19.22: Technology and Identity (A Close Reading on Worldbuilding)
Writing Excuses
Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler
4.6 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 2 June 2024
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The imago technology lies at the heart of this novel thematically and narratively. How does this technology create a world, delineate Mahit's culture from Teixcalaan, and ask enormous questions about identity and empire?
Thing of the Week: “Rotten” (Documentary Series available on Netflix)
Homework: Come up with three technological or magical approaches that would raise questions about what it means to be you, to be an individual. Take one of these, and then write a scene wherein two characters argue about it.
For those of you just joining us, here's what our close reading series has covered, and what lays ahead!
Close Reading Series: Texts & Timeline
Voice: This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar (March 17)
Worldbuilding: A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine (May 12)
Character: “You Perfect, Broken Thing,” “The Cook,” and “Your Eyes, My Beacon: Being an Account of Several Misadventures and How I Found My Way Home” by CL Clark (July 7)
Tension: Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark (September 1)
Structure: The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (October 13)
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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | At Parker, our purpose is simple. |
| 0:02.6 | We want to make the world a better place, |
| 0:05.2 | by working more efficiently, by using more sustainable practices, |
| 0:09.7 | by developing better technologies. |
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| 0:20.9 | every single day. |
| 0:22.8 | To find out more, visit Parker.com slash purpose. |
| 0:27.1 | Parker, engineering your success. |
| 0:30.4 | This episode of writing excuses has been brought to you by our listeners, patrons, and friends. |
| 0:35.5 | If you would like to learn how to support this podcast, visit |
| 0:39.0 | www.patreon.com slash writing excuses. |
| 0:45.0 | Season 19 episode 22. |
| 0:50.0 | This is writing excuses. |
| 0:52.0 | A close reading on world building, technology, and identity. |
| 0:56.0 | 15 minutes long. |
| 0:58.0 | Because you're in a hurry. |
| 0:59.0 | And we're not that smart. |
| 1:00.0 | I'm Mary Robinette. |
| 1:02.0 | I'm Dong Wan. I'm Aaron, and I'm Mary Robinette. I'm Don Juan. I'm Aaron and I'm Howard. And we are talking |
| 1:06.1 | about a memory called Empire during this close read. We're exploring the technology of identity and how identity enters |
| 1:21.2 | into the story and how these things, most importantly, really, will enter into your own work. |
... |
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