Time for a personal essay in Substack Notes

When I was in college, I did a creative thesis, the second person in my university to do it. At the time, I was beginning to feel the throes of what I only understand now… I was sick and tired of fantasy stories about heroes fighting dragons and demon lords (even though I didn’t and still haven’t read that many). My idea was simple. I’d take the fantasy trappings, blend in a bunch of different genres, and add a dash of French culinary history, and ta-dah! New revisionist fantasy created

My advisors liked it a lot. I think it’s one of the most “me” stories I’ve written. probably top 5. But the biggest critique was largely the same… “this isn’t as innovative as you think it is”

Did I have a solid grasp of worldbuilding yet? No. I didn’t want to write “fantasy,” but I didn’t know what it would mean to not write “fantasy”

A few days ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend Haly, the Moonlight Bard ✒️ ‘s worldbuilding workshop of wonders. Folks, this goes beyond fantasy. We barely talked about it. We spent four hours talking horror and romance and Monty Python, and that was just the tip of the iceberg

Haly’s creating a whole new framework for what worldbuilding is and whipping up a new vocabulary for it, too. We talked about setting and genre and culture and character in ways I don’t think any writing seminar I’ve attended has really touched on. Especially genre. That helped a ton, and it’s something I’d love to pick her brain on the more I think it over

When this hits the public, you should check it out. Especially if you want to write long form, of any genre

If there’s a world, the Bard can breathe life into it