World Constructing with Andrew Zimba · Author's Enjoyable Zone

World Constructing with Andrew Zimba – How To Write the Future podcast, episode 99

“On the subject of telling a narrative or crafting or condensing it right into a e book or a movie, is what sort of story do you wish to inform? And I believe that first query is, do I wanna inform an allegorical story? Or what I’ll name a world constructing story, only for simplicity between the 2.” – Andrew Zimba

In “World Constructing with Andrew Zimba,” How To Write the Future podcast host Beth Barany talks to lifelong storyteller, novelist, and avid historian, Andrew Zimba concerning the course of concerned on the earth constructing for his novels and share recommendation and suggestions that can assist you create the story world in your fiction.

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In regards to the How To Write the Future podcast

The *How To Write The Future* podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who wish to write constructive futures and efficiently carry these tales out into {the marketplace}. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cowl suggestions for fiction writers. This podcast is for readers too if you happen to’re in any respect interested in the way forward for humanity.

This podcast is for you you probably have questions like:

– How do I create a plausible world for my science fiction story?

– How do I determine what’s not working if my story feels flat?

– How do I make my story extra attention-grabbing and alive?

This podcast is for readers too if you happen to’re in any respect interested in the way forward for humanity.

ABOUT ANDREW ZIMBA

Andrew Zimba is a lifelong storyteller. An avid historian, he grew up studying tales of kings and kingdoms in addition to tales of delusion and magic. A local Minnesotan, he holds levels from the College of Minnesota and likewise studied in Poland. Andrew and his spouse at the moment reside in Texas.

Web site: https://www.ardalencor.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ardalencor

Transcript for episode 99 – World Constructing with Andrew Zimba

BETH BARANY

Hey everybody. Welcome to How To Write the Future Podcast. I’m your host, Beth Barany. I’m a creativity coach, science fiction and fantasy author and writing trainer, and clearly podcaster and filmmaker. I’ll share extra about that one other time. I simply wish to welcome you all right here. This podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who wish to write constructive, optimistic futures as a result of I consider that what we imaginative and prescient, we assist make so.

I really like interviewing company and speaking about world-building, and I’m so excited to carry to you a visitor right here in the present day. We’ve got Andrew Zimba. Hello Andrew. Welcome.

ANDREW ZIMBA

Hey Beth, thanks a lot for having me. Glad to be right here.

BETH BARANY

I’m so glad that you just’re right here and that you just love world-building as a lot as I do.

ANDREW ZIMBA

Sure.

BETH BARANY

So I’m gonna share, sure. It’s so thrilling. I’m gonna share with everybody somewhat bit about you. Andrew Ziba is a lifelong storyteller. An avid historian, he grew up studying tales of kings and kingdoms, in addition to tales of delusion and magic.

A local Minnesotan, he holds levels from the College of Minnesota and likewise studied in Poland. Andrew and his spouse at the moment reside in Texas.

So glad that you just’re right here and speaking about world-building. And I needed to know, Andrew, if, earlier than we dive into your, the fabulous questions we’ve got ready for everybody I used to be simply curious what you studied in school and college. ‘Trigger I used to be testing your substack and you’ve got these stunning, largely medieval imagery that, simply beautiful woodcuts and issues like that I simply adore. So I used to be curious, did you research historical past in, in college?

ANDREW ZIMBA

It was my minor formally as a part of my undergrad. However I’ve had a lifelong love of historical past and, fantasy is a nexus level of creativity and likewise the historic points of it as effectively. My pursuits at school had been extra type of world research as a part of the undergrad, after which extra of a enterprise focus with my grasp’s diploma. However historical past’s all the time been a ardour for me.

BETH BARANY

That’s such an important mixture these three domains. Nice. So let’s dive proper into it and what steerage would you give somebody who’s beginning the writing or world-building course of?

ANDREW ZIMBA

Yeah, I have a look at it as that is first, initially, a ardour challenge, and it may very well be as expansive as you need it to be, however I believe the primary query is what sort of story do you wanna inform?

So world constructing will be as expansive as you need it to be. It’s a ardour challenge.

However I believe the primary query is, in terms of telling a narrative or crafting or condensing it right into a e book or a movie, is what sort of story do you wish to inform? And I believe that first query is, do I wanna inform an allegorical story? Or what I’ll name a world constructing story, only for simplicity between the 2.

