Best Science Fiction Worldbuilding Podcasts (2025)

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541 – Downward Turning Points

1h ago

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We talk a lot about turning points, where a character overcomes challenges and saves the day. But what if they don’t? Turning points can go in either direction, after all. The downward variety is most common for villains, but it can apply to heroes, too. How do you make sure this sad ending feels earned, whether it’s a minor bump in the road or a p…

1
Indus vs Nile vs Yellow River vs Amazon River Basin Explained! 36:03

3d ago36:03

36:03

Send us a text Lets talk about river basins and the civilizations they create and how you can use them in your fantasy world! Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Buy my books: https://www.mariemullany.com/books Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/join Engage …

1
The Ur-Pisode: The Queer Heart of The Epic of Gilgamesh, ft. Julian Gunn 54:30

4d ago54:30

54:30

For 4000 years, The Epic of Gilgamesh has influenced mythology, theology, and literature, and its rediscovery in the 1850s is itself an epic tale of war, theft, and Hobby Lobby. A meditation on love and death, rage and grief, civilization and nature, starring two problematic queer frat boys, it is the foundation of so many of our stories. In this e…

1
540 – Character Banter

4d ago

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Just a couple of buddies giving each other a hard time, what fun! Unless one of them says something that goes too far, and now they look like a jerk to the audience. This is a balancing act writers must tackle: showing characters’ personality and friendship without stepping over a line. This is difficult in fiction and real life, but at least the f…

1
3.19 Urban Fantasy: Jade City 44:54

8d ago44:54

44:54

In this episode, we're talking about the writing and worldbuilding in the urban fantasy novel Jade City by Fonda Lee. (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links, we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!) Proprietor's Pick: The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang Intro and outro musi…

1
Myth Creation Explained Simply! 33:45

10d ago33:45

33:45

Send us a text Lets talk about Jungian Archetypes, the 6 layers of mythic storytelling and how to make myths that resonate with the cultures you create! Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Buy my books: https://www.mariemullany.com/books Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0Ekw…

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539 – Mixing Magic and Technology

11d ago

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Wizards with smartphones, sorcerers with MRI machines, what’s going on here? It’s our episode about mixing magic and technology! Specifically, how to do it without weirding your audience out. Also, why you shouldn’t make a big deal about whether magic in your setting is specifically called “magic” or not. That one really bugs us. And also the reaso…

1
Why do cities in certain locations thrive? 19:43

16d ago19:43

19:43

Send us a text Let's talk fantasy maps and where it makes sense for you to put your cities! My thanks to @iammrbeat for a very good video on why USA cities started. Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Buy my books: https://www.mariemullany.com/books Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channe…

1
538 – POV Character Basics

22d ago

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Every story needs a viewpoint, and most of the time, that means a point of view character. This is often taken for granted, even though we’re never really taught the basics. Instead, authors just have to figure it out by feel. This week, we’re working to correct that as we go over viewpoint fundamentals. Who should your POV character be, what shoul…

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3.18 Children's Sci-Fi: Animorphs 48:04

22d ago48:04

48:04

In this episode, we're talking about the writing and worldbuilding in the sci-fi alien invasion series Animorphs by K.A. Applegate. Proprietor's Pick: Ice Wolves by Amie Kaufman (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links, we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!) Intro and ou…

1
5 Ways to Create Fantasy Religions using Real World Mythos 33:08

24d ago33:08

33:08

Send us a text Learn how to create fantasy religions using real world mythos with these 5 techniques. Perfect for writers inspired by authors like Katherine Kerr, Tad Williams, George RR Martin, and Tolkien. Start world building now! Featured art by @poppiiseedss And you can find her on TikTok :) (https://www.tiktok.com/@poppiiseedss ) Signup for t…

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537 – Workplace Conflicts

27d ago

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Time to clock in for another shift in the podcast mines, processing audio ore and the like. But what if our workplace had… drama? Why, then you might be writing a workplace conflict, which we have advice for! We discuss whether a workplace is healthy or unhealthy, what kinds of clashes can be expected, and naturally, why the captain is always going…

1
The Original Series S01E23 - A Taste of Armageddon 1:15:15

30d ago1:15:15

1:15:15

Shoot us a text message! 🖖 Rachel & Jordan watch (for the first time ever!) and review "A Taste of Armageddon", the twenty-thrid broadcast episode of the Original Series. Computer combat, citizen casualties! Support the showBy Those Old Scientists

