - Leave room for your creation to breath. You don't always have to fill the air with more content if what you've already created is rich with meaning. What this can mean is ...
Dec 12, 2023•26 min
Possibly the most important question a worldbuilder will never ask themselves: How do I make room for someone else to add to my world? Community is underrated but critical to the creative process. At some point your work will interact with others, whether it's your family and friends, writers in a group you're part of, a creative partner, or an audience, those people will have thoughts on what you made. Eli and Max Moyer join Seth and I on the pod today to talk about this super important and usu...
Nov 03, 2023•50 min
In Ross’s latest book we see a man displaced from all he finds familiar adjusting to a new world he knows only through academic study. In this process we as readers learn much about his world as he explores ours. Key Takeaways: Don’t fear a good trope. Fish out of Water, as discussed here, can operate as a great way to convey your setting that focuses on character development and growth rather than rote exposition. Make use of your characters to refine your setting by reverse engineering it. Rem...
Oct 09, 2023•29 min
Worldbuilding is like gardening, you’re creating a space that’s artificial, human made, but it showcases natural beauty. Wild nature meets ordered man. But what if you get distracted along the way, an idea pops up that you’re growing an obsession with and can’t tell if it really ‘fits’. Do you save it for later? Cast it aside completely? Today Seth and James talk about weeding your setting, that is, when and when not to remove something from your setting. Key Takeaways: A weed is something that ...
Sep 02, 2023•32 min
Part Two of Steel Stash on using ASCOPE/PMESII as a worldbuilding tool! Join Steel Stash and James as they finish up with the OPE of ASCOPE looking at Organizations, People, and Events in the fictional city of Nightside. This tool is incredibly flexible and can aid in the creation of a lot of interconnected content but it needs to be handled with some care and some knowledge of where you're going. This means that you, as the creator, will have to have a strong North Star that you're guiding your...
Aug 10, 2023•30 min
There’s no doubt that Isaac Asimov was a master. His work is unparalleled science fiction that formed the basis of the genre as we know it. But the 1940s were a different time and when he wrote Nightfall he had some ideas about worldbuilding that might throw some of us for a loop. “Just imagine it yourself” he seems to say in a letter to the reader ahead of his 1941 short story Nightfall. Seth and James discuss where the of worldbuilding in Asimov’s work and how it can influence what you’re maki...
Aug 01, 2023•31 min
Pop quiz! What page of the monster manual has an ASCOPE/PMESII? Steel Stash joins the pod for this two part episode discussing this powerful worldbuilding acronym. It's a tool that was developed by the military to assess an area of operation but serves world builders by helping to clearly and concisely get the key details about an area nailed down. Join us as we explore the utility of this initialism and level up your worldbuilding. Key Takeaways This tool is ultimately a prompting tool. Use wha...
Jul 19, 2023•34 min
How do you write compelling and rich lore? Peter Chiykowski has a new tool to help with that. With a focus on building out connections and relationships to establish a lore web with the Lore Master's Deck. During this episode Peter and Seth discuss the nature of lore and its place in your worldbuilding as well as techniques that can help reframe the practice of creating that lore. Key Takeaways: The gaps between elements of your setting is where the story is. A setting doesn't truly exist outsid...
Jun 22, 2023•50 min
April Fools! Normally you get insightful worldbuilding commentary. Today you get the server hosting a roundtable about a children’s TV show, Bluey. So sit back, relax, and enjoy a panel of adults thinking way too hard about a kid’s show. Our LinkTree , this has the link to the Discord on it along with just about everything else. Definitely check it out!
Apr 01, 2023•59 min
Andor hit different. As far as Star Wars stories go this show fell on the 'grittier' side of things. Much like Rogue One, where we first met Cassian Andor. It also told a story which was more focused on the million small stories that took place around the major Skywalker narrative present in the main trilogy based movies. While the show made a splash on our discord server leading to several gushing reviews, the response was not altogether positive with some members of the community wondering whe...
Mar 20, 2023•44 min
Do you ever stop to ask yourself why? At the WorldCraft Club that’s a yearly tradition. In order to perfect the craft of building exceptional worlds we hold the practice of pausing to reflect. We consider the definitions of our terms and look at how our understanding has changed. In this episode Seth and James discuss the meaning of Worldbuilding and, more importantly, what good worldbuilding is. Key Takeaways: Worldbuilding vs. Story - There’s an ongoing question in creative spaces about the va...
Mar 06, 2023•34 min
Sometimes the process of worldbuilding can drag and steal your sense of excitement about a setting you’ve been crafting. The antidote? A good story, preferably a short one, set in your world that you can finish and share. Daniel McCormack talks with us about this powerful, instructive process that will make your worldbuilding richer, clearer and more fun than you dared to imagine. Key takeaways: You have a limited reservoir of wonder and excitement for your setting and short stories help fan thi...
