Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2017 22:44:23 GMT
It's simultaneously the most intimidating and liberating thing in the world, sitting in the blank corner of a 'verse you will have complete control over.
Really. It is.
Until that corner isn’t entirely blank anymore.
Worldbuilding will have a different priority level entirely dependant on what you set out to write. If you are writing a novel that takes place somewhere on earth, in modern times, then you don’t have to worry very much about it – as readers we’re all here right now with you. While there are some differences in how we are living, we're still going to understand present day life as your character walks through it. You’ll likely need to describe a few settings, whether they are real locations or simply based on one, and you’ll need to lay out any cultural/religious/technological/societal key points as they tie in to your plot. But other than that, you’re set.
If you are writing a novel (or a series of novels) set in a world different from our own, worldbuilding will actually take up the majority of your time and effort. Playing God is no easy thing, and you will have a lot of tough decisions to make. It can become overwhelming to think about. The key thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to have everything figured out all at once. Your ‘verse will be built the exact same way as any great wonder: one brick at a time. And once you have a few blocks set down, it’s a whole lot easier to add a few more.
Talkin’ ain’t doin’, Starky.
Damn right. Let me show you what I mean.
Below is an example of how creating just one landmark for your world can open the creative floodgates.
Gadaan’s Ravine: A smoking fissure splitting the continent of Declan and the mountainous Exiled City of Rathe. Spanning nearly eight miles, this abyss has swallowed up countless rift runners along with their fortunes.
So from this single ‘block’, we can ask ourselves the following questions:
-Who or what is Gadaan?
-What is causing the smoke?
-Why is the City of Rathe ‘exiled’?
-What is a rift runner?
-What motivation do the rift runners have for trying to cross the ravine despite the apparent dangers?
From this same ‘block’, we also gain the following facts:
-There’s a continent called Declan, separated from the Exiled City of Rathe
-The width of Gadaan’s Ravine is approximately eight miles
-Many rift runners have fallen into this ravine
-Rift runners have some measure of wealth
So if you were the creator of this particular landmark, you would need to generate lore for both the questions and facts detailed above.
And as you fill in those blanks, you’ll organically create more questions you need to answer with your own mythology. Which will result in a few more stitches added to your 'verse's tapestry.
And that is exactly how just one simple, basic block eventually ends up becoming an entire wall of your world.
Really. It is.
Until that corner isn’t entirely blank anymore.
Worldbuilding will have a different priority level entirely dependant on what you set out to write. If you are writing a novel that takes place somewhere on earth, in modern times, then you don’t have to worry very much about it – as readers we’re all here right now with you. While there are some differences in how we are living, we're still going to understand present day life as your character walks through it. You’ll likely need to describe a few settings, whether they are real locations or simply based on one, and you’ll need to lay out any cultural/religious/technological/societal key points as they tie in to your plot. But other than that, you’re set.
If you are writing a novel (or a series of novels) set in a world different from our own, worldbuilding will actually take up the majority of your time and effort. Playing God is no easy thing, and you will have a lot of tough decisions to make. It can become overwhelming to think about. The key thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to have everything figured out all at once. Your ‘verse will be built the exact same way as any great wonder: one brick at a time. And once you have a few blocks set down, it’s a whole lot easier to add a few more.
Talkin’ ain’t doin’, Starky.
Damn right. Let me show you what I mean.
Below is an example of how creating just one landmark for your world can open the creative floodgates.
Gadaan’s Ravine: A smoking fissure splitting the continent of Declan and the mountainous Exiled City of Rathe. Spanning nearly eight miles, this abyss has swallowed up countless rift runners along with their fortunes.
So from this single ‘block’, we can ask ourselves the following questions:
-Who or what is Gadaan?
-What is causing the smoke?
-Why is the City of Rathe ‘exiled’?
-What is a rift runner?
-What motivation do the rift runners have for trying to cross the ravine despite the apparent dangers?
From this same ‘block’, we also gain the following facts:
-There’s a continent called Declan, separated from the Exiled City of Rathe
-The width of Gadaan’s Ravine is approximately eight miles
-Many rift runners have fallen into this ravine
-Rift runners have some measure of wealth
So if you were the creator of this particular landmark, you would need to generate lore for both the questions and facts detailed above.
And as you fill in those blanks, you’ll organically create more questions you need to answer with your own mythology. Which will result in a few more stitches added to your 'verse's tapestry.
And that is exactly how just one simple, basic block eventually ends up becoming an entire wall of your world.
