Writing Excuses · Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler
20.21: The Lens of Context
May 25, 2025·21 min·1 clip
Howard reveals why herbivore aliens think human humor is an 'interrupted defense mechanism'.
As heard by us
A practical reminder that worldbuilding should supply context only as far as the story needs it.
Writing Excuses treats worldbuilding as a matter of context: give the story what it needs, and keep the rest vague until the plot asks for more.
Why you'd press play
Trim your worldbuilding to the details your story actually needs.
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