Jacqueline·How do you introduce worldbuilding details without info dumping?
I love when real science is included in sci-fi, but I also love certain scientifically-impossible concepts (like teleporters). How do you decide when to be realistic vs. when to just skim over the “science”?
- Laura Mahal·
What would you say is the best way to pitch a “crossover book,” one that includes both sci-fi and historical elements? With such genre mash-ups gaining a foothold in the industry, can one accomplish this by including relevant comps in the query?
- Laura Mahal·
Apologies! Never mind. We can stay focused on worldbuilding. That question of mine can be reserved for another time. 🙂
- C.L. Broggin·
My question is sort of similar to a previous question. How do you know the right amount of technical or scientific details to give?
What elements are required to keep your sci-fi crossing the line over to fantasy? (I’m thinking of how Star Wars can be argued to be fantasy rather than sci-fi.)
Is there a way to be a good world-builder when your brain just doesn’t think in details? I’m such a global thinker. ?
What does SciFi worldbuilding provide that might appeal to a Fantasy writer?
- Ryan·
Do you have social media in your SF worlds and if so, should a writer invent them for the worldbuilding or use actual ones?
- Erica·
How did you celebrate your first book/deal/agent? Thanks!
- Ryan·
What are some sci-fi concepts that are overdone? What concepts would you like to see more of in SF worldbuilding?
- Hannah·
If I give my fantasy creatures scientific reasons for how they were made, is it still fantasy? Or does it start crossing into Sci-Fi
- Ryan·
When researching for SF worldbuilding, do you look to academia, news reports, non-fiction, anything else, or all of them? Which source influences you the most?
Living with as much tech as we do these days, how do you continue to be forward-thinking and innovative with the tech featured in your work?
- Ryan·
Should technology in SF be treated like a magic system in fantasy? Should it have its own rules or should the scale of technology be limitless for SF?
- Ryan·
How are the politics in your SF worldbuilding impacted by technology or the future? Could old systems emerge or how would you craft new ideas for in-universe politics?
- Ryan Robidoux·
How much worldbuilding do you need to do for a “lower” sci-fi story to make the world believable? My WIP is a post-apocalyptic family drama and I want to make sure I do enough worldbuilding to make the world believable and detailed enough that it won’t completely fall apart when put under scrutiny but I don’t want to overexplain things that aren’t relevant to the story at all…
- Ryan·
Do you consider theme or philosophy in your worldbuilding and if so, do you craft it around your theme? Are there old symbols like mythology that remain or influence in your SF worldbuilding?
- Laura Mahal·
This session was SO helpful! Thank you!
- Martha·
That was such an interesting post. Very informative and such interesting writers who clearly love what they are doing. Thanks everyone.
- Linda Hanlon·
Thank you for a great panel and a lot of helpful information. It was good to see different perspectives on worldbuilding and also to see the common approaches that you all share.
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