There’s a spread between these and many selections alongside the way in which, however allegorical story can be the world we take that at face worth, proper? We don’t get into the whys and the hows. It’s extra of it is a car to impart sure classes. I believe that’s our fairy tales. These are our campfire tales.

These are the issues that have a tendency to stay with us. Simply these type of quite simple, true tales, however on the similar time, it doesn’t take into the world constructing element. So if there’s a troll beneath the bridge, which may very well be a narrative about coming of age, ceremony of passage, good versus evil, overcoming obstacles, going through fears.

But when there’s a solitary troll who lives beneath this bridge that’s been a nuisance for fairly a while, why has it been left to an adolescent? To resolve this. Why haven’t the native villagers it the native knights or, retailers don’t like impediments to commerce, so why hasn’t anyone resolved this?

Or if it’s an expansive world, why hasn’t simply anyone put up a brand new bridge someplace else that we’re simply gonna go round? We’re gonna go round the issue, so to talk. And I believe there’s many solutions to these questions.

There’s no proper or fallacious technique to inform the story. Individuals ought to inform the story, construct the world that they need, however if you happen to’re enthusiastic about it is a place that exists nearly unbiased of the story. It has a previous, it has a gift, and it has a future trajectory. I might put that extra on the earth constructing class. And okay.

There are some questions then we have to reply and the way you reply them or the way you go about them, it’s completely as much as you, however I believe that’s the primary piece of, do I wanna embark on? I wanna impart messages as a part of my story. In case you’re on the world constructing aspect, that’s nonetheless there, proper? I nonetheless have a perspective. I nonetheless have questions I wanna pose, but in addition this inside logic within the richness of the world that’s as essential to me, versus an allegorical story, which simply says right here’s the place we’re at right here’s what the story begins. Take it as is. I believe that’s the very first thing.

And the way a lot time do you wanna put into that?

I believe there’s the opposite piece of, as you construct the world, you reward your reader for paying consideration. Listed below are the small print. Right here’s the subtext in nuance or simply overt statements.

And as this is applicable to 1 character if you happen to’re constructing that in a logical, coherent means, then what may apply to this different character too? Or if this occurs, and which means this might occur. So I believe that pulls individuals right into a story in a means that possibly an allegorical story can’t, since you simply don’t have that complexity to it.

And it’s not a proper or fallacious query, however it’s a alternative about how a lot time and what course do you wish to go together with it.

BETH BARANY

I really like that. I believe these are actually essential distinctions for individuals to consider, and I perceive not everyone goes to have the ability to make that Readability of alternative on the very early phases. I might say I wasn’t.

I are inclined to make these choices within the revisions section. As individuals began asking me questions concerning the story world, whether or not it was in my fantasy world or my sci-fi world, I used to be pushed to search out the solutions. I needed to know, my readers had been confused. They needed to know the critique companions and beta readers.

I believe it’s additionally the writer’s consolation degree. Are you okay with issues not being defined or do you wish to create that actuality foundation? A world that has its personal actuality and its personal logic.

So I actually love that distinction and I believe it may assist some writers pull again somewhat bit and go, oh yeah, I do wish to determine the logic of my story world.

ANDREW ZIMBA

The final couple minutes of me, me sharing that was actually based mostly on years of world constructing myself and writing my medieval fantasy novel and pondering via the method as I’m in it, but in addition retrospectively and speaking with others and such as you say, critique companions or getting questions. I believe exploring the world via questions or very particular what if eventualities, and generally the reply is, I don’t know.

You’re gonna determine it out. You most likely know the least quantity concerning the world initially. I believe that’s truthful to say. And also you frequently are rising and increasing it. I believe it’s being snug, leaning into these issues. But when I had recommendation for individuals, I might say, how do you wish to have a look at this.

And a part of it’s what do you present the reader. The place’s the digicam positioned? The place’s the lighting? But in addition what’s that observe that’s working behind the scenes the place you as an writer know that is what’s truly happening. Right here’s what the characters know, after which, okay, right here’s what I’m gonna inform the reader. How a lot continuity you need with that, versus, I’m okay if that is floating on the market. That doesn’t hassle me that’s a person alternative as effectively.

BETH BARANY

Yeah, completely. I’ll simply communicate from a working author’s perspective. That persons are, They crave issues which can be grounded, even whereas they love the fantastical, whether or not it’s in a sci-fi, or fantasy world of every kind, Readers and viewers are tremendous savvy. Particularly the youthful technology, like I, I didn’t develop up with the web, however I discover in individuals, 20, 30 years youthful, after they’re of their twenties, they’ve considered and watched a lot extra media than I did at that age.

