The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed

Discover how people entertained themselves in the Middle Ages, from taverns and bards to games and feasts, and how to use these details to build richer, more immersive fantasy worlds.

Entertainment in the Middle Ages wasn’t just a luxury. It was a vital part of daily life, shaping culture, community, and storytelling across every level of society.

In this episode, I’m joined by Aidan Mattis, creator of The Lore Lodge Podcast, to explore the real ways people found fun, meaning, and escape in medieval times.

We break down the reality behind medieval entertainment and how you can use it in your writing, including:

• The role of bards, troubadours, and storytellers
• What taverns were really like (and why they mattered)
• Popular medieval games, hobbies, and pastimes
• Feasts, festivals, and social gatherings
• How entertainment reveals class, culture, and character

If you want to bring your fantasy worlds to life with authentic detail, this episode will show you how entertainment can add depth, realism, and texture to your setting.

ABOUT AIDAN MATTIS

Aidan Mattis - The Lore Lodge Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/c/thelorelodge

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed⁠

LEARN MORE ABOUT FANTASY WRITING

To join our writing community, access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more, head over to our ⁠Patreon⁠ page - ⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed⁠

Learn how to write compelling ghost stories, including key techniques for atmosphere, tension, and how the genre influences fantasy storytelling.

Ghost stories are one of the oldest and most enduring forms of storytelling—but writing one that truly unsettles and lingers with readers takes skill.

In this episode, I’m joined by Janina Arndt and Lucy Atkinson from The Fey Fellows Podcast to explore what makes ghost stories work—and how they connect to the wider fantasy genre.

We break down both the craft and the tradition of ghost storytelling, including:

• What defines a ghost story and its core features
• How to build atmosphere, tension, and dread
• Techniques for writing haunting, memorable scenes
• Classic and modern examples—and why they work
• The influence of ghost stories on fantasy storytelling
• Common mistakes to avoid when writing supernatural fiction

If you want to write ghost stories that genuinely unsettle readers and add depth to your fantasy writing, this episode will show you how to do it right.

OUR GUESTS

Janina Arndt and Lucy Atkinson - The Fey Fellows Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/feyfellowspodcast/ / https://anchor.fm/fey-fellows-podcast

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed⁠

LEARN MORE ABOUT FANTASY WRITING

To join our writing community, access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more, head over to our ⁠Patreon⁠ page - ⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed⁠

In this episode, we take a look at the jobs and occupations we often see in the fantasy genre.

From bards to blacksmiths, a lot of these roles take inspiration from those carried out by people in the medieval period.

So to enlighten us on the subject, history whizz Aidan Mattis from The Lore Lodge podcast joins me for an in-depth chat on the subject.

Get in touch: [email protected]

To access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed

If you're interested in some of my quick, easy-to-understand fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classes

RESOURCES

The Life Of A Medival Lord - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing/the-life-of-the-medieval-lord

The Pesky Peasantry Of The Middle Ages - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing/lives-of-medieval-peasants

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

Join our community here - https://mailchi.mp/be6082d43b39/the-writers-toolshed

OUR GUESTS

Aidan Mattis - The Lore Lodge - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheLoreLodge

Sounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part three of our series on creating lifelike characters, we welcome political psychologist, Abby, back to the Toolshed for a discussion on moral psychology.

We discuss human morality, specifically looking at what makes people tick, how people justify their actions, and how we decide what’s right and what’s wrong.

If you're looking for writing advice on creating villains of all types—from the morally grey to the downright evil—as well as heroes driven by moral motivations, then this episode is for you.

Get in touch: [email protected]

To access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed

If you're interested in some of my quick, easy-to-understand fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classes

RESOURCES

A guide to character development - https://richiebilling.com/writing-tips/character-development

How to carry out character plotting - https://richiebilling.com/writing-tips/character-plotting

What is characterization? - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-writers-toolshed/writing-tips/what-is-characterization

Fantasy name generator - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-writers-toolshed/fantasy-writing/fantasy-name-generator

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

Join our community here - https://mailchi.mp/be6082d43b39/the-writers-toolshed

OUR GUESTS

Abby from Political Psych With Abby - https://www.youtube.com/c/PoliticalPsychwithAbby / Latest ep - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8_O1reY3qc

Sounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover how Dungeons & Dragons influenced modern fantasy, from iconic tropes to worldbuilding techniques and storytelling styles used by writers today.

Few things have shaped modern fantasy as much as Dungeons & Dragons. From character archetypes to entire worldbuilding systems, its impact runs deep across books, games, and storytelling as a whole.

In this episode, I’m joined by Janina Arndt and Lucy Atkinson from The Fey Fellows Podcast to explore exactly how DnD has influenced the fantasy genre—and what writers can learn from it.

We break down the key ways DnD has shaped fantasy storytelling, including:

• How DnD influenced modern fantasy tropes and archetypes
• The impact of role-playing on character creation and storytelling
• Worldbuilding lessons writers can take from DnD systems
• Why DnD inspires so many writers to create their own stories
• The crossover between tabletop gaming and fantasy fiction
• How to use DnD-style thinking to improve your writing

If you write fantasy—or want to understand the genre more deeply—this episode reveals how one game helped shape the stories we tell today.

OUR GUESTS

Janina Arndt and Lucy Atkinson from the Fey Fellows Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/feyfellowspodcast/

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed⁠

LEARN MORE ABOUT FANTASY WRITING

To join our writing community, access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more, head over to our ⁠Patreon⁠ page - ⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed⁠

You can find all manner of weapons in the fantasy genre. From giant swords to magical axes, writers have conjured all manner of deadly devices over the years. In this episode, we take a look at the inspiration for fantasy weapons, exploring their medieval roots.

