The Worldbuilder's Tavern

The Worldbuilder's Tavern

The Worldbuilder's Tavern is a bi-weekly podcast for sci-fi and fantasy writers. The hosts (writer, makeup artist, and dungeon master Emma Maione; writer and developmental editor Allison Alexander; and marketing manager and academic Christiana Jones) break down the worldbuilding of speculative shows, movies, and books, sharing insights into how creatives can apply professional storytelling techniques to their own projects.

Episodes

October 30, 2024 45 mins

In this episode, we're talking about the novella All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells.

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In this episode, we're talking about how science and magic intertwine in the Netflix show Arcane.

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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" b...
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In this episode, we're talking about superpowers, secret identities, and characterization in the Netflix show The Umbrella Academy.

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September 25, 2024 10 mins

Season 3 is coming! We've added a couple new segments and will be talking about worldbuilding through the lens of genre.

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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.

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July 10, 2024 51 mins

In this episode, we're talking about mechs, feminism, disability representation, and more in the novel Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao.

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June 26, 2024 44 mins

In this episode, we're talking about nanofibers, science as a weapon, and supercomputers in the TV show 3 Body Problem.

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June 12, 2024 44 mins

In this episode, we're talking about science gone haywire, confusing vs. interesting worldbuilding, and tension in the TV show 3 Body Problem.

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May 29, 2024 39 mins

In this episode, we're talking about sense of place, metaphor, mythology, and symbolism in the movie Song of the Sea.

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May 15, 2024 37 mins

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.

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May 1, 2024 35 mins

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.

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April 17, 2024 42 mins

In this episode, we're talking about humour, morality, and the afterlife in the TV show The Good Place.

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In this episode, we're chatting with author Trudie Skies about deities, races, domains, magic, and expansive worldbuilding in The Thirteenth Hour, a gaslamp adult fantasy and the first in The Cruel Gods series.

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March 20, 2024 33 mins

In this episode, we're chatting about historical worldbuilding, weirdness, anti-capitalism, and ecological themes in the Studio Ghibli movie Princess Mononoke.

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March 6, 2024 37 mins

In this episode, we're chatting about situational humour, aliens, montages, and time loops in the movie Edge of Tomorrow.

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In this episode, we're chatting with author Kristen Ciccarelli about blood magic, witches, and witch hunters in Heartless Hunter, the YA fantasy romance inspired by the The Scarlet Pimpernel.

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In this episode, we're chatting about worldbuilding in the shadows, how actions matter, and adaptable storytelling in the video game Baldur's Gate 3.

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In this episode, we're chatting with author Margaret Rogerson about religion, spirits, and dark magic in the YA fantasy novel Vespertine.

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In this episode, we're chatting about the worldbuilding in the movie 9.

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