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Trek Worldbuilders - Our interview with Star Trek: Starfleet Academy set designer Alyssia Ma! 47:55

1M ago47:55

47:55

Shoot us a text message! 🖖 In this special episode, we spoke with set designer and art department member Alyssia Ma. She started her film industry career on Star Trek: Discovery, and worked as a set designer on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Section 31 and now Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Listen as she shares her experiences in crafting the sci-fi…

1
I wrote 500K words. Here's what I learned about storytelling. 25:21

1M ago25:21

25:21

Send us a text I wrote and published half a million words! In this video, I take you for a walk in the Finnish forest and share the lessons I wish I'd known when I started writing. Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Buy my books: https://www.mariemullany.com/books Join the Channel: https://www.yo…

1
536 – Logical Worldbuilding

1M ago

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Many of our favorite spec fic tropes don’t make much sense. Does that matter? How important is it for the masquerade to make sense, and is that different from other logical issues that aren’t so well established? This week, we discuss the importance of logic in worldbuilding, or perhaps the lack of importance. We’ll see how much it matters for diff…

1
Blight, ft. Rachel A. Rosen 49:28

1M ago49:28

49:28

Break out the cake, balloons, and gigantic bone tentacles, it's season 2 of Wizards & Spaceships! Rachel has a new book out, Blight, the sequel to her first novel, Cascade. In this episode, you get a behind-the-scenes look at the newest instalment in the Sleep of Reason series. And did you know that tomorrow is Rachel's birthday? Why not celebrate …

1
3.17 Fantasy Heist: The Lies of Locke Lamora 46:15

1M ago46:15

46:15

In this episode, we're talking about the writing and worldbuilding in the fantasy novel The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Proprietor's Pick: Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links, we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!) Intr…

1
5 Secrets to Make a Fantasy Town Unique! 21:08

1M ago21:08

21:08

Send us a text It's all to easy for a fantasy town to simply feel like any other fantasy town. Don't fall into that trap. Join me on a walk in the Finnish forest and let's talk about how to add some flourishes to your towns to make them distinct! Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Buy my books: h…

1
535 – Clarifying Confusing Description

1M ago

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We all love to describe things. Why not add a little more description? Even more. What could go wrong? Oh, no, now the description is confusing. We’ve got to clarify it, but how? Fortunately, that’s the topic of today’s episode. We’ll discuss how to tell if your description is confusing, what to do about it, and also why a certain gate is the bane …

1
From Tectonics to Tolkien: Write Better Mountains 31:28

2M ago31:28

31:28

Send us a text Mountains are an amazing story device. They create towering world building blocks, they can be magic, they can even be alive. Let's check out how they're formed and how you can use them! Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Buy my books: https://www.mariemullany.com/books Join the Ch…

1
Arley Sorg on Literary Agents 11:08

2M ago11:08

11:08

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534 – Climaxes in Low-Tension Stories

2M ago

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So, you’ve got a cute, little story about gardening, but now it’s almost the end, and you feel like something should happen. It’s got to be exciting, right? That’s what all the other stories do. But conjuring excitement can be difficult if the rest of the story is light and carefree. That’s how you get endings that have random bursts of violence ou…

1
How Does Money Work in Fantasy Worlds? 25:51

2M ago25:51

25:51

Send us a text Welcome to my blueprint for the creation an economy in fantasy worldbuilding! In this video we'll talk about defining the three big Ms: Money, Marketplaces and Manufacturing Epic Blog Post: https://www.mariemullany.com/post/creating-denominations-in-a-currency Economics Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqKDOOvbVI-o1DE…

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3.16 Gothic Romance: Crimson Peak 39:51

2M ago39:51

39:51

In this episode, we're talking about the writing and worldbuilding in the gothic romance movie Crimson Peak. Proprietor's Pick: The Dark Window by Rachel Gillig (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links, we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!) Intro and outro music: "The T…

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How Publishing Works - Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #10 (2025) 1:10:06

2M ago1:10:06

1:10:06

This week on Brandon Sanderson's writing lecture series, we dive into the publishing side of the writing world. We take a close look at how the publishing industry came to be what it is today, what steps your book goes through when publishing with the Big 5, and how contracts look in the professional world of book writing. Want to send me something…

