Hello! What are some crucial aspects of world building new writers tend to miss?
Shanice
3 years ago
After doing tons of world building, how do you differentiate between what to use in the novel, and what is just for your knowledge?
Thanks for the help.
Hallie
3 years ago
What world (in a book movie or whatever) do you think is the most well done or the most interesting? What features do you think make the most realistic worlds?
Where do you go to look for inspiration for worldbuilding? (real life travel, Planet Earth, museums, other SFF…)
Shanice
3 years ago
Do you know any website where I can create a map for my WIP?
I need to map out the country, and world, but I am having trouble finding a good website to use, as I can’t draw well.
Thanks.
Have you heard of Inkarnate (https://inkarnate.com/), or maybe even Cartographer 3 (a paid software)? Look for resources for making maps online, specially for RPGs and Dungeons and Dragons, and you’ll find several options, from simple to more complex, although some might be paid. Good luck 🙂
What are ways to make world building feel cohesive, instead of bits and pieces just smashed together?
Gwendolyn
3 years ago
Hello,
Is it possible to go too deep into worldbuilding?
Diana S.
3 years ago
What do you find is the best way of showcasing worldbuilding (culture, history, etc) and making the setting come alive without bogging down the plot and pacing? Thank you for doing this!
Gwendolyn
3 years ago
Hello,
What are your thoughts on the ‘planet of the hats’ (a culture or place typified by one trait – the warrior race, the mechanical race, etc) trope?
Hannah
3 years ago
Do you have any suggestions for developing and differentiating multiple nations/countries?
Gwendolyn
3 years ago
Hello,
What is the biggest mistake in worldbuilding that you see on a regular basis?
janewrites
3 years ago
Is there a difference between the kind and amount of world-building a writer does for MG vs YA novels?
Thanks!
Jane
Gwendolyn
3 years ago
Hello,
What is an obscure detail that you think that people should work on that really brings the world/culture together?
Thank you for your time!
How do you begin to plan a new world? What are the questions you ask to get inspired?
Valia
3 years ago
Hi! Do you think there is such a thing as too much worldbuilidng? And is it different depending on the age group you may be writing to?
Flor
3 years ago
My YA sci-fi dystopian was at 99K and I kept being told repeatedly by agents I pitched to that it was too long for age category/genre. I whittled it down to 94K words but I’ve also been asked to pump up the world building. Should I give preference to getting back up closer to 99K so that my world-building doesn’t suffer?
Also, would language be considered a big part of world building? I know sometimes readers find various words too hard to pronounce or confusing. Does it help to create those to be included in the world?
I’m starting to be more aware of inserting little details of my world into my writing, but sometimes I find it more difficult when writing an urban fantasy as opposed to a story that takes place in a fully fantastical world. Do you have any tips for adding in little elements that still make it your made-up world even though it’s a world people live in every day?
Valia
3 years ago
What is the first thing you do when you sit down to build a world? Do you start with the characters or the layout of land?
Tiffany
3 years ago
Hello! Thank you for doing this! What are some of the best and most effective resources for worldbuilding? And what are some important questions a writer should be asking themselves about their story world?
Tiffany
3 years ago
How do you balance out world-building proper nouns in fantasy without going overboard? If you have less than five proper nouns essential to your plot, is that too many?
Do you have any worldbuilding advice for people who really struggle to think in detail? For those of us who are more global thinkers, how can we know when we’re missing important details and what to add?
Speaking of, do you have any suggestions on the best way to handle inspirations from real countries and cultures? Avatar did this well and respectfully (with inspiration from Inuit culture, Japan, China, etc.) Thank you so much for your time and for book bending for all of us!
Grace Li
3 years ago
Hi Sara! Thank you so much for sharing your time.
I was wondering how we can borrow from different cultures to ground our fantasy worlds without being disrespectful?
Thanks,
Grace
Janine
3 years ago
My current WIP takes place several decades after a world changing event that resulted in the US breaking up into different countries, among other changes. Main characters live in some spots that used to be in the USA but are now separate countries. How do I communicate that fact without being cumbersome?
I forgot to mention, how do I handle describe a future that isn’t quite dystopian, but isn’t the high tech future with flying cars, etc, but mostly the same as today with a few tweaks?
Susannah
3 years ago
What are some important worldbuilding details/aspects you think I should know well before I start writing?
Tiffany
3 years ago
What elements of world-building do you most often see done wrong outside of too much, “info-dumping”, world-building?
Do you think I need to include a map in my book if there’s a meld between the human world and the magical? Is that something that’s saved for an illustrator?
Hello, thank you for your time today! My WIP takes place in an alternative universe (Avatar Last Airbender is one of my comps!), and I have tons of notes about this world’s history. For writers writing about alternative universes, how much of the world’s history should the writer know, even if s/he doesn’t include all this history into the story?
I’ve really admired stories where the world-building seems to go hand-in-hand with deevloping the theme of the story. But especially as a children’s writer, I was wondering how best to do this without coming across as overly didactic or heavy-handed?
Shanice
3 years ago
Most important question do you know if Avatar on hulu?
