when building a fictional nation:
(these are the things I think some writers tend to forget about but are not just important, but also kind of fun)
—remember there are more types of government leaders than presidents and monarchs (multiple leaders, religious leaders, Athenian democracies, etc)
—the education system and who is or isn’t allowed to learn and what are they allowed to learn
—essential jobs (garbage collectors, firefighters, medical professionals, or any fictional ones you come up with) and is their work process any different from our world’s version of them?
—which animals are protected by the government and why? (Are they endangered? Are they beloved by the people? Is there any time where hunting those animals is legal?)
—Is there a separation between church and state? (No it doesn’t mean just Christianity, it’s asking if the religion run the country, or do both co-exist without interference?)
—Any fictional laws that are used in just that setting alone and NOT our world? (Magic is banned, no flying after dark, all aliens need a passport before entering a planet)
—Is the election process any different compared to how they are done where you are from?
—higher education and what that means in the setting
I know that some writing advisors tell people that they need to ask EVERY. SINGLE. QUESTION. about their fictional setting/country, but I think plenty of people would disagree. Write what’s important to your plot and to the characters, but sometimes adding in fun little extra details about everyday life can make it feel more alive.
whatever you do, PLEASE don’t dump all of your setting’s past, present and future in one big ten-page rant because it will shatter the mood so quickly you have no idea.















