{"id":26430,"date":"2022-12-26T06:25:53","date_gmt":"2022-12-26T14:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=26430"},"modified":"2023-04-04T04:46:14","modified_gmt":"2023-04-04T11:46:14","slug":"fiction-writing-tips-overwhelmed-with-world-building-start-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2022\/12\/26\/fiction-writing-tips-overwhelmed-with-world-building-start-here\/","title":{"rendered":"Fiction Writing Tips: Overwhelmed with World Building? Start here."},"content":{"rendered":"<div><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/25.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-26432 size-medium\" title=\"Fiction Writing Tips, Overwhelmed with World Building? Start Here. \" src=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/25-300x300.png\" alt=\"Fiction Writing Tips, Overwhelmed with World Building? Start Here. \" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/25.png 300w, https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/25-80x80.png 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>In this\u00a0<em>How To Write the Future<\/em> podcast episode, Beth Barany shares Fiction Writing Tips and her perspective on how she guides writers feeling overwhelmed with their world building.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Platforms\u00a0the podcast is available on include\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/25-fiction-writing-tips-overwhelmed-with-world\/id1641025914?i=1000591292308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple Podcasts<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.google.com\/feed\/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMDEyMDYxLnJzcw\/episode\/QnV6enNwcm91dC0xMTkyMjI4MA?sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiMkbHvtZf8AhXJQ6QEHZqVDtMQkfYCegQIARAF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Podcasts<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/0DTS3ftnFMmgyAARggb6cV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spotify<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2012061\/11922280-25-fiction-writing-tips-overwhelmed-with-world-building-start-here\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Buzzsprout<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/ca590618-5630-4450-aa17-7e2f35359a76\/episodes\/ca276420-2f7a-49bd-8c02-a65c20406c60\/how-to-write-the-future-25-fiction-writing-tips-overwhelmed-with-world-building-start-here\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon Music<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcastaddict.com\/episode\/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzsprout.com%2F2012061%2F11922280-25-fiction-writing-tips-overwhelmed-with-world-building-start-here.mp3&amp;podcastId=4025186\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Podcast Addict<\/a>\u00a0| <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/FG-MJfR2heA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Youtube<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FG-MJfR2heA\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2012061\/11922280-25-fiction-writing-tips-overwhelmed-with-world-building-start-here.js?container_id=buzzsprout-player-11922280&#038;player=small\" type=\"text\/javascript\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<div id=\"buzzsprout-player-11922280\"><\/div>\n<h2><b>ABOUT BETH BARANY<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/BETH-BARANY_IMAGE_PODCAST-LOGO_HOW-TO-WRITE-THE-FUTURE_v04_200px.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-25580 size-full\" title=\"Image of Beth Barany\" src=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/BETH-BARANY_IMAGE_PODCAST-LOGO_HOW-TO-WRITE-THE-FUTURE_v04_200px.png\" alt=\"Image of Beth Barany\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/BETH-BARANY_IMAGE_PODCAST-LOGO_HOW-TO-WRITE-THE-FUTURE_v04_200px.png 200w, https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/BETH-BARANY_IMAGE_PODCAST-LOGO_HOW-TO-WRITE-THE-FUTURE_v04_200px-80x80.png 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>Beth Barany teaches science fiction and fantasy novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor. She\u2019s an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist and runs the podcast, \u201cHow To Write The Future.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/author.bethbarany.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Author site<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \/\u00a0 <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/bethbarany.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coaching site<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \/ <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/baranyschooloffiction.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">School of Fiction<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \/ <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.writersfunzone.com\/blog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writer&#8217;s Fun Zone blog<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RESOURCES<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/discovery-call\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/discovery-call\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic here:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/story-success-clinic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/story-success-clinic\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SHOW NOTES<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFor those of you who are more intuitive writers, I would say go with your gut, go with your intuition, and start by asking questions that are top of mind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this episode of How To Write The Future, \u201cFiction Writing Tips: Overwhelmed with World Building? Start Here,\u201d Beth Barany, creativity coach and science fiction and fantasy novelist, shares her perspective on how she guides writers who feel overwhelmed with their world building. She offers tips on how to start your world building with helpful writing exercises you can try.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This episode covers:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research is Fun<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Start Your World Building<\/li>\n<li>The Strength of Being A Fiction Writer<\/li>\n<li>About Making Stuff Up<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TRANSCRIPT for Episode 25 Fiction Writing Tips: Overwhelmed with World Building? Start here.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hi writers, Beth Barany here with How to Write the Future podcast. I am a writing teacher of science fiction and fantasy writers here to support you in building positive, optimistic futures. Because when we vision what is possible, we help make it so, and we vision through our stories, and those stories go into the hearts and minds of our readers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And then our readers can envision a better world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So how do you bring your story world alive?