Richardson's Rubicon

John Richardson
  • 4.8 (9)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Richardson’s Rubicon explores the craft and chaos of speculative fiction. Each episode dives into worldbuilding, strange ideas, creative failures, surprising successes, and the deeper questions behind imagined worlds. Writers, worldbuilders, and curious listeners will find honest conversation, dark humour, and thoughtful insight into how stories take shape. Season Five focuses on the art of speculative storytelling and the minds that create it.

  1. MAR 5

    Worldbuilding Talisman Rules and Trust | Mike Oppenheim, The Curse of Cortez

    This week on Richardson’s Rubicon, I’m joined by author Mike Oppenheim to talk worldbuilding through pressure and consequence, using his novel The Curse of Cortez as the case study. We dig into a deceptively simple engine: a cursed talisman with strict rules, awkward limitations, and social fallout. Mike breaks down how those constraints create tension, force character choices, and escalate the story without dumping exposition on the reader. We also get into trust and human behaviour: what happens when an object protects you, but quietly pushes you to hide, doubt, and fracture relationships. If you’re trying to reveal worldbuilding organically, sharpen your rule-systems, or make pacing come from character decisions rather than “stuff happening,” this one’s for you. More links and resources are in the show notes. https://richardsonsrubicon.com/worldbuilding-talisman-rules-and-trust-mike-oppenheim-the-curse-of-cortez/ #WorldBuilding #SpeculativeFiction #PodcastInterview #WritingTips #AmWritingFantasy #AmWritingSciFi

    30 min

  2. FEB 28

    What Narrators Need from Worldbuilders | Liza Jacob, Audiobook Narrator

    Ever wondered what an audiobook narrator hears in your worldbuilding? In this episode of Richardson’s Rubicon, I’m joined by Liza Jacob, a voice actor and award-winning audiobook narrator (with a career path that started in children’s book illustration). We talk about what it takes to turn a manuscript into a performance, and why the strength of a story’s worldbuilding changes everything, from accents and pacing to how dialogue lands in a scene. Liza shares a narrator’s-eye view of speculative fiction: how “sense of place” affects delivery, how subtext shows up in the voice, and the kinds of details that make characters feel consistent rather than chaotic. If you write fantasy or sci-fi and you want your world to feel real, this is a surprisingly practical listen, even if you never plan to do audio. Find Liza Jacob:https://www.lizajacob.com/More from Richardson’s Rubicon: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/what-narrators-need-from-worldbuilders-liza-jacob-audiobook-narrator/ #Worldbuilding #WritingCraft #SpeculativeFiction #Audiobooks

    35 min

  3. FEB 21

    Worldbuilding Compliance vs Choice | Dr. Larry Smith, 2084: The Neuroxone Conspiracy

    This week’s episode of Richardson’s Rubicon is one you won’t want to miss. I’m joined by Dr. Larry Smith, author of 2084: The Neuroxone Conspiracy, a dystopian medical thriller set in a near-future where addiction has been “solved” by mandate. The catch: recovery becomes compliance, and choice starts to look like a risk. We talk about how you build a world like that so it feels real rather than cartoonish: the rules, the enforcement, the incentives, and the everyday pressures that make ordinary people go along with something they’re not fully comfortable with. If you’re a writer, we also get into practical craft: shaping high-stakes conflict, creating characters who feel human under pressure, and why writing the ending first can make plotting a lot less painful. For more on Dr. Smith and his books, head to https://www.drlarrysmithauthor.com/ For more detail, and other episodes, head to richardsonsrubicon.com. For craft discussion: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/community/season-5-speculative-fiction-where-worlds-meet/does-worldbuilding-need-familiar-power-structures-to-feel-real/ #DystopianFiction #SpeculativeFiction #Worldbuilding #WritingCraft #AuthorInterview

    43 min

  4. FEB 14

    Momoko Uno, Hello Humans | Behaviour-First Worldbuilding: Make Factions Clash, Not Just Look Different

    What happens when the universe sends… cats… to nudge humanity in a better direction, one “paw biscuit” at a time? 🐾 In this episode I’m joined by Momoko Uno, author of the sci-fi comedy Hello Humans, where an Intergalactic Committee debates whether Earth deserves an invitation to the cosmic family, and a parade of species (Feline Federation included) get far too involved in our messy little sandpit. We talk behaviour-first worldbuilding: how to make alien species feel genuinely distinct (not just different costumes), why her “one species per chapter” structure matters, and how comedy can smuggle in sharp social commentary without turning into a lecture. Expect Greys, octopus hybrids, weird cosmic ethics, and at least one moment where you’ll think, “I can’t believe she played that straight.” (Especially when I went all HP Lovecraft) If you like speculative fiction craft, big themes delivered with a grin, and the occasional roast of humanity, this one’s for you. Momoko's website: http://momokowrites.com/ This episodes website page: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/momoko-uno-hello-humans-behaviour-first-worldbuilding-make-factions-clash-not-just-look-different/ This episodes discussion page: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/community/season-5-speculative-fiction-where-worlds-meet/can-comedy-tackle-serious-themes-in-speculative-fiction/ #SciFiComedy #WorldBuilding #SpeculativeFiction #WritingCraft

