March 13, 2023

48. It’s Important to Get Really into Jewelry.

59 minutes

Jared, Oriana and Ned talk about Jared’s choice of topic: worldbuilding.

Tolkien is so heavily identified with the concept of worldbuilding that a map

of Middle-earth represents the topic on Wikipedia, and his impact in both

fantasy and beyond regarding how a world that is not this actual globe we live

on is perceived and presented has continuing afterechoes that don’t look to

disappear anytime soon. At the same time, what exactly worldbuilding IS is a

hardly an agreed upon formal standard anywhere, and the amount of work that’s

been put into developing a story setting in any number of media, not just that

of fantasy novels much less novels in general, is vast, varied and takes many

particular forms. Meanwhile, Tolkien’s own approach as to what worldbuilding

is comes out of his own particular personal and philosophical conclusions, and

doesn't always take the form of what a more stereotypical approach to the

subject might be in the current day. What makes the idea of Middle-earth so

compelling to readers entranced by his works, and what drives them to learn

more about it or to elaborate on it in their own right? What other creators,

in fiction and beyond it, successfully approach similar levels of immersion,

and are there particular points of commonality to be found there? Are there

particular points in Tolkien’s stylistic approach that signal notable

strengths in creating the sense of Middle-earth as an actual place, and how

much of that might lie in a difference between received perception and the

reality of the work? And how much does Jared’s own forthcoming fantasy novel

drive this discussion? (A lot – and we’re going to be talking about that novel

a lot over time, don’t you worry – but also listen for initial news about our

live episode in Portland in April!)

Show Notes.

Jared’s

doodle –

makes you wonder what else is going on in this world shown here…

More about the HarperCollins Union

contract. Well done,

we say again.

The Lord of the Rings musical is coming

back! We’re still scratching our

heads a bit. (Listen in to our 2020

episode about it.)

The Watermill. It does

seem like a nice theatre…

Variety’s report on the Embracer/Warner Bros. Discovery deal

and the prospect of more movies.

A little more about Mike de Luca from

2011.

Still confused about the overall rights issues when it comes to Tolkien in the

first place? A handy Gizmodo explainer.

The announcement of Jared’s novel! Due for release next year,

and we’ll get you a preorder link when there is one.

More on that whole Doug Liman/Bourne Identity

thing. Ah, Hollywood power politics…

Worldbuilding! Yup, Middle-earth, right there.

Terry Pratchett, rest in peace. One of

the greats.

Sub-creation, how Tolkien

thought of his own creative impulse ultimately deriving from his own belief in

God as the ultimate creator.

Our episode on “A Secret Vice,”

Tolkien’s lecture about creating languages.

NaNoWriMo! It’s a thing, believe us.

Our death episode! (Very early

days for the podcast and the format’s a bit different but we were still

figuring it out!)

The Chekhov’s gun principle.

Oriana’s Star Wars comments specifically refer to

Solo.

Ioreth! There should have been more

of her but we’re glad we have her.

The ‘whispering to

date’ Twitter meme

origin. (Forgot what Chappie

is? So did everyone else.)

Ted Bundy – and yes we hope he’s

not part of your narrative either.

Our Rings of Power Season 1

episode. That did feel good to do.

N. K. Jemisin and the Broken

Earth trilogy – check it out. As well as: Frank

Herbert and

Dune! Ursula K Le

Guin and

Earthsea! Lloyd

Alexander and

Prydain! Steven

Erikson and Malazan Book of

the Fallen!

The Dark Crystal, still

awesome.

“As you know, Bob…”

The cats of Queen

Berúthiel and

Carn Dûm.

Our food in Middle-earth episode.

Enjoy talk about Roman sewers. And Amsterdam’s

canals.

M. R. James, so awesome.

Support By-The-Bywater on Patreon, and thank

you if you do!

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By Jared Pechaček, Oriana Scwindt, and Ned Raggett

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