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the moment your character appears on page one and all the way to the end, they are your ambassador to your story, to your story world, and to everything that happens, also to what has happened and what could happen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are you overwhelmed with world building for your stories?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well, let&#8217;s break it down.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In my years of experience writing science fiction and fantasy, I have found That the strongest entry point for me to, to understand the world of my characters and the world of my story is through my characters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I interview my main characters, even secondary characters, and including antagonists or the villain of the story to learn about my fantasy and science fiction worlds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I do this in the form of journaling and interviewing my characters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now I always start with my main character, and if she does not know what I need to know, then I move to secondary characters. And if they do not know what I need to know, I move to minor characters. I sometimes even invent a new character, like an offscreen character who might never be in the story to ask them questions about the story world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And sometimes those off-screen characters become on-screen characters through the process of interviewing them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I recommend that you start with some world building exercises as I&#8217;m describing them to you before you start writing. But if you find yourself needing to know more about your story at any part of the process, whether it&#8217;s first drafting or revisions, then of course use these tools at that point as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not all pieces of your story world that you brainstorm or come up with will end up in your story and, that&#8217;s totally okay.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A starting point is your main character and allow that to flow through you. And granted, I&#8217;m talking to people who are more intuitive writers. If you&#8217;re a writer who likes to plan everything ahead of time, then I would say start at the top of the list that I&#8217;ll be sharing in this course and move your way down.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those of you who are more intuitive writers, I would say go with your gut, go with your intuition, and start by asking questions that are top of mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Research is Fun<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Something I also notice is when I&#8217;m curious about a topic, really curious about it, I&#8217;ll be researching it on my off time and it will be fun for me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So allow research to nurture the creative process and the writing process. If at any time you find that the research that you might be doing feels heavy and is bogging you down, then I recommend that you stop. Because this process, in my opinion, is meant to be fun.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So I wanna give you a little example about the research. In my young adult adventure fantasy, Henrietta the Dragon Slayer, I decided that she was trained as a blacksmith and a swordsmith. And why did I choose those things? Because I&#8217;m interested in those things. So I was able to do research in books and by visiting a local blacksmith, and that was so much fun.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So make sure the research is fun. Another example in my science fiction murder mystery series that takes place on space stations that I invent. I love watching space launches and learning about basic physics and learning about all the latest tools and technologies that we&#8217;re evolving to help us be a multi-planetary species.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So this is what I do for fun, and of course, it seeps into my storytelling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So as I said, if research isn&#8217;t fun, then stop. Your enjoyment in the process is going to show on the page. So make sure it&#8217;s fun.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Start Your World Building<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this section, I&#8217;m going to talk to you about how to start your world building.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I do want to say that this process is a personal one, so each of you will discover, or has discovered, your own method of creating your story world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, if you&#8217;re just starting out, I recommend that you use the process that I am explaining here, and as you move forward, you&#8217;ll discover how to make it your own.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&#8217;ll tweak it, you&#8217;ll change it, and that&#8217;s great.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those of you who have done a lot of world building, but want a refresher, then use what I&#8217;m offering here as a guide, and I trust that you&#8217;ll make it your own.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Strength of Being A Fiction Writer<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now when you are world building, as I said earlier, you want to come from the perspective of your character.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I think this is one of the things that makes what I offer unique because I really think that designing your world is not a historian&#8217;s exercise. We&#8217;re not historians, we&#8217;re not professors. We&#8217;re not journalists. We&#8217;re fiction writers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So where&#8217;s the strength of being a fiction writer? It&#8217;s in our characters, and this is my perspective.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I know not every writer writes in this way, but I really guide writers to start with their characters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to know their own history, their own backstory as it relates to your story. And you need to know what they want and what motivates them, and what are the conflicts that you&#8217;re exploring in your story. That really is foundational.