Writing Excuses
15.45: Worldbuilding Fantasy, with Patrick Rothfuss
Nov 8, 2020
Join Dan, Mary Robinette, Howard, and Patrick Rothfuss as they discuss creating timeless urban fantasy and compelling secondary world fantasy without complex magic systems. They explore the art of crafting immersive worlds, character development, and the impact of world changes in fantasy writing.
31:27
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Quick takeaways
- Creating timeless urban fantasy involves avoiding specific temporal details, focusing on ambiguous era hints for enduring relevance.
- Developing compelling secondary world fantasies without magic systems entails drawing from history and cultural dynamics for immersive storytelling.
Deep dives
Creating Timeless Urban Fantasy
When constructing urban fantasy settings, creating a timeless quality involves avoiding specific temporal details like up-to-date cell phones or music references. By crafting a world that hints at familiarity but remains separate from our timeline, authors can maintain relevance over time. Examples like the movie It Follows demonstrate this concept effectively, emphasizing the world's ambiguity concerning era, allowing for enduring storytelling that transcends temporal constraints.
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