The Most Welcoming of Secrets

Abine wasn’t tired.  But he was supposed to be, wasn’t he? He was retired. He had seen the world and it had seen him.  So why wasn’t he tired? You’d think he would be tired. Old, even. That was what was expected of him. That he would just yield the moment they told him, take...

Worldbuilding: When to Stop

So, while I've enjoyed talking productivity and reading habits pretty continuously over the past month or so, I feel that I've gotten a bit burnt out over the topic and am ready for a shift. Worry not, for we will return to those things---just not today. Today, I'd like to harken back to a sort...

Unfinished Stories: Child of the Sun

Introduction: This snippet is presented as the fifth of my "unfinished stories"---a series of short tales I've begun to enjoy including here on the Goblin Opinions site. This one is particularly unique, as it was originally intended to be the prologue of a novel I began writing last November. Now, things got a little sidetracked...

Judging Popular Fantasy Maps

Good afternoon! Today I'll be assessing and ranking a series of ten maps from modern and classical fantasy stories. There are too many of these to count, but I'll do my best—apologies if I'm not able to get to one you wanted to see. By no means am I some sort of cartography expert, but...

Vaean—My Worldbuilding Project

Upon my first day entering the world of innovation, I was surprised. Not just because I had expected something small and had instead found something grand. Barely for the fact that the inhabitants of this realm felt, acted and appeared as humanoid. Not because they subverted my expectations, acting happy to see me instead of...

Worldbuilding—Constructing a Map

As you'll know if you follow this blog, I'm a fan of the art of worldbuilding—that act of creating a fictional setting, be it for fantasy, science fiction, or anything in between. It serves as an outlet for creativity and as grounds for collaboration. Many of our favorite tales are set in grand worlds with...

Taking a Break + Plans for 2022

Greetings! This year seems to have gone by quickly, and while I only had this site for the later half of it, I'm glad I didn't put it off. Goblin Opinions has certainly assisted in my writing journey, as well as that of continuing to read in the genres of fantasy and historical fiction. Many...

Worldbuilding—Nations and Cultures

Worldbuilding—the act of creating a fictional setting, usually for fantasy—is something that has always fascinated me. The possibilities are endless: your world can vary from our own, it can have its own weather patterns, geographical features, species, and nations. Worldbuilding is a creative art, and it presents no limit. However, there are certain aspects of...

Online Resources for Writers

In my time searching for advice concerning writing fiction, several online resources have fulfilled and exceeded my expectations. I'll list several of those here, along with others recommended and spoken of throughout the writing community. Brandon Sanderson's Lectures: Sanderson's YouTube lecture series has proved invaluable in my quest for writing advice. He posts them completely...

The Handmaid’s Tale: A Study in Dystopian Worldbuilding

Recently I finished Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, and it got me thinking about the role of dystopias in fiction and worldbuilding in general. Atwood's futuristic dystopia features a totalitarian regime that has taken control of a failing United States. The new state enforces rigid social roles, enslaving its inhabitants and providing only bare essentials...