Microcosms: A Psychology of Worldbuilding and Character Development

Name: Microcosms: A Psychology of Worldbuilding and Character Development
Start: 2026-05-09T12:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-09T15:00:00-04:00
Location: Peppino's Sports Grille and Pizzeria

Schedule

Sat May 09 2026 at 12:00 pm to 03:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Peppino's Sports Grille and Pizzeria | Kentwood, MI

In this two-part presentation we will explore the art of storytelling through the lens of depth psychology. The first part of the presentation will describe a ground-level method for character creation, and how development of a character can then influence plot, setting, and overall worldbuilding. The second part of the presentation will focus on another protagonist character, touching on conscious and unconscious elements of the character's psyche, and how these elements in turn structure a character arc.
We will also briefly summarize the theories of psychologist Carl Jung on the structure of the mind, and use ideas of the conscious, personal unconscious, and collective unconscious in reference to a novel's protagonist.
Presenter Bio: Philip Janowski has been a lover of the written word since the age of six, when he first began writing his own stories. After graduating with a BA in International Relations with studies in philosophy, he taught English in a South Korean middle school, kept inventory at a beanbag chair company, and worked in a Chicago aquarium, all in pursuit of the study and creation of speculative fiction stories.
Philip is an Associate Board member of StoryStudio Chicago, President of the Chicago Branch of the Speculative Literature Foundation, a board member of the Chicago Writers Association, and former Vice President of the Grand Rapids Region Writers Group.
Philip writes for the Chicago Review of Books and is an editor with Windy City Reviews. His modern day fairy tale “An Ambiguous Story” won an Honorable Mention from the Writers of the Future contest.
Our meetings begin at noon with a social time, a short business meeting, and then lunch. Attendees purchase their own meals. The presentation usually begins between 1:00 and 1:30. Guests are allowed to attend two meetings before we ask you to join.