1
An Ending and A Beginning — Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #12 (2025) 1:07:25

2M ago1:07:25

1:07:25

Brandon Sanderson returns for his last class of 2025, doing one final Q&A to some of the most asked questions from the class. Thank you all for joining us, now go write that book! Want to send me something to open? Dragonsteel Entertainment ATTN: Adam P.O Box 698 American Fork, UT 84003 Stay up to date by following my newsletter: https://brandonsan…

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How To Worldbuild on Earth? - Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #9 (2025) 1:06:29

2M ago1:06:29

1:06:29

Brandon Sanderson is back in class answering some of the questions that burned within the hearts of his students. He delves deep into the philosophy of worldbuilding within your novels along with provides expert knowledge on ways to make it better. Want to send me something to open? Dragonsteel Entertainment ATTN: Adam P.O Box 698 American Fork, UT…

1
What Publishing Does For You — Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #11 (2025) 1:08:28

2M ago1:08:28

1:08:28

What's your biggest question about traditional publishing? In the penultimate episode of Brandon Sanderson’s 2025 Writing Lecture Series, we return to the world of publishing. Brandon breaks down the role of literary agents, how to find one, what they actually do for authors, and how to effectively pitch your book — whether to an agent, editor, or …

1
Write Lore Without Boring Your Reader! 37:16

2M ago37:16

37:16

Send us a text And finally we come to where the metal hits the road. How do you actually write lore in a way that is engaging for the reader? Here are 6 strategies to use! Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Buy my books: https://www.mariemullany.com/books Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com…

1
533 – Characters With Nothing to Do

2M ago

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Protagonists are the most important character of their story, and characters do stuff. That’s pretty much their whole thing. But what happens when important characters have nothing to do? Why are authors always making this mistake, and what can be done about it? Obviously, the first thing to do is record a podcast; maybe that will help. Show Notes …

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Writing with Publishing in Mind: The Traditional Publishing Pathway Explained | Episode 34 25:44

2M ago25:44

25:44

So many writers dream of getting a traditional book deal—but the process to get there can feel confusing, overwhelming, and totally out of reach. In this episode, I’m giving you a bird’s-eye view of the entire traditional publishing journey—from that first spark of a novel idea to the moment you finally see your book on the shelf. We’ll talk about …

1
How to make lore matter in your fantasy story! 18:58

2M ago18:58

18:58

Send us a text We've discussed why ancient lore matters and how to build it, now let's talk about how to use in a way that impacts your story. Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Buy my books: https://www.mariemullany.com/books Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQ…

1
532 – Making Your Story Immersive

2M ago

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Is it possible to get so drawn in by a story that you forget you’re reading words on a page? Probably not, but authors usually want to get as close to that feeling as possible. Achieving it is far from simple, though, and sometimes, it might not even be the best choice. This week, we’re talking about immersion: everything from wordcraft to worldbui…

1
3.15 LitRPG: Dungeon Crawler Carl 39:29

2M ago39:29

39:29

In this episode, we're talking about the writing and worldbuilding in the sci-fi/LitRPG novel Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links, we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!) Proprietor's Pick: The Wandering Inn by pirateaba Intro a…

1
Ancient Lore Creation: World build like J.R.R. Tolkien 25:44

2M ago25:44

25:44

Send us a text There are 2 very different ways to world build for fantasy (well, really, there's a lot, but there's 2 umbrellas anyway). On the one had, you have Tolkien and the fantastical. On the other, you have Martin and the historical. Let's explore Tolkien's method of world building and how to use a mythological framework to build your ancien…

1
Transhumanism and AI ft. Robert J. Sawyer 1:00:03

2M ago1:00:03

1:00:03

It's been an entire year of Wizards & Spaceships! Thank you for coming along with us on this wild and magical space ride. You can't turn on the news or doomscroll social media without hearing about how AI will revolutionize everything. Unfortunately, the worst people in the world seem to be in charge of it. In this episode, we talk to sci-fi legend…

1
531 – Sidekick Protagonists

2M ago

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Heroes think they’re a big deal, but we all know the sidekicks are the real story. They do all the unglamorous but essential work to keep the team running. Whether it’s arranging getaway horses or being captured for dramatic effect, sidekicks do it all. But what happens when the sidekick wants to also be the hero? Let’s find out. Show Notes Dr. Hor…

