A grand world is an empty stage without players to walk upon it. In this episode of Lore & Love, we move from world-building to character creation, exploring how to craft heroes and villains who feel less like game pieces and more like people with a soul. We discuss how to use archetypes as a starting point, not a destination, and dive into the techniques that give characters depth and drive.

Using detailed examples from the Storm Kin Saga, we'll apply the "But Why?" game to uncover the true motivations of a character like the warrior Evandar, and we'll explore how to create a compelling fatal flaw that is intrinsically linked to a character's greatest strength. Learn how to transform a simple archetype into a complex, relatable person whose internal conflicts are as compelling as any sword fight.

Your world is built and your characters are ready, but what happens next? This week on Lore & Love, we demystify the art of plotting. Forget complicated charts and color-coded cards; at its heart, a plot is simply a promise you make to your reader. We explore how to craft a compelling narrative by focusing on that core promise and structuring it with the natural rhythm of the three-act structure.

Using the epic journey of Evandar's transformation in the Storm Kin Saga, we'll identify the key "tentpole" moments that give a story its shape—from the inciting incident in a dingy tavern to the world-altering midpoint and the cathartic climax. Learn how to use the simple engine of "cause and effect" to create momentum and pull your reader through a story that feels both surprising and inevitable.

Welcome back to Lore & Love! This week, we're tackling the grand, intimidating, and absolutely thrilling art of world-building. How do you create a fantasy world that feels like it has a pulse? We explore the "iceberg" method of world-building: focusing on the ninety percent of culture and history that lies beneath the surface to make the story your reader sees feel solid, authentic, and lived-in.

Using specific examples from the Storm Kin Saga—from the sensory details of the Seven Curses tavern to the historical scars that define characters like Evandar and Me'chkia—we break down how to build a world from the ground up. Learn why you should start with culture before you draw a map, how small details like a local menu or a unique ritual can reveal deep truths about your society, and how to use history to create a world that feels as though it existed long before your story began.

Join me for a practical, hands-on guide to crafting a world that truly breathes, and stay for the "Five Senses Question," a simple exercise to help you bring your own fictional locations to life.

 The True Cost of Magic: Five Ways to Ground Your Magic System
Magic isn’t just dazzling displays and whispered incantations—it’s a force that demands balance. In the premiere full-length episode of Lore & Love, fantasy author Alexandria Love explores one of her favorite worldbuilding topics: the cost of magic. From physical tolls and rare ingredients to emotional sacrifice and environmental fallout, discover five powerful approaches to make your magic system feel weighty, immersive, and real. If you want to craft magic that resonates and reshapes your world, this is where your spellwork begins.

Every epic fantasy world has a heartbeat. It thrums in the complex magic systems and forgotten maps. But who creates that pulse?

In this prequel to the Lore & Love podcast, host and author Alexandria Love invites you on a journey to find out. Listen to discover the personal story that sparked the show's creation, the philosophy behind building worlds that resonate, and the two core pillars that will guide every future conversation: the "Lore" of the craft and the "Love" of the author's journey.

This is more than a podcast about writing. It's a celebration of the magic, a dissection of the craft, and a community for those who believe in the power of story. Your journey starts here.