012 - Katie Cross, The One With Chaos Part 1 [Worlds Asunder]

We all love a widespread, far-reaching fantasy universe that we as readers can get completely absorbed in. The only thing better than a great fantasy series is a whole collection of them that deep-dive into an immersive world. But how do you keep track of a timeline that spans over a thousand years? Where do you start when your cast of characters stretches into the hundreds? 

We’re so pleased to release this interview with Katie Cross, author of more than 50 novels in her award-winning Alkarra universe. Katie drives down to the bedrock and gives us an inside look at her own spreadsheets and world bible. Join us and get practical tips and tools to keep your worlds organized. Bonus author mental health checks included ;) 

 

In Part Two, We Discuss: 

• Avoiding the urge for perfection and focusing on moving forward 
• Drafting processes and tips to make your writing more efficient 
• Learning from our failures 
• Maps and their purposes and utility in fantasy 
• Katie’s recommended series for worldbuilding 
• Addressing and conquering mental roadblocks 

 

Resources and Guest Links: 

https://katiecrossbooks.com/ 

 

Katie’s Book Recommendations for Great Worldbuilding!

• Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie: https://littlehousebooks.com/
• Lydia Sherrer, Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: https://www.lydiasherrer.com/books/love-lies-and-hocus-pocus/

 

Thanks again to Katie! Getting such a detailed look behind the curtain of this kind of world tracking and story management is a rare opportunity. We’re honored she agreed to hang out with us. 

 

Host Links: 

H.Y. Gregor: https://hygregor.com/

David Shadoin: https://www.davidshadoin.com/ 

 

Credits: (all assets licensed through the sites listed)

For Intro: Music- Cinematic Epic Trailer by PaulYudin on Pixabay

• • Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user- kazim hussian; from pixabay users-davidfoxx, DavidGallie, olenchic, stefaniejockschat, AiVreaSaStii, RuneSnow, duyen-nguyen, EnchantedStudios, 
  • For Outro: Music- Good Night by FASSounds on Pixabay

• Animation and Image- From Vecteezy user-onlydesignz; from pixabay users-olenchic, Placidplace, Evgeniy_Z, Dantegrafico, Shayea_Kim,