Using Incantations in Your Magic System
Incantations that don't sound silly or seem random can be difficult to create.
Worldbuilding: Page 3
Building Earthsea: How Le Guin Laid a Shaky Foundation for Her World
Despite a novel and diverse setting, Earthsea suffers from sexism and a lack of planning.
Six Consequences of Poorly Thought-Out Magic Systems
If your magic system is confusing, other aspects of the story might not even matter.
Episode 287: Magic Systems
With a snap of our fingers and an abracadabra, we summon this podcast to appear, as if by a system of magic.
Building Arrakis: How Herbert Sabotaged His Own Ideas
Cool space worms can't save Dune from sexism, racism, and absurdity.
Episode 277: Realistic Monsters
Where does animal end and monster begin?
Building The Expanse: How Corey Melds Conflict and Tech
The Expanse demonstrates the importance of consistency and novelty.
Six Ridiculous Cultures in Speculative Fiction
Don't hang your plot on a broken setting.
Building Temeraire: How Novik Included Diversity and Justice in a Historical Setting
Does the worldbuilding pass muster, or will it go down like a sinking French frigate?
Six Magic Systems That Need Stricter Limits
When heroes can easily solve every problem with magic, your story is boring.
Building Middle-Earth: What Tolkien Did Right – and Wrong
What can we learn from how the world of Lord of the Rings is set up?
Episode 264: Fictional Economies
Behold, it is time to discuss the taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems!
Episode 263: Trees in Spec Fic
If someone records a podcast about trees, and no one listens to it, does it make a sound?
Daneets