1
Ancient Lore Creation: World build like George R.R. Martin 35:47

3M ago35:47

35:47

Send us a text There are 2 very different ways to world build for fantasy (well, really, there's a lot, but there's 2 umbrellas anyway). On the one had, you have Tolkien and the fantastical. On the other, you have Martin and the historical. Let's explore Martin's method of world building and how to use real world history to create ancient lore for …

1
530 – Center Your Darlings

3M ago

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You might have heard us use this phrase before: “center your darlings.” What does it mean? Most simply, it’s our own spin on the more famous “kill your darlings” mantra. But there’s a lot more to it than that. This week, we get into the details. How to identify your darlings, the times when they conflict, and what it looks like to center them. Show…

1
Worldbuilding Economics: Create the Core of Your Fantasy Economy 22:38

3M ago22:38

22:38

Send us a text Welcome to my blueprint for the creation an economy in fantasy worldbuilding! In this video we'll talk about defining the economic core: steering mechanisms, wealth, and disposal rights! My website: World Building | Marie Mullany Writing My Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marie-Mullany/author/B099QJMV6C Join the YouTube…

1
3.14 Sci-Fi Procedural: Fringe 43:32

3M ago43:32

43:32

In this episode, we're talking about the writing and worldbuilding in the science fiction TV show Fringe. Proprietor's Pick: Recursion by Blake Crouch (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links, we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!) Intro and outro music: "The Tavern" by …

1
4 Steps to Write EPIC Ancient Lore in Fantasy! 22:20

3M ago22:20

22:20

Send us a text How do you actually build ancient lore? Do you start from the past and build into the future? Or start from the future and build into the past? Let's talk about fantasy worldbuilding! Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Affiliate link for Sudowrite: https://tinyurl.com/sudowrite-jit…

1
529 – Robots and Droids

3M ago

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Artificial lifeforms are a mainstay of science fiction, but they aren’t always easy to write. Even before tech companies unleashed so-called “AI” in the real world, authors have struggled with their robotic characters. How do we keep them from just being metal humans? Are they destined to be overpowered? What the heck is going on with Solo? Also, w…

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The Tools to Make Your Worlds Better - Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #8 (2025) 1:10:36

3M ago1:10:36

1:10:36

As the creator of worlds such as Roshar, Scadrial, and the Cosmere as a whole, Brandon Sanderson gives you all the tools you need to help bring your worldbuilding to the next level. That and more on this lecture on how to better your writing! Want to send me something to open? Dragonsteel Entertainment ATTN: Adam P.O Box 698 American Fork, UT 84003…

1
Why you need to build ANCIENT LORE for your Fantasy World! 17:29

3M ago17:29

17:29

Send us a text Lets talk about ancient lore and why you need it. Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Affiliate link for Sudowrite: https://tinyurl.com/sudowrite-jitw Buy my books: https://www.mariemullany.com/books Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/join Eng…

1
528 – Keeping Your Lovebirds Apart

3M ago

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We love to yell “now kiss!” when two lovebirds get a little too close together. But it turns out that if they did that immediately, a lot of the story would be over. For a love story to work, there must be something pushing the characters together, but also something pulling them apart. That second half is often neglected, so we’re here to talk abo…

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3.13 Epic Fantasy: The Will of the Many 45:23

3M ago45:23

45:23

In this episode, we're talking about the writing and worldbuilding in the epic fantasy novel The Will of the Many by James Islington. Proprietor's Pick: Red Sister by Mark Lawrence (Disclosure: we are a Bookshop.org affiliate, so if you purchase through these links, we will earn a small commission AND you will support an indie bookstore!) Intro and…

1
One Trick To Create Compelling Characters 21:53

3M ago21:53

21:53

Send us a text Lets talk about how to create characters that are compelling, characters that speak to readers, characters that drive the story and the theme. Signup for the newsletter! https://www.mariemullany.com/newsletter Support the Channel: Affiliate link for Sudowrite: https://tinyurl.com/sudowrite-jitw Buy my books: https://www.mariemullany.…

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Sanderson's Laws of Magic - Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #7 (2025) 1:07:54

3M ago1:07:54

1:07:54

The master of magic systems is back with an updated lecture on Sanderson's Laws of Magic --- three rules designed to elevate any story, whether sci-fi/fantasy or not. Welcome back to Brandon Sanderson's classroom, everyone! Want to send me something to open? Dragonsteel Entertainment ATTN: Adam P.O Box 698 American Fork, UT 84003 Stay up to date by…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Science Fiction Worldbuilding Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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