ANDREW ZIMBA

Yeah.

BETH BARANY

As a result of entry. So simply talking from somebody who didn’t have that after I was rising up, Writers must bear in mind that their readers are going to have the ability to see deeper into tales in the present day than possibly earlier than. Readers are typically a bit extra refined and so we have to make world constructing selections, if we would like, make world constructing selections in relation to that degree of information that our readers have.

ANDREW ZIMBA

Yeah.

BETH BARANY

and simply make choices, Some individuals assume my fantasy world is fantasy mild as a result of I’m not writing like Tolkien, however then different individuals say, wow, it felt so actual as a result of I’m writing from my character’s lived experiences. I’m not writing encyclopedic entries. So I all the time carry that up.

When it comes to world constructing, we don’t must know your entire world. We simply want to grasp how our characters work together and consider the world. After which we will do some authorial issues such as you’re saying, You’ll be able to know extra about your world than your character does and that’s tremendous enjoyable.

ANDREW ZIMBA

I believe you elevate a extremely good level concerning the distinction between if you happen to embark on world constructing, let’s say between the selection between allegorical and world constructing, there nonetheless is how complicated and there’s so many ranging levels of that. However I suppose if I needed to distill what we’re speaking about, I believe that is what you’re saying as effectively, is it’s about any time there’s a chance for collaboration or battle between characters and there’s one thing that has to do with the world, how are you positioning that? You don’t have to speak about, right here’s the thousand 12 months historical past of this dynasty, however merely like on this second between these characters, it is a distinctive world that’s completely different from our actuality, and right here’s how the logic of this world performs out, nonetheless detailed or not, proper? ’trigger it’d simply be quite simple between two characters on this. The crux of the difficulty pertains to the world and the way it impacts these characters. I believe that’s an essential distinction. Thanks for mentioning that as a result of it’s not, we’re gonna construct out completely all the things, however as we do that and what we select to do, the place’s that inside logic that goes together with the character improvement and the storytelling?

BETH BARANY

Completely. And I might say this comes right down to values assumptions, perception methods that characters have, about what’s essential and what’s not essential. Yeah. So I, I’m a really character-based author. I begin with my character, actually I begin with my style, which has inherent assumptions, and from there, I Construct out the world as I’m constructing the character. These two, work hand in hand.

ANDREW ZIMBA

Yeah.

BETH BARANY

How about you? I seen from studying a few of your articles in your substack that you just begin from a, how do I would like these points of my world to be? So are you ranging from a type of an exterior perspective as if you happen to had been, I don’t know, a historian writing concerning the world?

ANDREW ZIMBA

I needed Ardalencor to appear like an actual place.

And I initially began although with the idea of two characters who weren’t from anyplace, they didn’t have a backstory. They simply occurred to fulfill.

So simply very briefly, the story begins within the aftermath of this battle. The military of Ardalencor is beat by a international invader and likewise a part of their military switches sides.

So there’s rebel and invasion on the similar time. So chapter one, you decide up with some rank and file troopers principally saying what simply occurred? And extra importantly, what can we do subsequent? And due to all this deceit and treachery, who can we belief? And that was actually the crux of the story. And I didn’t know anything concerning the world. It’s multi-point of view.

So that you meet the excessive lord, the king equal. You meet the rebels, you meet lots of people, holding completely different positions in society. However these first two characters, I needed them to be of the world versus possibly like a D&D marketing campaign the place the characters reside on this elevated standing as they go concerning the world.

These two troopers, one’s a soldier, one’s a mercenary, they’re very a lot grounded on this world. Okay? So what does that imply by way of their prospects, the assets they will name upon? That was essential to me. After which setting the tone of the, of the story, particularly with a number of factors of view, individuals vying for energy and principally in battle. I’ve to consider how this total system will work. That they will attempt to do the perfect they will, however one aspect not being overpowered versus one other. Like why are they combating if one aspect is a lot stronger than the opposite. This could have been over.

Final 12 months, or they might by no means have tried this, proper, had this energy dynamic been in place. So historical past was an enormous information for me. Not a lot a specific interval. That is medieval fantasy story, however I’m not working off of a specific analog from one other nation. However extra, right here’s what I learn about societal buildings and, what needs to be in a world as effectively. And likewise being a dungeon grasp in D&D and seeing gamers attempt to break the sport so that each one helped. However sure, I needed it to be very a lot a grounded expertise as a result of there’s a number of factors of view, as effectively.

