780. S&F Clacks #7: The “Problem” w/ Worldbuilding

Totalizing worlds, imagined cultures, and genre limits, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Stephen Geigen-Miller join forces to discuss the so-called “problems” with worldbuilding, the impact of worldbuilding obsessions on story, and what SF/F could be without so much worldbuilding!

Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode!

Show Notes:

Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!
The Things We Discussed:
- “The Lone and Level Sands” by Vajra Chandrasekera
- “very afraid” by M. John Harrison
- “But, but, but — WHY does magic have to make sense?” by N.K. Jemisin
- “Sanderson’s First Law” by Brandon Sanderson

If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page.

Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole.

See you later, navigator!

discussion, Fantasy, genre, Genre Fiction, podcast, Science Fiction, worldbuilding, Writing

shaunduke

A professor of digital rhetoric and other nerdy things at Bemidji State University and an University of Florida alumnus, Shaun studies science fiction, digital fan cultures, postcolonialism, and digital rhetoric. He is an avid reader of SF/F, a would-be writer with a few writing credits, and an all around SF/F wombat. He can be found on his website and on his Twitter account.