Apologies for this post being REALLY delayed. I plan to be more active over the summer, I promise.
As a part of @sugaritebiscuit's ask, let's discuss world building. Of course, this is again a very broad topic, so I'll split this post up again with questions to pose and answer.
My inbox and dms are always open for these requests. Interaction really helps so please reblog :D I try to go as in-depth as possible with what is requested of me. Hopefully this blog ends up being helpful to at least someone lol.
So, on with the discussion:
- What does world building mean?
- What should I consider when world building?
- What should I consider when constructing an entirely original world?
- How do I effectively show the world I've created?
What does world building mean?
World building is the creation of a fictional world. It is a society, often entirely constructed by the author, with its own history, traditions, structures and economies.
World building, however, can also be referring to the process of presenting this fictional society to the audience. The story and characters (and visuals, if the narrative is told through a show or a comic) should convey the workings of this world and inform the audience on the setting which the story takes place in.
We have to remember, before we consider anything else, the never-ending differentiation between fictional worlds and how - depending on circumstance and story - each writer can and should approach world building differently. Moreover, we must also recognise that world building exists in almost every genre of fiction, just in differing levels of importance and detail.
What should I consider when world building?
There are a lot of considerations, just like any decision in crafting your story. Though, as with all creative writing posts on this blog, I'd advise you to think of this as less of a tutorial and more like a vague guide. This is trying to push you to think deeply and critically about what you are writing or reading, not telling you what to do.
Something that you should consider is how much thought and focus you will need to put into your world building and setting.
There are a lot of factors that can influence how much planning and focus you will have to dedicate to world building. Here's a list that, although not all-encompassing, can hopefully cover the majority of circumstances:
This would be, in my words, a setting that resembles our world, preferably in the relative present. In this case, world building may not be something that would have to be highly considered, if at all.Â
The only outliers to this would be an abnormal setting within the wider world, an example being the school in Classroom Of The Elite. In that case, you would have to consider how you will be presenting that subsetting to the characters and the audience, and in relation to the wider setting.
An Pre-Established Setting:
Though sounding similar to the first consideration, this is entirely different. This is when the world or wider setting can be safely assumed to already be known to the reader, which applies to the majority of fanfictions and some types of sequels and spin-offs.
With fanfictions, you have a bit of a choice, which is entirely dependent on your story. Do you want to explore the world of the source material in your story deeply, or a specific part of their culture, ideology or functioning? Or do you want to focus more on the characters or plot line you've created, with the overall setting of the source material in the background of your story? Perhaps you want to change the setting entirely, to which I'll direct you to the points before and after this section. All options are absolutely fine and can be executed amazingly but, depending on the source material, the potential changes you've made and your story, consider how much you need to take world building into account.
In terms of sequels and spin-offs, this is where you may need to be careful. If you want to keep elaborating on your world, great! But make sure you aren't adding things on blindly. I see it all the time, unfortunately, where concepts, characters and powers are added to the story that makes you think, why wasn't this mentioned before? Make sure that whatever you decide to add on to your story's world, whether that be a new character, a new concept, tradition, practice, etc, that it is either hinted at beforehand or has a reasonable excuse as to why it's just popped up now rather than in a previous book or season.
It's important to remember that you don't have to pre-establish everything in your world or story, but instead ensure that every feature makes logical sense. It sounds simple and like a no-brainer, but even the best shows and books out there are teeming with things that just don't add up.
An Entirely Original Setting:
This is a setting that the writer has constructed entirely from nothing. Perhaps a few influences here and there, but no source material and is not based in our present world. This is potentially the hardest yet most intriguing type of world building, but it can be so easy to mess up! So, I think it warrants its own section.
What should I consider when constructing an entirely original world?
Nobody expects you - or anyone - to be able to answer every question about your world. What food do they eat? What's the weather like? Though attention to detail like that can be amazing and can make your readers truly feel like your world is alive and real, it's always best to lay down the basics and build from there, rather than diving into it without the right gear.
1) Is there a core concept or idea that your world revolves around?
Some of the best stories I've ever read or watched in terms of those that are set in worlds nearly nothing like ours have clearly answered this question. Is there a core concept or idea that is present in almost all features of their world and how they act? This can be anything from technology, perhaps a specific type of device, a religion, an ideology that is interconnected with their practices, society and actions.Â
For example, in the famous novel The Handmaid's Tale, we are presented with a setting that seems very distant from ours, which revolves entirely around the religion of Christianity and the idea of fertility and birth being the centre of their ideology. This is incredibly ingrained in the setting, the character's story, and almost everything we see in the novel, even down to the language the characters use. Having a concept that is deeply ingrained in your world, acting as the base of your world building, can create a truly wonderful and trapping reader experience when done well.
