Developmental editor and anthropologist Andrew Hodges shares his view of the editor’s role in shaping fictional worlds—especially in speculative fiction. He brings a unique perspective to the craft, blending editorial expertise with a background in cultural anthropology. We discuss:<ul><li>How editors can guide world-building without taking over the creative vision</li><li>Common mistakes writers make when creating new worlds</li><li>Approaches to handling culture and social structures with nuance</li><li>Tools and frameworks that make complex worlds easier to manage</li><li>Why developmental editing for world-building is really about strengthening the story’s core</li></ul>If you’re a developmental editor working with fantasy, sci-fi, or even historical fiction, this episode is full of ideas for making world-building more intentional, inclusive, and story-driven.Andrew Hodges is a developmental editor and the founder of <a href="https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/" rel="nofollow">The Narrative Craft</a> (TheNarrativeCraft.com), where he works with speculative fiction authors to bring their stories to life. With a PhD in social anthropology, Andrew offers deep insight into how culture, structure, and meaning shape the worlds we build.Here’s a detailed list of the resources mentioned in this episode:<ul><li>Andy’s podcast: https://www.thenarrativecraft.com/the-free-lancer-podcast </li><li>Andy’s webinar <a href="https://payhip.com/b/UTCN9" rel="nofollow">https://payhip.com/b/UTCN9</a></li><li>Sophie Playle Guiding Principles for Developmental Fiction Editing (Webinar) https://www.liminalpages.com/ </li><li>Jennifer Lawler Developmental Editing Courses https://www.clubedfreelancers.com/jennifer-lawler-editor/</li><li>Beth Hill’s book, “The Magic of Fiction” <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29510704-the-magic-of-fiction" rel="nofollow">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29510704-the-magic-of-fiction</a></li><li>Janice Hardy’s “Revising Your Novel: First Draft to Finished Draft: A step-by-step guide to revising your novel”: <a href="https://a.co/d/f5y6PQu" rel="nofollow">https://a.co/d/f5y6PQu</a></li><li>Wonderbook: <a href="https://a.co/d/3YCnoWJ" rel="nofollow">https://a.co/d/3YCnoWJ</a></li><li>Blog, podcast, discord: <a href="https://mythcreants.com/" rel="nofollow">https://mythcreants.com/</a></li></ul>Leave a review or share this episode with your fellow word nerds and editing enthusiasts!Check out other episodes of The Editor’s Half Hour: piquepublishing.com/podcastConnect with me on Instagram: @Editors_Half_HourSubscribe to my newsletter: tinyurl.com/EditorsHalfHourBecome a Patreon Sneak “Pique” supporter: patreon.com/EditorsHalfHour

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

Developmental Editing for World-Building

The Editor's Half Hour

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews