#96: 5 Worldbuilding Tips for Sci-Fi & Fantasy Writers

In this episode, I’m sharing my top 5 worldbuilding tips for science fiction and fantasy writers, with examples from popular novels. Here's a preview of what's included in the episode:

[02:39] Tip #1—Go narrow and deep in your worldbuilding, not wide and shallow. Pick 2-3 worldbuilding categories to focus on, and only flesh out whatever's relevant to your plot and/or characters.

[05:43] Tip #2—Determine what kind of magic or technology will exist in your story world. Will your magic/tech be used to create and solve problems (hard magic/tech)? Or will it be a bit more nebulous (soft magic/tech)?

[09:20] Tip #3—Avoid generalizations when it comes to the people or creatures who populate your story world. Real people have their own unique worldviews, beliefs, fears, and dreams. So should your population!

[11:21] Tip #4—Your story world needs its own internal logic—for every cause, there’s an effect; for every action, there’s a reaction. Whatever you change in your world, consider the ramifications to build your internal logic.

[12:33] Tip #5—Use your target audience’s age range to help inform your story’s learning curve. In general, middle-grade stories will have a more shallow learning curve whereas adult stories will have a steeper one.

[14:56] Final thoughts and episode recap.

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