BETH BARANY

Actually nice to listen to that. I did learn your article on this subsequent query and I believed that is actually an exquisite distinction to speak about. So inform us what you imply by setting your world up versus setting your world in movement.

That basically caught my consideration as a result of our story worlds are in movement, similar to the actual world. yeah. Are you able to speak about these two issues?

ANDREW ZIMBA

Yeah. And this was a distinction that possibly crystallized for me as I went via the method as effectively. But when we take into consideration setting our world up, it’s like our record of lists, proper?

It’s what are all of the magical items to it? Sure, there’s time journey and there’s dragons and,the geography and the natural world issues like that, customs, I noticed one record it’s like there’s 100 completely different classes on it and a few you would say are very exact and others are nonetheless expansive, and there’s most likely classes, beneath that as effectively.

Beth, I like your record of about 20 gadgets.

BETH BARANY

Yeah

ANDREW ZIMBA

Which is you’re embarking on world constructing. There’s gonna be some work right here, however I believe it’s additionally a, a great set of questions and manageable on the similar time. so I recognize the, recognize that record. it’s good.

As soon as we’ve got these gadgets, you then gotta take into consideration how do all these items match collectively, proper?

So if we’ve got time journey, can one million individuals time journey. If anyone wrote that story, I might be extremely impressed with that. or if elves can reside for five,000 years, proper? What does that really imply by way of the context of the story, proper? What number of generations collect on the vacation feast, proper?

Simply pondering via these type of issues. Or if you happen to’re placing a dragon in, generally there’s only one dragon. We’re speaking world constructing. Why is it simply just one dragon, you would reply that, there may very well be an evidence for it, however you’re placing in an apex predator that’s principally like an assault helicopter in a medieval context.

And there’s these very evocative footage of this, monumental dragon that’s possibly 50 occasions the dimensions of this knight or this warrior who’s very cautiously approaching. However is that actually a combat? It’s very evocative from a storytelling perspective, and it’s the hero’s journey.

However you additionally gotta take into consideration the dragon as effectively, proper? The dragon isn’t there simply to be a pin cushion for the hero, at the very least as I might give it some thought.

So I believe that’s the opposite piece of what are the issues I wanna do? What are these disruptive parts? What are issues we’re not seeing in our actuality?

After which making an attempt to consider these gadgets. And the way do all these items come collectively and with the disruptive parts, the one other piece that I have a look at is, how uncommon are these, like what number of are there? It doesn’t must be an actual quantity, one dragon versus 10,000 dragons is sort of a distinction.

Proximity can be one other factor. You concentrate on Recreation of Thrones. In case you’re in Kings Touchdown, you actually don’t care what’s happening north of the wall, regardless of how a lot the alarm bells are sounded as a result of it’s simply so distant. However within the north, any type of minor disturbance the place you get phrase and everyone’s very cautious, and I believe that’s one other piece of it as effectively.

After which limitations to entry. Okay, we’ve got time journey, however there’s just a few individuals who know how you can do it, otherwise you do it at such value and threat that individuals don’t even wanna try it, or possibly you need to prep your self for that. And let’s simply say there’s 10 steps to do this. And most of the people barely get midway via.

So it’s nearly like they know you are able to do it, however they don’t know the way. However these are little issues you may modify and I believe that helps different dragons on this world, sure or no. I believe that’s an essential query. However then how do these items match collectively? How do you set your world in movement? And now that you just’ve put all these fantastical forces collectively and even simply completely different societal or political buildings, how does that really work in follow?

And you then get into how is it skilled to the characters?

BETH BARANY

Yeah, that’s actually great.Yet another query after which I’m gonna ask you to inform us how we will discover extra about you and your e book. How do you deal with author’s block and what do you advocate to others with author’s block, particularly in respect to world constructing?

Are you able to communicate to that?

ANDREW ZIMBA

Yeah. I believe one thing impressed you to start out world constructing and I’ve generally used, I don’t know what I wish to use for Ardalencor, however I’m gonna use a historic analog.

Simply as a placeholder, as scaffolding. I do know this isn’t accomplished, however I’m simply gonna maintain up these different concepts with this. In order that helps me as a result of in any other case you’re taking a look at a clean sheet of paper and also you don’t fairly know the place to go. I believe what’s additionally helped after I obtained significantly caught, this was inside reference to what’s a personality gonna do subsequent when assume it applies to world constructing too is I simply wrote down all of the potential choices that would occur now as a result of this was a personality. It was one was the character drops useless within the subsequent second, all the way in which to right here’s simply the, an expansive record. They weren’t going to die within the subsequent second. However I simply needed the liberty to say, you’re taking a look at each risk right here. After which I simply whittled it right down to, okay, it will be this.

