Join Emily Inkpen, Chris Gregory, and a host of amazing guests as we explore different aspects of world building.
Time & Space & Geography & Energy & Politics & Names & Nationality & Religion & Evolution & Tradition & Language & History & Myth & Magic & Folklore & Technology & Landscape & Science & Invasion & Race & Distance & Details & Cycles & Sports & Games & Music & Night & Day & Towns & Cities & Rivers & Oceans & Flora & Fauna & Smells & Sounds & Terraforming & Transplantation & Parallel Worlds & Fiction & Fact & The Highest Peaks & The Darkest Depths & The Greatest Victories & The Crushing Defeats & The Granular Details & The Universal Truths & A Little Bit of Doctor Who
Essential listening for fans, writers and world builders everywhere
Learn from the creators you love and find fresh inspiration with every episode.
01 - Fantasy Worlds Inspired by Scottish Folklore - with Lyndsey Croal
Recorded live at Cymera Festival, Edinburgh.
Join us as we venture into a mysterious world of ragged coastlines, monsters and moonlight. Folklore is a rich source of inspiration for writers everywhere, but how much world building is there to do when the stories are already embedded in the world we know? And how can folklore find new roots in futuristic settings?
02 - Deep Time - with Adrian Tchaikovsky
In this episode we chat with prolific, famous and wonderful writer, Adrian Tchaikovsky, about the effect time can have on a world and a story. We discuss seasonal cycles, evolution, the development of cultures when viewed through the scope of deep time, and much more.
03 - Daleks and the Whoniverse - with Nicholas Briggs
In which we talk to Nick about his experiences voicing the iconic Daleks and Cybermen in Doctor Who, and working within one of the most iconic pre-existing worlds in science fiction history. And, of course, we have a lot of fun along the way.
Have you ever heard a Dalek giggle? Neither had we!
04 - Folklore & Landscape with Zoe Gilbert
In which Zoe takes us on a journey through ancient woods in search of myths, enchantment, disenchantment, and wildness. What we find are Wallabies in Scotland.
05 - Terraforming with Premee Mohamed
Terraforming is a foundational topic in science fiction and in this conversation we learn about the power and the pitfalls of building worlds from the ground up.
06 - Urban Fantasy with Ben Aaronovitch
Nobody combines urban environments with fantasy quite like Ben Aaronovitch, who takes the already-buzzing metropolis of London and packs it full of magic. Join us for a lively chat about the city, its history, and how existing places can be tweaked in wholly original ways.
07 - Nordic Inspiration with Kaitlin Felix & Joshua Gillingham
In this VERY early iteration of the show, we talk to Kaitlyn and Josh about their Viking-inspired worlds, complete with legends and, course, grizzly ways to die.
08 - Smells & Sounds with Joanne Harris
It’s impossible to read Chocolat without chocolate and in this episode we find out how important food and drinks and scents and tastes and all sensory experiences feed into excellent fiction.
09 - Language with Arkady Martine
Language powers empires and knowing all the nuances can prove who’s in and who’s out. In this episode we talk to the expert behind the Hugo award winners, A Memory Called Empire and A Desolation Called Peace, about how language builds worlds.