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That&#8217;s where you begin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you know that, then from there you can flesh out your story world. And of course, you&#8217;re gonna include other characters and their relationships with your main character.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For some writers, I do this often, as I will have a spine of a plot, and I know the main elements of my plot according to the genre I&#8217;m writing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And then from there, I ask myself: What are the things I need to know about my story world to make this come alive, to make it feel unique?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the revision process, I use my critique partners&#8217; questions and beta reader questions to continue to flesh out my story world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One thing I do not do is use the list I&#8217;m providing in this course as something that I go through from the top all the way to the bottom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I really go through just what I consider as important as I develop the story, write the story, and revise the story.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So use what is right for you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re a very intuitive writer, a pantser, you&#8217;re probably going to just pick and choose what&#8217;s right for you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need a guide, then I do suggest to use the list. So really make it your own.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>About Making Stuff Up<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this section, I want to talk about fantasy versus science fiction and making stuff up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though we can blur the lines between fantasy and science fiction, I like to make a distinction on how we make up stuff for each of these two genres.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, if you&#8217;re writing fantasy, you can make it all up and create a world that holds together, but it can be completely invented.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It doesn&#8217;t have to be based on anything that we know today, although it needs to be recognizable. And it needs to be logical and meaningful to your characters. If your world feels random and that&#8217;s not your intent, then you do need to figure out the why and the how of things in your fantasy world. And if you want to make up words, that&#8217;s great. Just make sure that your reader is not confused.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, if you&#8217;re writing science fiction, that in today&#8217;s writing, that usually implies that your world is based on some kind of scientific possibility. It doesn&#8217;t have to be based on logically today&#8217;s science. It could be based on science we think could exist.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though we don&#8217;t travel to the stars yet, we one day could. So make it plausible within the science of tomorrow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There&#8217;s a lot of interesting science just in the laboratories now that their implications hint at a totally different reality than today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though time travel is not something that we can do according to physics, it is something that is possible. So if you are making a science fiction time travel story, the science needs to feel sound. It doesn&#8217;t have to be based in today&#8217;s science in my opinion. It has to be based in science that could exist. I understand that a lot of science fiction works with today&#8217;s plausible science and a lot of science fiction in the past did that as well, but you can push the boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write long and prosper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Science fiction and fantasy writers, sign up for your No-Obligation Discovery Call and get clarity to your writing process and finish your book.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2012061\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2012061<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or in your podcast home of choice.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>CONNECT<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact Beth: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/podcast\/#contact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/podcast\/#contact<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Email: <\/span><b>beth@bethbarany.com<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LinkedIn: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bethbarany\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bethbarany\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>CREDITS<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EDITED WITH DESCRIPT: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.descript.com\/?lmref=_w1WCA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MUSIC: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uppbeat.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uppbeat.io<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/?referrer_id=1994465\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/?referrer_id=1994465<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth Barany<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SHOW NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDade<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more \u201cHow To Write the Future\u201d episodes, go <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/podcast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/contact-beth\/#contactbeth\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this\u00a0How To Write the Future podcast episode, Beth Barany shares Fiction Writing Tips and her perspective on how she guides writers feeling overwhelmed with their world building. Platforms\u00a0the podcast is available on include\u00a0Apple&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":26432,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5099],"tags":[140,4607,5160,2872,5163,5183,5162,2176,5164,1490,1296,5165,5195],"class_list":["post-26430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-write-the-future-podcast","tag-beth-barany","tag-fiction-writing-tips","tag-futuristics","tag-story-telling","tag-story-world-building","tag-strategic-foresight","tag-tips-for-fiction-writers","tag-world-building","tag-write-the-future","tag-writing-coaching","tag-writing-fiction","tag-writing-teaching","tag-writing-tips-for-novelists"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Fiction Writing Tips: Overwhelmed with World Building? 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