Worldbuilder's Anvil - TopPodcast.com

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Episode 120: The one thing you need to create a naturalist fantasy culture Apr 25, 2016

Show notes

Today's Topic - Creations Myths are the key to understanding your fantasy cultures

Creation myths are a great place to start when developing a new Fantasy Culture. *Stops listens for a drum roll. However, only seeing a group of crickets he quickly moves on* Yes, it is a bad joke. However, there's truth in them thar words.

Yes, truth. We often try and understand the cultures in our fantasy worlds. However, how often to we look at the myths of the cultures. We often on think them up when they are needed. However, If you are building a naturalist fantasy world. It really is in your best interest to create a basic outline for the important myths. This will tell you what the early culture found important, and once you know that building religion.

In today's episode, we are looking at the themes for ten earth cultures and a quick bonus myth from the dragon culture on Gardul. Join us for some inspiration and practice at creating creation myths for your fantasy cultures.

Enjoy the episode and comment below to tell us what we missed. Podcast Show Flow

Categories for this wonderfulwiki page on a List of Creation Myths
Out of Chaos
Earth Driver
Out of nothing
Emergent
World Parent

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us in iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding show notes go to Gardul.com

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

The Worldbuilding Task for the Day

Create a Creation Myth

The Real World task for the day

Step outside and enjoy the world you live in.

The Tease

Humor in your Fantasy World

Episode 119: The hidden art of better storytelling Apr 18, 2016

Show notes

Today's Topic - How I use Role-playing games to test out my world and practice my storytelling techniques

I love gaming. I have been running campaigns and stories since I was a preteen. They inspire my imagination. They make me dream. However, as I have been getting older, I have stopped playing them as much. I am two busy. I do not have the time to waste on having fun?

Luckily, I overthink things. I know the rewards that I have earned from telling stories through tabletop role-playing games. It makes me a creative thinker. I am always sought out at work for creative problem solving. I never get stuck writing a story because I create a character that I cannot motivate to continue down the plot line.

I have also had the benefit of improving and testing my world over years. I have learned what works and what does not work for me. It has made both my storytelling and my world building become more effective over time. Join Michael and me as we talk about the benefits of tabletop RPGs for authors of all stripes.

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Types of collaboration
- Peers
- Lead and Players
- Free for All
Develop the location
Plot Outline
Major NPCs

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us in iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding show notes go to Gardul.com

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show DeScriptors by Matthew Bannock

Episode 118: Power of interactive storytelling Part 1 Apr 11, 2016

Show notes

Today's Topic - Using the power of interactive storytelling to give you control over the characters and plot in your narratives

I have had the pleasure of talking to many writers. It always shocked me that so many authors I talked to being tricked by authors or scenes that would make the get stuck in their latest story.

Now, I do not want to sound cocky. I do get stuck. My problem for me is time; I work a full-time job, I have this podcast, and I am also on the Small Biz Life podcast. However, I have never felt stopped by my narrative.

So being and explorer, I searched for a reason that I would not get stuck in a narrative over writers with more experience have trouble getting stuck telling a story. All I could figure out was it had nothing to do with a difference storytelling skills. However, most of my experience telling stories was much more interactive.

I have a background in acting, oral storytelling, and tabletop roleplaying. I truly believe that improve acting skills and tabletop storytelling really developed my skills working with a story that I didn't have complete control over. I was forced to learn ways to keep moving the story ahead to the conclusion that I wanted.

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Oral Storytelling
- Acting
Video Games
Board Games
Tabletop Games

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us in iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding show notes go to Gardul.com

Episode 117: Notebooks of DOOM! Apr 03, 2016

Show notes

Today's Topic - Using composition notebooks so you do not lose your Unicorns, spackle, and Twilight posters

Years ago, I had a great idea. It involved something with Unicorns, spackle, and a Twilight poster. It was awesome. It was going to be a starter for an alternate earth where I could write urban fantasy. I was laughing, and my heart strings got plucked like a banjo.