Feb 06, 2023•29 min
Plotter or pantser? Do you take the time to write extensive outlines or do you find that you tend to create on the fly? It’s never really been a true dichotomy but rather a spectrum. The analogy of a garden or the process of cultivation with its pruning, grafting, and tilling earth seems apt. Seth and James talk about the process of gardening your worlds to life. Key Takeaways Don’t get caught up in your identity as a plotter or pantser but embrace the idea that you’re more likely on the garden ...
Jan 23, 2023•21 min
Being GM is not easy. The worlds we create are supposed to ensnare our visitants and draw them in but when our audience have a mind of their own and desire to bring about meaningful change in our settings that can lead to some tricky situations. Greg from Worldbuilding.io joins us today to help us navigate the process of creating a setting that feels grounded but allows for dynamic change when encountering new ideas. Whether you’re into TTRPGs (Tabletop Roleplaying Games) or not, I think this me...
Jan 09, 2023•25 min
This Netflix series by Studio Trigger brought Night City to life in new and unexpected ways drawing so many of is in from the first episode of it’s tragic run. The Discord server was abuzz with ideas about it for weeks and many of us couldn’t wait to grab the mic and talk about it. What follows are some highlights from that conversation where we critically analyze the show and uncover some solid world building secrets from a setting that blew us all away. If you’re looking to grow as a storytell...
Nov 29, 2022•29 min
The best worlds might be grown rather than made. We often talk about these two separate concepts that exist in tension in solid worldbuilding. There’s wonder, this feeling of getting wrapped up in the scale of a setting, the sense of the unknown just beyond your eye line. Then there’s immersion, the grounded sensation that the world is understandable and predictable. Both of these ideas play off one another to create a setting that excites your audience but doesn’t alienate them. What is the bri...
Nov 14, 2022•29 min
Horror lives just outside of our eyeline. In the peripherals of our vision. It's a feeling we can't quite shake when something seems amiss and the hairs on the back of our necks rise as our pulse quickens. To that end, world-building is absolutely critical to that tangible atmospher of dread. But how do we create this sensation in our visitants? Happy Halloween everyone! For this spooky episode of the WorldCraft Club Podcast we dive into how we can create horror in our fictional settings by twis...
Oct 31, 2022•26 min
I think Arcane surprised everyone. Video game adaptations are seldom well received but this one exceeded all expectations and told a heartfelt story filled with interesting characters and fascinating world-building. I can count on one hand the people I know who didn't actively love this show. Let's break down what it did well, what may have missed the mark, and (most importantly) what we can learn and apply ourselves. This episode is a bit of an experiment in a new format of show where I, James,...
Oct 17, 2022•28 min
Worldbuilding is a long process that can feel overwhelming when you're dealing with just one primary planetary location let alone the universe at large. Today's interview with Ross Buzzell explores some techniques at developing unique races to populate your settings as we discuss his planned 16 part series (of which he is currently writing book 8 with book 7 available on preorder). We touch on not just how these races can be crafted initially but how they can be developed into more full and roun...
Oct 03, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 52
What happens in your setting when someone dies? Are there gods? Are they deeply concerned with the comings and goings of people or are they aloof and indifferent? The Coats Brothers creators of the DinoBeasts Comic create some of the tightest worldbuilding on myth that I’ve seen in some time. Their setting seems to have...
Sep 19, 2022•29 min
Holy Cow! It’s been a minute. Seth and I owe you an explanation for our absence. To that end, let’s appraise you of all we’ve been up to. The Worldbuilder’s Journal Kickstarter is now fully complete and delivered and reviews are coming back raving. Our Discord is in full swing and growing and now we’re...
Sep 05, 2022•23 min
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the process of worldbuilding? There’s just so much to learn and do, you’re building a whole world after all! But don’t sweat it. James and Seth dive into the process of getting yourself started worldbuilding focusing on the major factors that contribute to a well written world. The practice is focused on meaning rather than detail with the understanding that even the best, most detail-oriented authors were driven by their interests and passions into creating imm...
Sep 25, 2021•32 min
Every GM is trying to creating a world with collaborators whether they like it or not. Authors are now embracing methodologies that include fans in their worldbuilding and story telling. How do you work well with others to create powerful settings and why might this be the best way to work? Long time collaborator and friend of the show Jog Brogzin has been busy. Like, really busy. Not just making awesome maps for Seth and his many other clients but building a collaborative world on his discord s...
Sep 08, 2021•48 min
Is breaking your rules because a particular scene needs a little extra oomph a good thing to do? The rule of cool is where your story starts to strain the expectations and rules that are created and there’s always a cost to it in the form of your visitant’s trust. Will you simply bend/break your rules again when it’s convenient? Marcos and James discuss where the limits of this rule are, jumping the shark, and Nathan Drake’s hit points. Key Takeaways Villains and heroes frequently bend this to m...
Aug 24, 2021•27 min