We discuss the practicalities of using weapons--how heavy are swords and how to pierce plate armour--to the reasons why they were designed. You'll be sure to find lots of inspiration for your own writing along the way.

If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at [email protected]

To access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed

If you're interested in some of my quick, easy-to-understand fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classes

RESOURCES

Fantasy Weapons Guide - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing/a-fantasy-writers-guide-to-weaponry

Fantasy Armor Guide - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing/a-fantasy-writers-guide-to-armor

Check out our fantasy name generator - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-writers-toolshed/fantasy-writing/fantasy-name-generator

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

Join our community here - https://bit.ly/join-our-writing-group

OUR GUESTS

Aidan Mattis of The Lore Lodge Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheLoreLodge

Sounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the podcast, I welcome sociologist and fantasy book lover Dr Enn Burke to the Toolshed to teach us how sociological factors can help shape our characters.

It's the ideal episode to learn more about how to create fictional characters that almost feel as alive as real people.

Sociology plays a huge part in how we're made up. It relates to everything ranging from our childhood, like how we were raised and the friends we chose to hang around with, all the way to whether or not we're religious, and what job we do.

If you're a writer, you're bound to learn something new to help you create your fictional characters.

You can also find the latest calls for submissions, an update on my lists of fantasy publishers, and our community announcements.

If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at [email protected]

To access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed

If you're interested in some of my quick, easy-to-understand fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classes

Learn more about the fantasy writing podcast - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-fantasy-writers-toolshed-podcast

RESOURCES

View the list of fantasy novel publishers - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/writing-tools/list-of-fantasy-publishers

What Is Characterization? - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-writers-toolshed/writing-tips/what-is-characterization

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

Join our community here - https://bit.ly/join-our-writing-group

OUR GUESTS

Enn Burke of Ripped From The Headlines - rippedheadlinespod.com

Sounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition, I'm joined by our oracle of medieval history, Aidan Mattis, for a chat about the food and cuisines of the Middle Ages—something I think is definitely skipped by writers.

Folklorists Janina Arndt and Lucy Atkinson also join me for an in-depth chat about fairytales—what are they, what can we learn from them, and how to write your own.

You can also find a bunch of calls for submissions and all of the latest writing news, such as the takeover of Smashwords by Draft2Digital.

If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at [email protected]

To access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed

If you're interested in some of my quick, easy-to-understand fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classes

Learn more about the podcast - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-fantasy-writers-toolshed-podcast

RESOURCES

The Life Of A Medieval Lord - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing/the-life-of-the-medieval-lord

The Knight Of Chivalry - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-writers-toolshed/fantasy-writing/knight-of-chivalry

How To Make A Fantasy Map - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing/how-to-make-a-fantasy-map

The Different Subgenres Of Fantasy - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing/the-many-sub-genres-of-fantasy

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

Join our community here - https://mailchi.mp/be6082d43b39/the-writers-toolshed

OUR GUESTS

Janina Arndt and Lucy Atkinson from the Fey Fellows Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/feyfellowspodcast/

Aidan Mattis from The Lore Lodge - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheLoreLodge

Sounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we dive into the process of creating lifelike characters by examining psychology—what makes people who they are? What drives them and why? Political psychologist and YouTuber Abby explains all in our illuminating discussion that's bound to inspire some ideas for your fantasy characters.

I also share a very simple yet very effective method of creating suspense. And there are some interesting calls for submissions, as well as a mixed bag of news, but things I think you need to know about.

If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at [email protected]

To access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed

If you're interested in some of my quick, easy-to-understand fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classes

Learn more about the podcast - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-fantasy-writers-toolshed-podcast

RESOURCES

Tools Writes Can Use To Build Suspense - https://richiebilling.com/writing-tips/tools-writers-can-use-to-build-suspense

A Guide To Writing Prose - https://richiebilling.com/writing-tips/what-is-prose-writing

Fantasy Names Generator - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-writers-toolshed/fantasy-writing/fantasy-name-generator/human

Foreshadowing In A Story - https://richiebilling.com/writing-tips/what-is-foreshadowing-in-a-story-definition-examples

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

Join our community here - https://mailchi.mp/be6082d43b39/the-writers-toolshed

OUR GUESTS

Abby from Political Psych With Abby - https://www.youtube.com/c/PoliticalPsychwithAbby

Sounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our first episode of the new year, I explore evolution and worldbuilding in the fantasy genre with author and YouTuber, Rachel Emma Shaw. We look at how playing around with this particular element can lead to original and exciting ideas.

Lucy Atkinson and Janina Arndt from The Fey Fellowes Podcast also join me for a chat about Greek Mythology and how writers can find inspiration in exploring it.

And I share the results of my little short story experiment which you can try too.

As always, you can listen on every major streaming platform. And if you listen on Spotify, I'd be ever so grateful if you could kindly give the show a rating. It's a new feature and your honest opinion would mean a lot.

Write to us at [email protected]

Support us on Patreon and get fantasy writing books and writing classes, workshops and courses - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed

Learn more about the podcast - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-fantasy-writers-toolshed-podcast

RESOURCES

How To Build A Fantasy World - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-writers-toolshed/fantasy-writing/natural-worldbuilding-guide

WOMBO Dream - https://www.wombo.art/

A Guide To StoryOrigin - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-writers-toolshed/writing-tips/5-reasons-why-every-writer-should-use-storyorigin

JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITY

Join our community here - https://mailchi.mp/be6082d43b39/the-writers-toolshed

OUR GUESTS

Janina Arndt and Lucy Atkinson from the Fey Fellows podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/3fZb25t8f4KdW6x7y5zv6v?si=e74e177759d3422e

Rachel Emma Shaw - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheLoreLodge

Sounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.