I gotta do my worldbuilding research with that show now!
Kelsey
3 years ago
You were so awesome, thanks!
Dave Wright
3 years ago
“I don’t like following other people’s rules” 😀
Hello! What are some crucial aspects of world building new writers tend to miss?
After doing tons of world building, how do you differentiate between what to use in the novel, and what is just for your knowledge?
Thanks for the help.
What world (in a book movie or whatever) do you think is the most well done or the most interesting? What features do you think make the most realistic worlds?
Where do you go to look for inspiration for worldbuilding? (real life travel, Planet Earth, museums, other SFF…)
Do you know any website where I can create a map for my WIP?
I need to map out the country, and world, but I am having trouble finding a good website to use, as I can’t draw well.
Thanks.
Have you heard of Inkarnate (https://inkarnate.com/), or maybe even Cartographer 3 (a paid software)? Look for resources for making maps online, specially for RPGs and Dungeons and Dragons, and you’ll find several options, from simple to more complex, although some might be paid. Good luck 🙂
Also, you could look up Hexographer. My husband is a game master for tabletop RPGs and when he makes maps, he uses programs like Hexographer to build his worlds. http://www.hexographer.com/free-version/ http://worldographer.com/
What are ways to make world building feel cohesive, instead of bits and pieces just smashed together?
Hello,
Is it possible to go too deep into worldbuilding?
What do you find is the best way of showcasing worldbuilding (culture, history, etc) and making the setting come alive without bogging down the plot and pacing? Thank you for doing this!
Hello,
What are your thoughts on the ‘planet of the hats’ (a culture or place typified by one trait – the warrior race, the mechanical race, etc) trope?
Do you have any suggestions for developing and differentiating multiple nations/countries?
Hello,
What is the biggest mistake in worldbuilding that you see on a regular basis?
Is there a difference between the kind and amount of world-building a writer does for MG vs YA novels?
Thanks!
Jane
Hello,
What is an obscure detail that you think that people should work on that really brings the world/culture together?
Thank you for your time!
How do you begin to plan a new world? What are the questions you ask to get inspired?
Hi! Do you think there is such a thing as too much worldbuilidng? And is it different depending on the age group you may be writing to?
My YA sci-fi dystopian was at 99K and I kept being told repeatedly by agents I pitched to that it was too long for age category/genre. I whittled it down to 94K words but I’ve also been asked to pump up the world building. Should I give preference to getting back up closer to 99K so that my world-building doesn’t suffer?
What are some of your favorite worlds in fiction?
Also, would language be considered a big part of world building? I know sometimes readers find various words too hard to pronounce or confusing. Does it help to create those to be included in the world?
I’m starting to be more aware of inserting little details of my world into my writing, but sometimes I find it more difficult when writing an urban fantasy as opposed to a story that takes place in a fully fantastical world. Do you have any tips for adding in little elements that still make it your made-up world even though it’s a world people live in every day?
What is the first thing you do when you sit down to build a world? Do you start with the characters or the layout of land?
Hello! Thank you for doing this! What are some of the best and most effective resources for worldbuilding? And what are some important questions a writer should be asking themselves about their story world?
How do you balance out world-building proper nouns in fantasy without going overboard? If you have less than five proper nouns essential to your plot, is that too many?
Do you have any worldbuilding advice for people who really struggle to think in detail? For those of us who are more global thinkers, how can we know when we’re missing important details and what to add?
YES! Avatar the Last Airbender!!!
Speaking of, do you have any suggestions on the best way to handle inspirations from real countries and cultures? Avatar did this well and respectfully (with inspiration from Inuit culture, Japan, China, etc.) Thank you so much for your time and for book bending for all of us!
Hi Sara! Thank you so much for sharing your time.
I was wondering how we can borrow from different cultures to ground our fantasy worlds without being disrespectful?
Thanks,
Grace
My current WIP takes place several decades after a world changing event that resulted in the US breaking up into different countries, among other changes. Main characters live in some spots that used to be in the USA but are now separate countries. How do I communicate that fact without being cumbersome?
I forgot to mention, how do I handle describe a future that isn’t quite dystopian, but isn’t the high tech future with flying cars, etc, but mostly the same as today with a few tweaks?
What are some important worldbuilding details/aspects you think I should know well before I start writing?
What elements of world-building do you most often see done wrong outside of too much, “info-dumping”, world-building?
Do you think I need to include a map in my book if there’s a meld between the human world and the magical? Is that something that’s saved for an illustrator?
Hello, thank you for your time today! My WIP takes place in an alternative universe (Avatar Last Airbender is one of my comps!), and I have tons of notes about this world’s history. For writers writing about alternative universes, how much of the world’s history should the writer know, even if s/he doesn’t include all this history into the story?
I’ve really admired stories where the world-building seems to go hand-in-hand with deevloping the theme of the story. But especially as a children’s writer, I was wondering how best to do this without coming across as overly didactic or heavy-handed?
Most important question do you know if Avatar on hulu?
I gotta do my worldbuilding research with that show now!
You were so awesome, thanks!
“I don’t like following other people’s rules” 😀
Lots to think about. Thanks!