On Writing and Worldbuilding: Volume III

On Writing and Worldbuilding #3

by Timothy Hickson, BK Bass (editor), Chris Drake (cover_art)

Writing guides are often full of 'tips' and 'tricks' either too broad to be useful, so specific they don't apply, or frustratingly vague. The On Writing and Worldbuilding series is here to change that. Volume III covers a whole new array of topics with applicable, clear, and practical discussions, be it writing character descriptions, compelling dialogue, or worldbuilding cities and towns for your world. While written with an edge for science fiction and fantasy, the help found in this book applies to all genres. Volume III stands entirely independent of the first two volumes with entirely new discussions.With all this and more, On Writing and Worldbuilding is a 'must have'.ON WRITING

Character descriptionsDeath scenesDialogueSubtext in dialogueDarkest hoursPlot armourEnvironmental descriptionsElemental magic systemsAntiheroesParagon heroesON WORLDBUILDINGDeath and the afterlifeCities and townsMountainsIsland civilisationsFallen civilisations

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference

295 pages, Paperback

Published November 22, 2023

About the author

I host the channel Hello Future Me dedicated to discussing writing and worldbuilding.

And here, you can tell me how wrong my opinions are!

Reviews

[Evan Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty, constructive, eclectic, and diligently-researched, I found the third volume On Writing and Worldbuilding quite insightful and it has already shaped how I interact with and think of the stories I see in my own life.
I have not read either of the previous volumes nor have I read Hickson's novels, but I found his work online and was intrigued enough to see what advice he had to offer in paperback.
I really loved all the examples from text and film Hickson used to exemplify and frame certain topics. I'm a big Dr Who fan, so it was nice to see the philosophical analysis of the Doctor's character and literary themes.
Only thing I think is severely lacking in this book is an intro and outro chapter. It just starts and especially ends very abruptly. I understand these are volumes of a larger collection, but they still stand out as their own individual books, so they need some padding to ease readers into the main content of the book.

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25. The third installment of Hickson’s On Writing and Worldbuilding series is, once again, both enjoyable and informative. However, a mix of reading fatigue and a long-held realization—one I hadn’t previously mentioned in my reviews of this series—led me to rate this one slightly lower than its predecessors.

What I mean by reading fatigue is that I’ve read so many books on writing and worldbuilding that they’re beginning to feel repetitive. While this is hardly Hickson’s fault, it did impact my experience with this volume. That said, Hickson’s work remains masterful—packed with strong examples that reinforce his points, even when his deep dives into historical contexts occasionally feel dry or overly technical.

Now, here’s the truth: most of what’s in this book can be absorbed through Hickson’s YouTube channel, Hello Future Me—a much easier and less expensive way to access this knowledge. Earlier this year, I read Anatomy of Film Perfection by Filip Mentos (rated 4.0), better known for his Filmento YouTube channel, where he analyzes why certain films succeed or fail. My realization was nearly identical in that review. Here's what I said there: "The breakdowns here are insightful, but when you can watch 10- to 20-minute videos on each film or TV show covered—complete with supplemental footage and expository narration—it’s like comparing an interactive Audible experience to a static text. There’s no real competition between which one is more engaging."

To play my own devil’s advocate, Hickson does include one or two topics in every book that he hasn’t thoroughly covered in his videos. Is that worth the price? As a huge fan of his work, I’d say yes. But for the average reader, I have my doubts.

While this review may sound more critical than I intended, On Writing and Worldbuilding III is still an excellent resource for aspiring writers aiming to craft something worthy of the greats. Don’t let my personal gripes deter you—if this sounds like your kind of read, go for it. And if not, I highly recommend checking out Hello Future Me on YouTube—you may find it’s the more accessible option.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timothy Hickson is my worldbuilding hero

[Johannes · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost it should be said that I have watched Hello Future Me, his YouTube channel, for years now. I was first drawn in by the videos going deep into the Avatar the Last Airbender series of which I was a big fan growing up, and at first these were the only videos I watched. As I'm older now and have been wanting to give writing a try, his videos have taken a new meaning for me. That is to say some bias should be expected

This book like the two that came before are just like his videos merely in written form and with more added to them. Personally I like having the books as they are easier to pick up and find the spot when there is something you want to come back to later.

Trying to be an author is a lot harder than I thought it would be. When you've read scores of books your whole life you kinda feel like it is easy until you try it your self. There are a lot of details that you accept when reading but don't necessarily come to mind when you need them. This in depth look at some of these things has been immensely helpful to me and following someone who's several steps ahead of me in this game has been encouraging. The way he takes passages from other creators and goes into further detail has helped me appreciate those works in a much better way. I find myself idolizing them less or more so that they don't feel so untouchable as before which has been the main thing stopping me from actually writing and allowed me to appreciate them in a way can see more of the beauty of the craft. I have even found myself harkening to these lessons in stories form various media or in thinking of others that I viewed before. Instead of simply saying whether or not I like something, I am more able to put into words why that is feel that way and of course this is true for my writing as well.

Keep up the good work and many thanks, Tim!

[Norah Oldenziel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid entry to my favourite series on writing and worldbuilding. It did, however, take me quite a while to get through though I suppose this is my own fault at that since I've also been taking a bit of a break from creative writing. Possibly I should just revisit these books when I get back into writing ;)

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a good time with this book and its focus on creating more engaging characters and dialog. I think it can be quite a challenge for myself, and others, to write good characters. The author goes through a lot of examples pulled from across different sources in order to provide ideas for what to do and what to avoid.

[Ruth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent advice presented in memorable and easy to understand fashion. Highly recommend these books as well as the YouTube videos of the same name to anyone who want to write or just learn more about the techniques authors use.

[Raphael Dorigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating and extremely useful advice for writing, illustrated by examples from masterful and beloved works. Helped me greatly in transforming my novel in the direction of sophistication.

[F. N. Peccia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim's analysis are always on point. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in how stories are structured, how to create a more believable world, or simply if you want to get cooler ideas for future projects.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful, engaging, and useful advice! I’m not sure some of the Tolkien facts are perfectly accurate, but the point and message are well-communicated, and I very much enjoyed reading this book. I look forward to incorporating these insights into my own work.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was good until the last like 3rd where it just felt like he was repeating himself and then warbling on about topics that could be a lot shorter.
also references to dubious author in the year of 2023.. certainly a choice. not a good one imo.

2.5 ⭐️

[Sleepy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

incredible

[Shida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the most helpful books. Easy to read, easy to digest and even for the topics i personal don’t enjoy studying.

Eagerly waiting on another book.

[JPS Marinho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, as always! I've read all books in this series and Tim doesn't disappoint. Makes my writing knowledge grow every time!

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Abre campos interesantes que plantear, pero se hace más pesado que los did anteriores, que son magistrales.

[Bryce Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

this shit so thought provoking it took me four months to digest

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another book on Writing and Worldbuilding