The problem was by the time I got home that was all I could remember. I cannot even remember how I could connect unicorns, spackle and Twilight poster. Well, except for using spackle to paste the poster to the unicorn. Now, I do find the idea amusing. However, I have no idea why I would think it would make an interesting alternate earth.

So, I realized I had a problem. I cannot remember all the good ideas I have. So, I started looking for a good way to keep track of my great ideas by projects. Check out the episode and see the system I currently use to track my ideas. And yes, I used composition notebooks.

Enjoy the episode and comment below to tell us what we missed. Podcast Show Flow

The beauty of composition notebooks in Technicolor.
Drawing pad (optional)
Assign a color to a project (Book planning, Worldbuilding, online platform, or other)
Use one notebook for your random ideas or future project starter
Store remove the sketches from the drawing pad in the appropriate notebook
IMPORTANT, create digital files when you get home. Organize them and make sure they are stored online.
Carry the books with you and leave them on your nightstand when you go to bed.

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us in iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding show notes go to Gardul.com

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Images and quotes The Worldbuilding Task for the Day

Create a notebook for your next project.

The Real World task for the day

Keep the notebooks close to you at all times

The Tease

The Power of interactive storytelling

Please take a moment and comment below on this episode. I look forward to hearing from you about your Fantasy Worldbuilding adventures

Listen to Worldbuilder's Anvil in iTunes or use Podcast Republic for your android device.

Episode 116: The Simple, Succinct Technology Level Method Mar 28, 2016

Show notes

Today's Topic - A system for tracking the Technology Level in a Fantasy world.

As I have evolved as a Worldbuilder. I have always struggled with how to track technology level. The GURPS tech level system. It is very simple and might work for many people. However, it never quite worked for me in my fantasy setting. I believe that the technology of an area can grow up at different rates than they do on earth. We have seen evidence of this on earth. So, I spent way too much time modifying it to cover basic spheres of technology. I have identified nine basic spheres of technology. The basic area's I believe cover all the basics of areas of technology what are used in what we call civilizations. I also add magic to track its progression. I track magic because I believe that the inclusion of magic can change the rate at which technologies grow. Now, take a minute and join Michael and me as we look at the Simple, Succinct Technology Level Method.

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Agriculture
Energy
Communication
Engineering
Trades
Transportation
Cultural
Religious
Scientific
Magic

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us in iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding show notes go to Gardul.com

Michael's Resources

Episode 5: Fantasy and Technology do mix Episode 80: What Type of Worldbuilder are you? Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Images and quotes The Worldbuilding Task for the Day

Write a fighting scene

The Real World task for the day

Watch the Story of Maths

The Tease

Notebooks of Doom

Please take a moment and comment below on this episode. I look forward to hearing from you about your Fantasy Worldbuilding adventures

Listen to Worldbuilder's Anvil in iTunes or use Podcast Republic for your android device.

Episode 115: The Art of the Dao of the Chicken Soup of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Combat Scene Writers Mar 20, 2016

Show notes

Today's Topic - Fantasy Storytelling and 7 Highly effective combat scene tips

As humans, we are always looking to improve ourselves. We go online or read books that will help expand us. As fantasy world builder's, we also look to do the same for our crafts. Part of that craft is storytelling. We might write, run tabletop games, or create another form of media. However, we need an outlook for our world. We either interact with players or readers through the story to accomplish this. One of the most important ways we interact is fighting scenes. Join Jeffery and Michael as the cover seven habits that are essential to all fighting scenes. Do you follow these habits? From battles to one-on-one combat, do not forget these steps to get the most of your fictional stories. Plus, a bonus story about the first meeting of the Norman war machine and the Turks in Anatolia that could forever change your mental image of knights charging into combat.