However I believe with world constructing, there’s lots of, I believe this may work. Okay, possibly it gained’t, or possibly I’m simply gonna, I’m gonna change it somewhat bit or dial it up or dial it down. And I believe that’s to be anticipated too in, in creating Ardalencor, I didn’t stroll into this as right here’s simply thought by thought.

Increase, growth. It was, take a look at this, right here, do this out. How would this work? How would this work? After we get truly into the characters and backstory, getting beta readers speaking with pals, generally individuals who had no real interest in fantasy. simply listening to their simply uncooked response to issues.

It does offer you some perception for anyone who’s obtained no perspective to it. that strikes me as, yeah, that might work. Or What did you concentrate on this? So I believe being open to questions is a technique to expertise the world since we will’t be there bodily.

BETH BARANY

That’s actually great. And what I hear as an total theme there’s testing.

Yeah. What is that this? How would this work? What if I modified this? And I really like that image of dialing issues up and down. After which the concept of an analog, which is one thing that I’ve been engaged on.

So yeah, inform us how individuals can learn your e book. The place can they discover it? The place can they discover you and join and subscribe or purchase? Yeah, give us your particulars.

ANDREW ZIMBA

Yeah. So In Instances of Battle, A Story of Ardalencor is out there on Amazon, if you happen to like, Recreation of Thrones, Band of Brothers, Lord of the Rings, all wrapped into one.

In case you’re a historical past buff, as we’ve been speaking about historical past as effectively, you’ll most likely like In Instances Battle Story of Ardalencor, so it’s obtainable on Amazon. Social media clever, I’m most lively on Instagram at Ardalencor. Thanks Beth additionally for mentioning my Substack, andrew zimba.substack.com. Attempt to publish one or two articles at the very least a month.

You’ll be able to learn opening chapters. There’s one opening chapter, the opening chapter within the prologue out on the, out of my substack. But in addition I’ve lots of, right here’s the knowledge that I’ve tried to distill based mostly on my journey over a number of years, in world constructing and wanting to write down a e book.

So simply useful guides for individuals. And I attempt to get into the how and as you’re choosing completely different points of your world, how you can put these issues along with examples and just a few common construction as effectively. So Amazon, Substack and Instagram are most likely the perfect locations to achieve me.

BETH BARANY

Thanks a lot for coming to Write the Future and I suppose as a result of it is a futuristic, it’s truly for science fiction and fantasy writers, however I’m all the time interested in your ideas and my visitor ideas on how their work serves to form our future, as a humanity.

Do you’ve any ideas on that? I’m simply gonna throw that zinger at you.

ANDREW ZIMBA

Yeah, I believe artwork, I suppose for me, my expertise is it needs to be uplifting. It needs to be how can we elevate the vitality and the vibrations? However even when it’s on a tough subject, My e book is, it’s a battle setting, however it’s about individuals coming collectively, transcendence, resilience.

And I believe artwork can be about how do we attempt to raise as effectively. Let’s put out our greatest work. It could be a piece in progress, like your masterpiece may not be the very first thing, however I believe that as how do we stock issues ahead. How can we create? And particularly with writing regardless of the style is, these phrases have been round for a whole bunch of years, hundreds of years.

There’s been billions of people that have probably have entry to the identical language, however as a author, you’re nonetheless in a position to create one thing new. And the way can we encourage and profit everyone with the artwork that we’re creating? In order that, that might be my ideas.

BETH BARANY

I really like that. Thanks. Thanks very a lot.

Great. Everybody. Thanks a lot for listening to a different episode of Write the Future.

In case you’re new right here, take a look at my World Constructing Workbook for Fiction Writers.

Please do take a look at Andrew’s assets. You will have some nice articles on world-building as effectively, and I’m gonna log off right here.

That’s it for this week. Write lengthy and prosper.

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ABOUT BETH BARANY

Beth Barany teaches science fiction and fantasy novelists how you can write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, trainer, marketing consultant, and developmental editor. She’s an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist and runs the podcast, “How To Write The Future.”

Be taught extra about Beth Barany at these websites:

Creator web site / Teaching web site / Faculty of Fiction / Author’s Enjoyable Zone weblog