The Power of Words to Create Imaginary Worlds

Author Rianne Williams, known for her fantasy novels, discusses how she creates fantastical creatures and worlds through her writing. Williams explains that her imagination is fueled by memories, fairy tales, mythology, and documentaries, which she pulls from when building her stories. By using a combination of interesting sounds and comparisons to familiar creatures, Williams creates vivid descriptions of her mythical creatures. The podcast also delves into the neuroscience behind imagination, highlighting how our brains can create images from words by recalling stored experiences and encoding visual concepts. Additionally, it explores why film adaptations of books may not match readers' visualizations, and how readers' unique imaginations contribute to their interpretation of a story's characters and world.