    32 min

  5. FEB 9

    J.F. Monroe, The Legendary Guardians | Power Has a Price: When Magic Costs Lives

    ✨ Four Horsemen. Romance. A peace treaty between humans, angels, and demons. It works better than it has any right to. In this episode of Richardson’s Rubicon, I’m joined by J.F. Monroe, author of The Legendary Guardians trilogy. We talk about flipping the Four Horsemen from the apocalypse omens into world protectors, and why “power has a price” is only interesting when it actually forces ugly choices. If you’re writing fantasy, there are a couple of useful craft hooks here: making power feel like a burden, not a giftletting constraints create the plot (sometimes the “right” choice still costs lives)using an Earth-adjacent world and dividing it into territories, then letting patterns emerge and tightening them laterListen now, and if you want more episodes like this, the full catalogue and notes are on my site. #amwritingfantasy #amwritingscifi #fantasywriting #worldbuilding Forum Discussion: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/community/season-5-speculative-fiction-where-worlds-meet/when-magic-has-consequences-plot-gets-teeth-context/ Episode page on my website: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/j-f-monroe-the-legendary-guardians-power-has-a-price-when-magic-costs-lives/ JF Monroe's website: https://www.jfmonroebookshelf.com/

    14 min

  6. FEB 3

    Richard Sparks, New Rock New Role | Worldbuilding Reader Trust and Payoffs

    What happens when a retired schoolteacher finds himself transformed into his game avatar, chased by wolves, and trapped in a fantasy world? Well, that’s just the beginning of the adventure with New Rock series author Richard Sparks! 🎮📚 As the third book is now out, New Rock New Rules, we introduce you to the first book of the series New Rock New Role. In this episode, I chat with Richard, who’s not only a brilliant fantasy writer but also has a history with iconic TV comedies like Not the Nine O’Clock News. We unpack the art (and challenge) of world-building in speculative fiction - from crafting believable magic systems and consistent rules to the balancing act of comedy and adventure. Trust me, there’s a lot to learn from his take on structure, reader trust, and his inventive set-up/payoff strategies! Tune in and stick around for some great insights on writing that keeps audiences surprised and hooked. Don’t forget to visit his website for book excerpts and more info on Richard's work! https://richardsparks.com/ Episode link: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/richard-sparks-new-rock-new-role-worldbuilding-reader-trust-and-payoffs/ Forum discussion on magic: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/community/season-5-speculative-fiction-where-worlds-meet/the-rules-of-magic-how-much-is-too-much/ #WritingFantasy #SpecFic #WorldBuilding #WritingCraft #AuthorInterview

    49 min

  7. JAN 29

    B Marcus Walker, Spirit of the Plain | Worldbuilding Cultures and Clans

    B Marcus Walker joins me, John Richardson, to talk about building cultures and societies in fantasy without drowning the reader in lore. We dig into Brian’s “less is more” approach, why outsider viewpoints can be the cleanest way to immerse an audience, and how cultural interplay can create pressure without turning every interaction into a culture-war subplot. We also unpack Brian’s novel Spirit of the Plain (The Unnamed trilogy): the Forest Plain that resists settlement and armies, the Yurbo nomadic clans and their spirit talkers, a prophecy-driven attempt to “break” the Plain, and a magic system built around naming (with a surprisingly useful programming-language analogy). Plus: trade, geopolitics, gunpowder and firearms, and why the Lyken work better as displaced people than as generic monsters. Links Episode: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/b-marcus-walker-spirit-of-the-plain-worldbuilding-cultures-and-clans/ Discussion: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/community/season-5-speculative-fiction-where-worlds-meet/creating-conflict-without-colonisation-worldbuilding-in-speculative-fiction/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Plain-Unnamed-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0DTSQM437/ Brian online: https://nairbful.com/

    40 min

  8. JAN 21

    Sarah Marshall, Playa Dust in My Soul | Worldbuilding Burning Man

    I sat down with Sarah Marshall, author of Playa Dust in My Soul, former Silicon Valley operative, and longtime Burning Man attendee, to talk about turning an uncategorisable real-world experience into a novel that feels like a fully realised world. We unpack what Burning Man actually is (Black Rock Desert, Nevada, dust storms and all), why Sarah says ten people will give ten different versions of the same event, and how the festival’s principles function like world rules. Two big ones: gifting and participation. We also dig into Sarah’s craft choices, including a smart structural move: seven perspectives, each arriving at different stages as the city builds from empty desert to a thriving temporary metropolis. The result is worldbuilding-by-experience, not encyclopaedia-by-info-dump. Under the spectacle, the real theme is human: belonging, identity, and what happens when a place forces you to confront the stories you tell about yourself. Discussion here: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/community/season-5-speculative-fiction-where-worlds-meet/writing-a-real-place-like-a-speculative-world-rules-constraints-and-point-of-view/ Episode page: https://richardsonsrubicon.com/sarah-marshall-playa-dust-in-my-soul-worldbuilding-burning-man/ Sarah's site: https://www.playadustinmysoul.com/

    30 min
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About

Richardson’s Rubicon explores the craft and chaos of speculative fiction. Each episode dives into worldbuilding, strange ideas, creative failures, surprising successes, and the deeper questions behind imagined worlds. Writers, worldbuilders, and curious listeners will find honest conversation, dark humour, and thoughtful insight into how stories take shape. Season Five focuses on the art of speculative storytelling and the minds that create it.

Information

  • Creator
    John Richardson
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © John Richardson
  • Show Website
    Richardson's Rubicon