1. Numbered List Description Again. 2. SO PROUD Of That Pipe Wrench! I Couldn't Decide Between Vintage

I didn't realize you were doing worldbuilding Wednesday every week! xD So last week I was the one talking about having a crapload of races in one world. I know there are way too many races for me to focus on anything- there are at least 20. I just love making new ones! So I tried splitting them up but I'm finding it extremely difficult because in my mind they're all connected somehow and it's impossible for me to sever the links. Do you have any advice?

gosh I don't really know other than what I mentioned. You have a few options imo:

1- relocate them to other worlds (not working for you though)

2- combine similar races into one race for each ecological/cultural niche

3- rank/prioritize, even if they all share a world some races will be more dominant than others, figure out which are more populous, which control more land, which are isolated (more likely to have smaller numbers), which are more warlike and industrious etc etc. Then use that info to figure out how that will influence your stories. Giants are a bit of an isolated minority race in my world (they are basically yeti and can only live where it's cold) but they founded the dominant religion and have a broad cultural influence and mystique about them.

4- embrace them! you have too many races, you are simply doomed to write lots and lots and lots of stories :) You'll still have to pick some favorites to start with though, stop telling your children you love them all equally they know it is untrue

wing posing test for the JUSTICE JETPACK gwaaaaad I'm excited materials: foamcore board for the wings. sintra, pvc pipe, shelf brackets, nuts, bolts, angst, and a waist cincher. backplate is designed to bear weight entirely on the hips because sore shoulders are the WORST

ww!

cthonicseraph said: Question: Do you find it harder to build a world from scratch, or to build characters and situations in our own world? Like Furies of Calderon vs. Dresden Files (if I can use my extensive Jim Butcher knowledge for anything).

I don't think I've tried anything terribly close to our world to count, Shae's story is just such a distant, distant future that anything goes, and Edie's story is alternate history but I take an... obscene amount of "creative liberties", since steampunk is such an anachronistic mess anyway. Though I would say its still been the most challenging so far, because pulling handy answers out of my butt whenever its convenient won't fly. AU earth stuff is going to usually need SOME basis in our history and geography. Which also means some history or geography nerd is out there ready to point out mistakes and glaring omissions. Scary :|

And totally not the question but I definitely prefer Dresden Files (major bias from living in Chicago for four years, he does it so well!), they're funny and exciting and I enjoy his takes on mythology and magic. I couldn't get into Furies- it's pretty usual srs bsns style of dry high fantasy that bores me to tears. Also its kinda rapey

Dug around in my archive drives for Discworld fanarts. I have a lot of Feelings I can’t articulate very well soooooo I’m not going to, just enjoy the draws xD FYI Zombie Reg is still one of my favorite faces I’ve drawn of all time, ever!

MAN I just remembered how I sketched the Vimes family portrait after I read Thud! I should find that and finish it...

When designing characters (especially costumes--I'm thinking specifically of the organic-nanotech Iron Man) do you find yourself doing a lot of research specifically for that project, or does it tend to grow more often out of subjects you've already taken an interest in/have knowledge of? Are there any particular resources you find yourself using frequently for that kind of research?

-tyuran

Gosh. WELL. I read. A lot. Like when I go on a research tear I read so much it freaks out people around me 8| Super easy to read lots because I own a kindle. I just get obsessed with things and I have to learn everything I can so I tend to start with wikipedia and then move on to books, and lurk on discussion forums about the topic. (example, I am obsessed with jeeps, I am a member of the cult of Wrangler we have a secret wave and everything and I want to turn mine into a zombie apocalypse response vehicle someday :p and now it is super easy for me to talk about cars with all the dudebros I work with ffff)

Specifically with biotech Ironman tho? I was majoring in biology before I had to quit school for the final time due to uh, poverty. I love SCIENCE so when I nerd out over sci/fi I get tons of ideas for story and character design. It makes me a huge snob tho, like seriously people need to stop giving JJ Abrams all these sci/fi franchises he can't science fiction at ALL. UGH. Like sci/fi is exciting cos science is exciting dammit, and looking toward what's really possible. I saw that the Daily Show has a new segment called Neil Degrasse Tyson: BUZZKILL OF SCIENCE lol that man is my hero.

SO YEAH. Character design I do lots of research on... everything. And if I have a new character who does something I don't know anything about (like, my character Shae is a pilot so I spent some time studying seaplanes and helicopters while I developed her), then it's pretty exciting to learn a new thing! I've actually redesigned my character Edie (she's a giant robot mechanic lol) a bit recently because I've been working with industrial mechanics at my dayjob and have learned a lot about work clothing/industrial safety gear that I didn't find out thru reading. It's like that writer's thing where you just call all your life experiences "research" lol so that's pretty cool.

Worldbuilding Wednesday

I really missed doing this! I hope y'all are still interested cos I'd love to talk story! Worldbuilding is my most favorite thing k. If you want questions answered, nonquestions, advice, whatevs. Discuss!

Um. Some fuzzy fox people. Yup.

Uploaded as many old pics of elfclothes as tumblr would let me. I suppose SOME kind of progression is visible here...

man i draw a lot of clothes

Doodle from tiny sketchbook I keep with me at work. Still figuring out designs for supporting AEM characters... In the past I'd get a little agitated after short doodling sessions because I always immediately wanted to figure out colors but HAVEN'T THE MEANS. Problem solved! Sketchbook Mobile app is great for anytime anywhere color studyin'