Tad Williams on Tropes, Tolkien, and Telling Better Stories | Friday Conversation 158

This week on Friday Conversation, we sit down with legendary fantasy author Tad Williams, the mind behind Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, Otherland, Shadowmarch, and more.

From Shakespeare to Tolkien, from tropes to subversion, this conversation dives deep into the craft of storytelling and what it means to write in a genre where readers already know the rules.

We explore:

• Tad’s relationship with Shakespeare and The Tempest
• The origin of Caliban’s Hour and re-framing classic stories
• Writing in a post-Tolkien fantasy landscape
• The challenge of tropes—and how to break them
• The difference between “architect” and “pantser” writers
• Why fantasy readers are harder to surprise than ever
• The hidden mechanics behind Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
• And what it really means to keep readers off balance

This is more than an interview, it’s a masterclass in storytelling from one of the most influential voices in modern fantasy.