Preferably, this approach should also have a deeper reason: why do these people/this society believe this idea, and why do they value it so much? This could prompt a wider understanding of the history of the world, beyond just telling the reader upfront. Just by experiencing the world and how it functions in the present, the reader could achieve a glimpse into its past.
2) How does power work in this society?
By power, I don't just mean magic systems (though I'd LOVE to do a post on magic systems one day, if I'm requested to), I mean hierarchy, status, and how each is achieved.
Is your world a monarchy? How does this impact the world you've created, and how does it influence the story? Of course, every consideration I present should be taken with a grain of salt, as everything is dependent on your story and the perspective it is being told from. If your story is told from the perspective of a scholar or a peasant that has and will have nothing to do with the monarchy, then the monarchy wouldn't be as touched upon as if you were writing from the perspective of the princess...or the scholar trying to court her.
Overall, how a society is ruled or governed over can be more influential than you think. I mean, look at Britain. We talk about the Queen an awful lot. Make of that what you will.
How does one, in your world, earn respect? And, when I say earn, it has massive, invisible quotation marks around it. Is it by birth? If so, why? Is it by achievement or merit and, if so, what does one have to do to move up in the world? Say, you have a species or society that values education. An educated or elderly person would be the most respected. If you're in a society that values power, then it'll be the young and fit that'll have the most respect, or perhaps those born with greater magical ability.Â
This is important to take into account if this sounds like something that would influence your characters. How much power (politically, magically or physically) does your character have? Where do they lie in the hierarchy, if there is one? How does this influence how they are treated, their relationships with others, or how the story plays out?
Remember that, in a society where there is a hierarchy (which, let's be honest, is more often than not), what influences people's position can be absolutely anything, and usually ties into what people in the society value most.
Occupation can influence social standing. In a society that highly values entertainment, it'll be the singers and actors, the tech creators and entertainers. In a religious setting, the priests, the clergy and potentially anyone seen as being connected to a deity would be those who are high on the social ladder.
What about birth status? Are they royal, or from a well-esteemed or wealthy family? What about their race or gender, even species?
What about something more out-there? Trust me when I say that you can do anything. Eye colour, IQ, specific markings on their body, how they perform at a specific task? All of it can be used to create a hierarchy, and signify someone's social standing.Â
3)What about their morals, rules and laws?
I'll reiterate now that all of the considerations I state are very interconnected, and in no way are meant to stand alone.
In relation to the hierarchy, the workings of your world, what the society you've created revolves around, you may also have to think about the rules.
Are certain things legal or illegal, things that would be normal or taboo to us, and why? Say, if you've made a world where it is legal to assault someone of a certain rank, or if it's illegal to hunt or capture fairies, think about the reason why. It can be as obvious as a simple explanation of why it's morally wrong in the context of basic common sense, or as complicated as it being wrong as it personally distastes the all-powerful leader, disrespects their deity, or simply goes against their strict traditions.
Moreover, take into account social law as well as legal law. These terms which I'm using for the sake of simplicity, refer to the difference between something people are generally disgusted by or are against, and something that is legally punishable.
Something that people may find disgusting (such as, cheating on a partner or spouse) may not be illegal, but things that some people - in certain cases - might find acceptable (such as stealing necessities or having an abortion), can be illegal. This can be present in your worldbuilding and the society you create. Social norms can be powerful and may influence characters at differing levels. Laws may influence characters, too, but are much more telling of the hierarchy, government and overall system than the morality of the characters.
As with everything, always consider why. Why do they do that? Why is this the way things are? Everything you do with your story - every change you make and every character you add - has their place. No character is worth nothing in the storyline, and everything you add to your world will inevitably have an influence. Think carefully of what you include in your world and in your story, and what effects this would have on the wider picture.
How do I effectively show the world I've created?
This is a tricky question, purely because of the endless possibilities that come with writing, and how there is not and never will be one correct way to write.
When writing, I always take into consideration the advice of 'Show, Don't Tell' which I've made a post on before. Though that post details how to employ that advice on a much smaller scale, it's important to remember that little things add up.Â
Here's where the details come in, and here's where I tell you the best advice there is to give:
Build your world from the inside out. Have fun thinking about things that, though you may find pointless or too small to include, will elevate your writing to the next level. So what if it's never going to be relevant to the plot: what food they eat, how they do their hair, what kind of birds are in the area and how their houses look? Include them anyway!
It's the little things that make the world seem alive. It's the attention to detail that can captivate the reader, and make the society constructed by your own hands feel like it's right in front of them. Don't let your character stand by a cardboard cut-out, let them step into a world as rich as the mind that created it, that is decorated with every little thing that showed just how much you loved to make what you've presented to your audience.Â
Take as much time to write as you need. Make draft after draft, hundreds for all I care. If your writing makes you happy, it'll make thousands even happier.
Pour the love into your world as you build it because, trust me, it sure does show.