I’ve said this before, but there are many ways to approach creating a fantasy world (or sci-fi world). Should you work outside-in or inside-out? Should you use vignettes? Beyond the basics, what is the best order to take things in? Those are questions that are going to be unique to each writer (and potentially each world), so I can’t give you a concrete answer, but in this post I’ll show you a few of the processes I use for my own worlds. Continue reading “Worldbuilding Process: Three Examples”
Something I’ve always found fascinating, as a Christian with an interest in story, is how so many mythologies have points in which they reflect the truth of how the world was made, how it flooded, and even sometimes how it was saved and how it will end. When something is true, it is impossible to completely obscure that truth. Which is why I think it’s important for authors to lay out the groundwork for their fictional worlds fairly early on; the foundational truth of your world will shine through in many different areas. Continue reading “Deciding the Foundational Truth of Your World”
Religions have a significant hand in shaping the cultures around them, and developing them can be a powerful tool both in developing those cultures and in exploring worldview. While I’ve talked before about the basics of creating a fantasy religion, today I want to talk about some of the complexities and details that will deepen that religion (or really any organization or culture) and make it feel more organic and complete. Continue reading “How to Deepen a Fantasy Religion”
It’s the last prompt of the week! Drumroll please…
Who are the great heroes who have shaped your storyworld?
Lorcan and Valda (the Elfbournes’ parents) have been fairly instrumental in the shaping of The Hylands. They’ve already driven out King Julen once, and they’ve helped banish discrimination against faeries in The Hylands.
Valda’s father Willian helped defend The Hylands from Julen’s father Cordier; he died in battle, but not before he’d nearly secured victory and his men were able to finish pushing Cordier back.
There was also an older Lorcan, King Lorcan’s namesake, who was a renowned hunter and Continue reading “Preptober Prompts Day 10 – 2020”
Ooh, this is a fun one.
How do different characters view your core setting differently? Are any of those views accurate?
Saria views it as a magical fairyland. After all, she’s ten and she just found out she’s a princess. There is magic, and the people of The Hylands tend to be pretty cool, so she’s not entirely wrong, but of course nothing is quite as rosy as a fairytale.
Leafman doesn’t give a whole lot of thought to the setting itself, actually (although he misses things like electricity), because he’s too busy thinking about how miserable all the people are. (They’re not.) But, though he’d never admit it, he does find the capital rather charming and inspiring, with all sorts of pleasant, colorful characters in it.
Sarabrina finds The Hylands fascinating. She’s read so many books and imagined Continue reading “Preptober Prompts Day 9 – 2020”
