Hi 👋 I do like world building in books too!! Happy reading to you!! 😊
@EhsJaySaunders
2 жыл бұрын
I am a sucker for a good prologue. It gets me excited for certain elements and seeing how they'll pay off.
@PonderingsOfPete
2 жыл бұрын
If they’re set up well, absolutely. If they’re an info dump they tend to fall flat for me.
@derrisreaditbefore
2 жыл бұрын
Rest *IS* important. I really enjoyed listening to your ponders. These are the types of conversations that need some fine whiskey and a fireplace. I often find I pick up on things without noticing that I did, until I get asked by someone else "how did you know that?", and I struggle to explain it. I'm getting better at noticing implied information, and when I'm extrapolating from hints of things, but better is relative! Cheers 🥃
@PonderingsOfPete
2 жыл бұрын
I completely understand. It really annoying when your subconscious brain is working double time in the background. I have that issue with characters. My subconscious will build this scaffolding for them in the background and when something doesn’t fit, then i get taken out of the story. But the thing is, I can’t even see that scaffolding, much less explain why I think cuz doesn’t fit in the character.
@literatimedium
2 жыл бұрын
Obviously playing catch up. I never thought about world building via joke, but that's great!
@PonderingsOfPete
2 жыл бұрын
I feel that. I don’t think I can ever truly catch up. Very subtle thing but jokes can work really well sometimes
@esmayrosalyne
2 жыл бұрын
Great video!! For some reason I just never seem to think too much about these things myself, so thanks for doing the pondering for me, haha! I think I can get on with most types of worldbuilding, so long as they don't take me out of the story... it's all about the execution! The Dandelion Dynasty has some of my favourite worldbuilding I've come across recently, everything is just so unique and well thought out. Sometimes it can feel like Ken Liu is being a bit overindulgent with how much information he's sharing, but then I also don't really care, because I am fascinated by what he has created and I'll happily read any and all of his brain spinsels. Loved hearing your thoughts!!
@PonderingsOfPete
2 жыл бұрын
Dandelion Dynasty is indeed super cool. And he keeps upping all the worldbuilding with each book, too! I am surprised how okay I am with Ken Liu ‘a excessive use of flashbacks though. I guess I’m just used to it with him, now
@esmayrosalyne
2 жыл бұрын
@@PonderingsOfPete Yes same! I think Angela (Literature Science Alliance) made some good points about how it just kinda feels like Ken Liu is channeling his short-story writer skills during all the flashbacks whenever a new character is introduced or something. I am going to start Speaking Bones in 2 days and I am soooo excited to see how everything wraps up, I have a feeling that there's going to be some really epic stuff in that finale.
@PonderingsOfPete
2 жыл бұрын
@@esmayrosalyne Yeah that was a good point she made. I can definitely see that
@Paromita_M
2 жыл бұрын
This is such an excellent thought-provoking video! I don't mind any approach as long as it doesn't distract from the immediate narrative. Author's self-indulgence is a no go as is 'this will be very important 2 books later' (why on earth is it being mentioned now?). But I can't think of anything I've read that used 4) for worldbuilding - that was so interesting. I think 5) would be least comfortable based on my speedy Malazan DNF😀 One question I thought about - do you think some genres or subgenres are more attuned to or offer more flexibility with respect to specific worldbuilding approaches? Say postmodern lit/magical realism (e.g. IJ or One Hundred Years of Solitude), historical fiction (e.g. Books of Jacob), historical fantasy (e.g. JS&MN) or epic high fantasy (e.g. Stormlight)?
@PonderingsOfPete
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks! I don’t always mind if it distracts from the narrative to a certain extent. The author has to fit it in the flow right. And the whole “this willl be important in two books” is hit or miss. Some authors can do it well, but it should never be obvious when that is seeded, and of course, it has to have a purpose. I would be curious what your thoughts on Ninefox Gambit would be, since I think he does the implication and confirmation much better than Erikson. I would say that fantasy and maybe sci-do tend to lend themselves to the info dump simply because there is more unfamiliarity, but you could find it anywhere (especially freaking Dickens). Lit fic and all its pretentiousness would probably claim to have more worldbuilding through implication, if they would even acknowledge worldbuilding as a thing they do. Other than that, I don’t think there are really any trends one way or another in terms of genre. But of course this is also based on my history of reading which I consider a little narrow at this stage.
@Paromita_M
2 жыл бұрын
@@PonderingsOfPete Oh absolutely, its fine when it flows organically. I was thinking of instances where it is jarring like say the exposition happens through pages of dialogue and the reader is like, ok one character is just patiently listening to another person ramble about all this complex stuff OR where the detours last for hundreds of pages and the reader no longer has a clue if it's a digression or the main plotline (looking at you Wise Man's Fear). I like Dickens but he does go on and on (but then what do you say to Tolstoy😄). I might give Ninefox Gambit a go then. I decided to start The Books of Jacob anyway, am 100 pages in and can't pronounce any of the names😔 At least it's better than Silmarillion (DNF) where ALL the names sound similar and there are multiple groups of them. Now that was a masterclass in worldbuilding I couldn't digest!🤦🏽♀️
@PonderingsOfPete
2 жыл бұрын
@@Paromita_M absolutely, long random conversations like that are jarring. I’m only a little farther than you in Books of Jacob and I have no idea about the names either. As to the Silmarillion, I honestly don’t remember that much of it.
@EricMcLuen
2 жыл бұрын
@@Paromita_M The Sil is a special case and really shouldn't be included in any discussions about a novel - because it isn't one. It is a collection of notes/short stories that were never intended to be put together as a singular story. It is like saying the glossary didn't gave good worldbuilding or character development.
@Paromita_M
2 жыл бұрын
Fair enough.
@AnEruditeAdventure
2 жыл бұрын
👍🏼 good shtuff. -T
@KFoxtheGreat
2 жыл бұрын
Great video! Worldbuilding is one of my favorite things but I'm weirdly picky about exposition 😂 I would rather have an info dump at the beginning or things slowly be revealed in little lore breaks between chapters than the author setting up awkward conversations about xyz. Like, how often does Noah's Ark come up in every day conversation? I guess maybe a reference if it's been really rainy, but no one tells the entire story in that case, just a vague reference at most. But I really enjoyed this. Do you think it might turn into a series for your channel?
@PonderingsOfPete
2 жыл бұрын
Something of a series. Kind of a “hey I’m gonna talk about this random book thing that’s been on my mind”
@KFoxtheGreat
2 жыл бұрын
@@PonderingsOfPete ah, so that's why you were asking about books where nothing happens that one stream. I look forward to future ponderings!
@PonderingsOfPete
2 жыл бұрын
@@KFoxtheGreat exactly! That’s another subject I’d like to delve into eventually
@EricMcLuen
2 жыл бұрын
Flashbacks can be a little annoying at times but it does save the author of notnwriting the entire life story of a character. Scott Lynch and Mark Lawrence do this a lot using them for exposition for current events.
@PonderingsOfPete
2 жыл бұрын
Yeah I can vibe with flashbacks most of the time. Sometimes though it either interrupts the flow of the narrative or it’s too much information
@MikeBaker
2 жыл бұрын
Ahh, yes WorldBuilding. In movies, it is the main aspect that sets the Marvel Universe so far above from the DC Universe. Worldbuilding is definitely the best parts of the Game of Thrones or Lord Of the Rings or Dragon Riders of Perl books as well...
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