Enjoy the episode and comment below to tell us a combat scene. Podcast Show Flow

Use it to advance your story
Understand the goal of the scene
Decide on real versus Fiction
Ensure the characters are represented
Tell a mini story of the fighting style
Understand the fight
Make the fight effect the characters

Bonus Tip

Don't Forget the reader

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us in iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding show notes go to Gardul.com

Episode 114: Individual relations for you fantasy nations, make plots simple Mar 14, 2016

Show notes

Today's Topic - Fantasy Storytelling made easy, treat groups of people like a character

Relations are at the heart of every… relationship. Yeah, that is a pretty lame line. I cannot help it. I am full of lame lines. With that in mind, let us move forward into relationships. If you are like me, the relationship pattern is one that happens between individuals. We know these types of interactions. They happen to us every day. If we are not caught up in the emotion of the actual relationship, they are easy to see. I think that is why reality television is so popular. It can be entertaining to watch people engage in the same, or hopefully worse, mistakes we have been caught up in with our relations. I do not go for the melodrama of reality television. I am more old school; I watch people in real life, not in reality shows. If I have time where ever I go, I like to watch people interacting. It does not only teach us how individuals treat each other. It does not only give me ideas for scenes I will right out in the future. It teaches me how to treat groups interacting with other groups. So take a trip with Michael and I as we discuss how groups like a nation can interact with other nations, much like you treat your arch rival.

Enjoy the episode and comment below to tell me how you overcome your fears. Podcast Show Flow

What is it important to treat groups like people?
Mechanics of turing a county into a character
Other groups to treat like characters
- Cultures
- Communities
- Factions like political parties
Relationship tropes
- Arch rival
- Forbidden Love / Lost Love
- death of . . .
- Best Friends / Betrayal
- Mentor / Pupil (Poopal)
- Fish out of water
- Reluctant Ally

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us in iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding show notes go to Gardul.com

Episode 113: Fear could be killing your Fantasy World Mar 07, 2016

Show notes

Today's Topic - Don't Let fear stop you from sharing your world

Have you ever really wanted something? As you started to move forward, you begin to hear little voices in your head that keep telling you why you will fail. I have heard these voices. As a matter a fact, when you listen to the episode. You will hear Michael support me to sharing the complete message. Why it is important to listen to the voices of fear that run through you head when you are trying to create. Michael and I talk about a quick and easy system to identify, analyze, and find out the real risk of fear. So, check out this episode. It will not only help you when you are world building. It can help you live a richer life. And when your life is better, and you better understand yourself, you will be able to create and share more of you world and stories.

Enjoy the episode and comment below to tell me how you overcome your fears. Podcast Show Flow

Why is addressing your fear important
It Can Kill Your World Before it starts
Your world is like a bad ending to a Neverending story
You are good enough, even if others are doing it great
You never finish your story
The Three steps you need to address your fears
- Write down what the voices tell you and Ask what are they really telling you
- Ask yourself, "Why Not?"
- What is the worst that could happen if you go for it? (Hint: I will die is rarely the real answer)

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us in iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding show notes go to Gardul.com

Images and Quotes

Resource and Micheal's Picks Jeff Goins Tim Grahl Chandler Bolt Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters

The Worldbuilding Task for the Day

How would a change in the technology level affect your world?

The Real World task for the day

Build a cotton gin or watch a science documentary

The Tease

Stop letting fear stop you.

Please take a moment and comment below on this episode. I look forward to hearing from you about your Fantasy Worldbuilding adventures

Listen to Worldbuilder's Anvil in iTunes or use Podcast Republic for your android device.

Episode 112: Magic Vs Technology? Feb 29, 2016

Show notes

Today's Topic - Fantasy Tech Level

Sword and sorcery sells. Middle-earth might still be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Fantasy worlds. The first thing we think of with fantasy is Middle Age period western fantasy fiction.

However, we need not stop there when creating new worlds. Especially when we create a framework fantasy world. When The world the exist it should evolve over time into and possible beyond the Middle Ages.

Michael and I will expand on the topic of technology from episode 5.

Enjoy the episode and comment below to let me know what tools you use to organize your creativity fantasy worldbuilding. Podcast show notes