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Writing: Worldbuilding

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorAri
    • CommentTimeJun 1st 2009
     

    Also known as world-building, world building, etc. For those who don’t know:

    Worldbuilding is the process of constructing an imaginary world, usually associated with a fictional universe. The result may sometimes be called a constructed world, conworld or sub-creation. The term world-building was popularized at science fiction writer’s workshops during the 1970s. It describes a key role in the task of a fantasy writer: that of developing an imaginary setting that is coherent and possesses a history, geography, ecology, and so forth. The process usually involves the creation of maps, listing the back-story of the world and the people of the world, amongst other features. Worlds are often created for a novel, video game, or role-playing game, but sometimes for personal enjoyment or its own sake. [Wikipedia]

    Most of you, however, probably do know it. Probably from our discussion on how much Paolini sucks at it. :p

    So, how do you do it? Me, personally, I write down the few base ideas and then worldbuild while I write. New ideas pop up constantly and those are added into the mix, and eventually I have a complex world, or near to it. Probably not the best way to do it, but it works for me.

  2.  
    I try and write down a few characters that I want to have in the story, then think about what kind of upbringing would create that kind of person. Can't elaborate more, about to take final D:
  3.  
    I tend to start out with a main idea (fantasy world, futuristic world, etc), and build the world through my writing as the plot needs it. I go back as I do this and try and fix up the plotholes and give the world some dimension. And then sometimes I want something to be in it, so if that fits in, I'll put it in.

    If not, there's always my ideas notebook...
  4.  

    Oh! The pink boxes are Whispers! Dur 83

    Yes, although studying didn’t help all that much D:

  5.  
    Lol, I have an exam in nine hours' time. I should be brushing up on operating systems and file formats, but nope...

    Wow, how come i didn't think of the whisper thing?

    TO SLYSHY IF YOU'RE LISTENING: the whisper thing has now become defunct. Dan's just going to use it to decorate his boxes in a lovely shade of pink.
  6.  

    CURSES! My plan is now useless! :D

    This is the second time this has happened to me, by the way. Its taken till now to realize why .

  7.  
    Yeah. I remember you asked me if I got my box pink by witchcraft. I thought you were being rude for a second.
    • CommentAuthorSlyShy
    • CommentTimeJun 1st 2009
     

    Well, the point of whispering is to conduct a private conversation, but sure, I suppose the color is a pleasant side effect.

    • CommentAuthorSlyShy
    • CommentTimeJun 1st 2009
     

    Anyway…

    My worldbuilding usually begins with a central concept for the world. I conceptualize the world based on what I think is the hardship of most immediate concern. For example: in the world of V for Vendetta the pressing hardship is obviously authoritarianism. I also map out a general mood for the setting, and a sort of art direction for the place.

    My worldbuilding process is fairly heavily influenced by the designers of Magic: the Gathering. They’ve created some truly breathtaking worlds (Ravnica: the metropolis plane) and gone into very useful detail on their process of development.

  10.  
    Wow, that's cool. Never mind I have no idea what it's for. But still. I loved that one of a woman crying. I'm just melancholy, I guess.
  11.  

    I always come up with a world, describe it to myself in great and pointless detail, try to come up with characters to inhabit it and a plot to tie them together, come up with characters to inhabit it, try and fail to come up with a plot, and abandon the project. I’ve probably created and abandoned six or seven worlds.

  12.  

    Maybe, and don’t shoot me for saying it, but you might have PaoPao disease. Reference the ‘character of CP’ thread. I believe it’s in there somewhere. You don’t have to detail up your worlds to the extreme As long as they get the job done, which is unfortunately what it comes down to.

  13.  

    I start with a flash of the climax in my head, then work myself backwards holistically from there. The world is built as I decide on characters and plot and see what sort of setting the climax is in.

  14.  
    I usually have to start by writing pointless details. Otherwise they just bounce around in my head. I think lots of detail is sometimes necessary for world building-otherwise you might find yourself having to write about, say, your world's political system and having no idea what it is. Like in a painting-the subject is there, and you can see parts of the background in great clarity, but if the viewer doesn't get a sense that there is something more, a world beyond the canvas, then it just doesn't mean as much.
    So I guess what I'm basically saying is that I like to have as much detail and background as possible, but that doesn't mean I'm going to put even half of it in the actual story.
    •  
      CommentAuthorswenson
    • CommentTimeJun 1st 2009 edited
     

    Meh, all my attempts to create fantasy worlds of my own have crash-and-burned magnificently after I realized they were just huge cliches, so now I stick with AU slightly-later-than-modern-day Earth. Kind of like how Doctor Who does it, where it’s supposedly England but somehow they’re OK with spaceships running into Big Ben and ghosts appearing and Daleks flying through the air. Not that I’ve ever been to England… maybe it really IS like that over there. O.o

  16.  

    @CP: Have you tried writing medius res or whatever its called (sue me, its been a long day :D)? Seems like starting at the middle or end and then working back would be a great story for you. Like that movie “Memento“.

    I only create worlds to run D&D in, so I’m not the best person to ask about this topic :P

  17.  
    My worldbuilding plain sucks. I really have to work on it. (This summer, hopefully!)
    •  
      CommentAuthorArtimaeus
    • CommentTimeJun 1st 2009
     

    I usually take a central idea, character, or even and build a world around it. I like to have a general idea of what the world’s history and state are before I start writing, but I almost always come up with something new and better while I write.

  19.  
    Whereas I hate not creating something around my characters, or at least, I like to have an idea of the story before I begin the world. If I have a world I know nothing about, it's that easier to slot stuff in that will help drive the plot along. Without any deus ex machina. If done well, it can create the illusion that the characters blend seamlessly into the world around them.
    • CommentAuthorLccorp2
    • CommentTimeJun 2nd 2009
     

    Make-it-up-as-you-go-along.

  21.  

    Now how come I couldn’t have just said that instead of going all complicated?

    Props to you, lccorp2 :)

  22.  
    I'm not an improviser. I end up with a bunch of crap, 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time I'm too scared to waste my time on something that will turn out as junk anyway.
  23.  
    I'm a top-down worldbuilder. I always start with geography, and use many, many, maps while developing my worlds. Worldbuilding is probably my favorite part of writing, and unfortunately, sometimes the worldbuilding takes over, and I forget to write.
  24.  
    I want to get more indepth into worldbuilding this JulNoWrimo.
  25.  

    Like I said before on world-building:

    [W[hen working with more exotic settings, another common cheat is what I’ll call “focus”. This is when you use the major area of knowledge you specialize in to build up that area of your world. ...Whatever realm of knowledge you are best at, study it, get good at it, and make it the cornerstone of your world’s realism. If you make that well developed enough (and generate good will from readers) they’ll be willing to cut you some slack on more lacking areas.

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