
The Worldbuilder's Tavern
At The Worldbuilder's Tavern podcast, we like to kick back with a drink and chat about the storytelling in science fiction and fantasy books, movies, and TV shows. Your hosts are three nerds—writer Emma Maione, editor Allison Alexander, and academic Christiana Jones—who love breaking down tropes, examining plot, and questioning the status quo. If you write novels or just enjoy discussions about worldbuilding, you're in the right place.
Latest episodes

Oct 9, 2024 • 36min
Worldbuilding Workshop: Building a Magic System
This season, we're introducing a new type of bonus episodes for our patrons: worldbuilding workshops! In these episodes, the hosts pick an element of a world and build it together. You can use whatever we build for your own stories, or take the questions we ask and build your own.
These monthly bonus episodes are exclusive to our Patreon, but the first is free for everyone to listen to!
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: TikTok | Discord
Listen to more Worldbuilding Workshops by joining our Patreon
The questions we asked about building a magic system:
What is the basis of the magic system (colour, nature, time, space, elements, etc.)
What are the abilities and limits of the magic?
What are the costs and consequences of using the magic?
Who can use the magic?
How does society view magic and magic users?

Oct 2, 2024 • 40min
3.1 Superhero Fiction: The Umbrella Academy
In this episode, we're talking about superpowers, secret identities, and characterization in the Netflix show The Umbrella Academy.
Proprietor's Pick: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Sep 25, 2024 • 10min
3.0 Season Three is about Genre!
Season 3 is coming! We've added a couple new segments and will be talking about worldbuilding through the lens of genre.
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon

Jul 24, 2024 • 40min
2.22 Comedy and Characters in Pirates of the Caribbean
In this episode, we're talking about humour, character arcs, prologues, pirate mythology, and more in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Proprietor's Pick: The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Jul 10, 2024 • 52min
2.21 Mechs and Feminism in Iron Widow
In this episode, we're talking about mechs, feminism, disability representation, and more in the novel Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao.
Proprietor's Pick: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon
Support Haneen's family in Gaza

Jun 26, 2024 • 44min
2.20 Science in 3 Body Problem
In this episode, we're talking about nanofibers, science as a weapon, and supercomputers in the TV show 3 Body Problem.
Proprietor's Pick: Jumpnauts by Hao Jingfang
(Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!)
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon

Jun 12, 2024 • 44min
2.19 Tension in 3 Body Problem
In this episode, we're talking about science gone haywire, confusing vs. interesting worldbuilding, and tension in the TV show 3 Body Problem.
Proprietor's Pick: Exordia by Seth Dickinson
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon

May 29, 2024 • 40min
2.18 Mythology in Song of the Sea
In this episode, we're talking about sense of place, metaphor, mythology, and symbolism in the movie Song of the Sea.
Proprietor's Pick: The Selkie's Daughter by Linda Crotta Brennan
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon

May 15, 2024 • 38min
2.17 False Utopia in Pet
In this episode, we're talking about writing a story based on a theme, age categories, oppressive systems, and utopian societies in the novella Pet by Akwaeke Emezi.
Proprietor's Pick: Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon

May 1, 2024 • 36min
2.16 Retro-Futurism in Fallout
In this episode, we're talking about factions, over-the-top worldbuilding, and retro-futurism in the TV show (based on the video game) Fallout.
Proprietor's Pick: Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by Michael Ghelfi
Visit the Tavern: Twitter | TikTok | Discord
Access bonus content and support us on Patreon