How do you approach worldbuilding for your stories?

Discussion in 'Setting Development' started by Andy_Megumi, Feb 18, 2019.

  1. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    That site is absolutely excellent! Thanks for posting it.

    It will also be very useful for anybody who is researching the real world as well. It's not just useful for fantasy or sci-fi.

    I've bookmarked it. Great resource. I think it should be added to our Resources section of the forum. Would it be okay with you if I put it there?
     
  2. SNJade96

    SNJade96 Senior Member

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    Of course! It's helped me a lot. I'd be happy to have others have better access to it.
     
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  3. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Cool. I'll get it up there, then. It really is good.
     
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  4. PaperandPencil

    PaperandPencil Active Member

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    I think it's very difficult sometimes to even tell the difference between plot development, character development and world building because in a good, realistic story they tend to be so intertwined. The characters history and motivations can stem from the big geo-political forces at work in the world and that in turn can be a big factor in shaping the plot since the characters are so impacted by it. The characters throughout the plot, in turn can impact the shape of the world and be the factor in deciding it's fate whether for good or bad. The plot can be greatly enriched by the backstory provided by a well developed world which can lead to unexpected resolutions etc.
     
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  5. Aldarion

    Aldarion Active Member

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    1) I worldbuild, I worldbuild and I worldbuild. First I created geography, and drew rough parallels with real world (because I wanted to write in a fantasy setting, but I also wanted to write about Western Roman Empire surviving to the 15th century). Then I created a series of political-history maps showing how borders evolved, and are now using those to write (relatively) short history of the Empire. Once I finish that, well - I have already identified several periods of the history of Empire which would be interesting to write stories about.

    2) I haven't yet finished it, but what I did was that I identified and made a list of topics which I considered important for the background of the story and which I thus absolutely had to create before I start writing. Specifically: history of the Empire, mythology, magic, religion, cuisine, general society, government, military (organization, strategy, tactics, equipment), zombies and undead, other creatures. Once I finish those - in probably a year or a two - I will start actually writing.

    3) Again, I considered the type of story I wanted to tell, identified topics that will be important for those stories, and then made a list of those topics so I know what I need to work out before I start writing.

    4) I do it according to plan.

    5) I don't. I worldbuild first, then write.

    6) Tips I already shared. Resources... how much and what do you need?
     
  6. Stormburn

    Stormburn Contributor Contributor

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    Here are three examples of fantasy worldbuilding from books that I've recently read:

    'The Savior's Champion' by Jenna Moreci
    'SC' is a fantasy romance told from the POV of the protagonist in third person limited. Its an example of "I only world build if its needed in my story' and what I call stage prop world building. Every element is a plot device or purely ornamental. But Jenna knows this and the novel's world is utilized solely as background for her romance-adventure story and it's colorful cast of friends, enemies, and frienemies, hot guy, hot girl, and her spin on the romantic triangle trope. You could switch settings and the story would still work. And it works becaue its a great romance period.

    'Rage of Dragons' by Evan Winter
    'RoD' is a fantasy revenge story told from the POV of one protagonist in third person limited. The characters and story could not exist outside of this world. Also, it's a brillant example of introducing the reader to a brand new world, its has an African inspired setting, without info dumps and contrived plotting, but through clues and dialogue. And, this is done from the POV of a protagonist who has a limited education and experience. For example, Evan never narrarates, "and the growing seasons had grown worst over the years, with the increasing population making due with smaller food output...", or an info dump in dialogue, but two thirds through the book the reader knows that the nation is slowly starving.

    'The Sword of Kaigen' by ML Wang
    "TSoK' is a fantasy war story told from the POV of two protagonists in third person limited. Again, the characters and story could not exist outside of this world. Now, ML got her world building on for this one. She has different languages, dialects, continents, countries, religions, religious sects, etc. You have a setting not only based upon a feudal Japanese warrior culture, and one that has survived into the infomation age, but its also a world where certain races have super-powers(think Last Airbender). The story is told brillantly: one of the POV is a 14 year old boy who is discovering that much of what he's learn in school and is told by the government is a lie, and the other is his 34 year old mother who spent her college years in a foreign country and knows the truth about the outside world and Kaigen's place in it.

    What these three books show that while there isn't a one right way to world build, there is only one right way to world build for a specific story.
    Godspeed!
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2020
  7. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    I just mentioned this in another thread.

    My fantasy worldbuilding approach can be summed up as "make s*it up as and when I need it".
     
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  8. hyacinthe

    hyacinthe Banned

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    1. usually? very loosely. I figure out the broad strokes of the world, spin out the implications, and leave the details until later.
    2. when the copyedit is done and the book is going on to proofreading.
    3. I really don't? I start with a minimal amount and build in the details as I write and revise.
    4. usually? by refusing to do more than the basics.
    5. usually? by limiting the time I spend on worldbuilding. I will give myself a week - 5 two hour sessions - to sketch out the big picture and some of the interesting, story driving details. then exclusive worldbuilding time is done.

    I say usually. for one of my projects, I spent time doing worldbuilding because i had an interesting world idea, and I had figured out the aesthetic, and I wrote it down without knowing what the story or characters were. I thought it was a fun diversion that wouldn't go anywhere.

    But then I came up with a couple of characters and I was writing about them and thought, "do they belong in this world I built?" and they DID. yay!
     
  9. ruskaya

    ruskaya Contributor Contributor

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    Since my stories are driven by the relationships my characters develop with each other, there is little worldbuilding and mostly when I need it. I put here and there stuff (part of worldbuilding) I want to develop but I don't always have a clear vision of what that is, so I leave it there to grow and later on develop it. I find it hard to follow too many rules at once.
     

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