Episode 123: Worldbuilding in Your Underpants, ft. JOHN HARTNESS
Feb 28, 2024
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Discussing worldbuilding in storytelling, balancing on-page and off-page elements, purposeful worldbuilding to serve characters. Guest John Hartness shares insights on running Falstaff Books, unconventional publishing practices, and unique approaches to worldbuilding. Also, touching on Hugo Award nominations and the importance of generosity in the publishing world.
Balancing off-page and on-page worldbuilding elements is crucial based on the world type and story being told.
Falstaff Books prioritizes diversity and inclusivity by amplifying marginalized voices in storytelling.
The publisher challenges traditional norms by promoting characters that transcend stereotypes and societal expectations.
Deep dives
World Building by Celebrating Diversity and Inclusivity
World Building at Falstaff Books embraces diversity and inclusivity by amplifying voices that are often marginalized in traditional publishing. The publisher prioritizes characters over normativity, creating a safe space for characters that span a broad spectrum of identities, including LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent individuals. By providing opportunities for writers who bring unique perspectives, Falstaff Books challenges traditional norms in storytelling, promoting a more inclusive and representative world.
Navigating Sensitive World Building Topics
Falstaff Books establishes clear guidelines discouraging world building elements that promote misogyny, bigotry, homophobia, anti-Semitism, or racism in a positive light. The focus is on fostering a supportive and respectful environment where marginalized voices are protected and uplifted. By creating a space where hurtful stereotypes and harmful narratives are addressed and challenged, the publisher ensures that authors and readers alike can engage with stories that uphold values of equality and understanding.
Amplifying Diverse Voices Through Fiction
Through curated storylines and character arcs that celebrate diversity and representation, Falstaff Books amplifies voices that are often underrepresented in mainstream publishing. The publisher's approach prioritizes characters' narratives that transcend norms and societal expectations, providing readers with stories that reflect the richness and complexity of human experiences. By offering a platform for storytellers with diverse perspectives, Falstaff Books contributes to a more inclusive literary landscape.
The Impact of Thoughtful World Building
Falstaff Books' commitment to thoughtful and inclusive world building fosters empathy, understanding, and connection among readers. By weaving diverse settings, characters, and storylines into their narrative tapestry, the publisher creates immersive and engaging fictional worlds that resonate with a wide range of audiences. The emphasis on representing a variety of voices and experiences ensures that readers can explore different perspectives and engage with narratives that promote empathy and cultural awareness.
Building a Literary Safe Haven for Diverse Narratives
Falstaff Books serves as a literary safe haven for diverse and unique narratives that challenge traditional storytelling conventions. Through its focus on amplifying marginalized voices and promoting inclusivity, the publisher creates a welcoming space where authors can explore a wide range of themes and identities. By valuing characters and narratives that reflect the complexity and diversity of human experiences, Falstaff Books continues to redefine the boundaries of storytelling and foster a community that celebrates creativity and representation.
When you're creating your world and bringing it into a story, how much do you let show? Guest John Hartness joins us to discuss balancing the off-page and on-page elements, and how that balance might shift based on what kind of a world you're working in and what sort of a story you're telling. How do you ensure that the worldbuilding serves a purpose and serves the characters?
In this episode, you'll also get a peek behind the publishing curtain! John discusses running Falstaff Books, a publisher known for making space for authors at "the weird kids' table." That ethos translates into his work as an editor and publisher, and it's led him to think and talk about worldbuilding in different ways than when he's writing his own works!
Sidebar: It's Hugo Award nomination season! If you're a nominating sort of person and you enjoyed the podcast in 2023, we'd love your consideration for Best Fancast.
[Transcript TK]
Our Guest: John G. Hartness is a teller of tales, a righter of wrong, defender of ladies’ virtues, and some people call him Maurice, for he speaks of the pompatus of love. He is also the award-winning author of the urban fantasy series The Black Knight Chronicles, the Bubba the Monster Hunter comedic horror series, the Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter dark fantasy series, and many other projects. He is also a cast member of the role-playing podcast Authors & Dragons, where a group of comedy, fantasy, and horror writers play Dungeons & Dragons. Very poorly.
In 2016, John teamed up with a group of other publishing industry ne’er-do-wells and founded Falstaff Books, a small press dedicated to publishing the best of genre fiction’s “misfit toys.” Falstaff Books has since published over 50 titles with authors ranging from first-timers to NY Times bestsellers, with no signs of slowing down any time soon.
In his copious free time John enjoys long walks on the beach, rescuing kittens from trees and playing Magic: the Gathering. John’s pronouns are he/him.
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