Topic A: The Plot

Categories: Brainstorming, World building, Story Set-up

Topic B: The Characters

Categories: Initial Creation, Background, Complexity

Topic C: The Writing

Categories: The Vital First Chapter, Your Inner Editor, Writers Block

 

Hello aspiring world-famous fictional writers! If you haven’t been here before, make sure to check out my last post, which covers the brainstorming aspect of creating a plot for your book. If you’ve already read it, then welcome back!

Today I’m going to talk about world building, which is especially important in fantasy. If you’re writing realistic fiction this might not be necessary, but it just might give you some ideas for your plot. Let’s get started!

Take a look at the following books/movies/games. You’ll probably recognize most (if not all) of them.

 

These are all very memorable because their worlds are well-built. They take you out of your normal life and bring you, in Star Wars’ case, to a galaxy far far away.

World building is very important if you want to make your book unforgettable. I don’t mean by giving it a cool name and adding dragons. You need to dig deeper. Here are some things you can think about when you’re creating your novel’s universe.

. What similarities does it have to our world? Is it in a universe with the sun in the center, or something completely different?

. Are there humans there? If not, what kind of creatures? Perhaps a short human-like being with furry feet and a love for food? Wait a minute…

. What’s the society like? Is there a government, or is it everyone for themselves? If there is a leader, how were they put to power? Do the people beneath them respect him/her?

. Is there magic? If so, what’s the source?

. Are the laws of motion the same in your world?

. Is your world a planet, a galaxy, or something entirely different?

. How about the elements? Would your world have a completely different periodic table? If so, design it. It isn’t a chore, it’s fun!

Remember, this is fiction. It doesn’t have to make sense- to an extent. While it’s good to have strange and exciting fantastical elements in your book, make sure that you lay out some ground information for your readers and add on details slowly so they can understand it. Don’t try to explain everything at once!

Here’s something that I’ve learned about writing this year:

Your readers don’t always have to know what’s going on. If they’re smart enough to read your book, they’re smart enough to fit the pieces together. If you do it for them, they’ll get bored very quickly. Make sure that you’re always a few paces ahead of them.

Take some time to figure out the basic differences of your world, and add things from there. A structure without a base is sure to fall, and everything beneath it will be destroyed in the process. Don’t let this happen to your novel!

This was a bit short, but I hope that it was helpful anyway. Remember, tomorrow I’ll be talking about how to set up your story. Stay tuned!