Writing Excuses 11.Bonus-04: Fantasy Food, with Elizabeth Bear and Scott Lynch

2016-12-02T13:19:00Z

Posted by: mbarker.livejournal.com

Writing Excuses 11.Bonus-04: Fantasy Food, with Elizabeth Bear and Scott Lynch

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2016/11/29/11-bonus-04-fantasy-food-with-elizabeth-bear-and-scott-lynch/

Key points: Food engages readers. It contains worldbuilding, economics, trade routes, and many other interesting points. Potatoes! Don't forget the peasants. Who eats beef? Think about the logistics. How long does it take to cook, what are the ingredients, who eats it? Think about the health consequences. Oysters and lobsters. Characters' reactions are more interesting than what they are actually putting in their faces. Don't forget the potatoes!

( What's cooking in your pot? )

[Dan] I'm kind of thinking… And, actually, our time is up, so it's time for us to go and get dinner. But first, we get homework.
[Scott] Homework. All right, well, your homework is to go out and cook something. Actually, that's useful homework. But my actual writing homework, since I have to give you a prompt. I want you all… All of you! Yes, you. I want you to take a character of your own who is beloved of you, and I want you to make them the antagonist, plausibly, in somebody else's story.
[Elizabeth] And does this involve food?
[Scott] It can involve food. I want you to cook while doing this.
[Howard] Oh, way to throw down the gauntlet.
[Dan] Awesome. Cool. All right. So. Thank you very much, Scott and Elizabeth. You're wonderful.
[Elizabeth] Thank you.
[Dan] Listeners, go out and read Karen Memory and all of their books. This has been Writing Excuses. You are out of excuses. Now go write.
[Elizabeth] Now go write.

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Writing Excuses 4-21: Writing Practical Fantasy

2011-02-25T11:18:00Z

Posted by: mbarker.livejournal.com

Writing Excuses 4-21: Writing Practical Fantasy

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2010/05/30/writing-excuses-421-writing-practical-fantasy/

Key Points: Practical fantasy -- think it through. Is it humanly feasible? Beware of societies without visible means of support -- i.e. no trade, no value? Watch out for dumb villains. Five gold coins for a dagger means daggers are worth more than gold? Think about value, don't just borrow from the video games. Watch for cities in the desert -- without water, agriculture, or other support? Beware the one-climate planet! Avoid techno-porn, gadgets without social infrastructure. Write what you know, or can research, or can check with an expert. Who makes it, who uses it, and how do they trade for it? Use bad tropes as writing exercises -- how could this happen? Why?
( fantastic visions? )
[Rob] Well, terrific. Okay, um... I can't think on my feet. Let's just go with that, the city in the desert. You've got a city in the desert, there's nothing around it but sand. Figure out why that city is there, how they survive, and how they support all the people.
[Brandon] All right. This has been Writing Excuses. You're out of excuses. Now go write.

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Writing Excuses Transcripts

Writing Excuses 11.Bonus-04: Fantasy Food, with Elizabeth Bear and Scott Lynch

Writing Excuses 4-21: Writing Practical Fantasy