Hi Carolyn, Vera from Maine. Loved the panel – Being Creative When Everything is on Fire!
ElizabethAnne
2 months ago
I’m in DC!
Tracy
2 months ago
Tracy in Richmond, CA (north of Berkeley). I liked the Identifying Bad Habits in Your Writing session–Mary Kole has some really good advice!
Krromo
2 months ago
Kristi from Twin Cities in MN.
Writing Chapter Books was full of smart people!
Alicia
2 months ago
Hi! I’m Alicia from France. I loved the session about romance (Of Kissing and Chemistry) earlier today.
JENGarrett
2 months ago
Hi, JEN from California
amaretdoe
2 months ago
Mortis from North Carolina!
Sarah
2 months ago
Hi! I’m Sarah from Washington State, working on a MG fantasy
Monnarae
2 months ago
That’s my birthday!
Shelby Kisgen
2 months ago
Hi! I’m Shelby from Wyoming and I really loved the character agency in MG panel and the imagery in writing. Thanks for having us!
Besides the obvious info-dump, what is the biggest mistake you see in worldbuilding? and how to avoid it? Thanks!
GillianStClair
2 months ago
Mine is historical/fantastical and religion and gender play huge parts. The men definitely have the power. In part because it is a patriarchal, Christian society, and in part because it’s because, in a fishing village, men control access to food. The women who truly have power exist outside these bounds (but society doesn’t know it). The novel is about the women breaking and taking back their own power.
Thanks for helping me think about this in terms of power! I knew these were critical aspects, but this gives me a new lens to view my world through!
I think nationalism and citizenship play a large part in the power structure, since my world has got the “warring kingdoms” trope in it.
Rebecca
2 months ago
citizenship is purchased in my world and nations are the size of cities
nrae
2 months ago
citizenship – the planet you’re born on in the solar system gives you different opportunities in life, because interplanetary travel is still too expensive to do often
JMTuckerman
2 months ago
– popularity / public eye: popular kids get away with a lot of things, while unpopular kids get in trouble for similar outbursts and standing up for themselves. They are sneakier and rely not only on teachers’ favor but also on the favor of their peers.
Hi JM! This is interesting. I would ask you – what makes a person popular in your world? What qualities/characteristics tend to be rewarded with popularity?
Charlene77
2 months ago
I realized I need to really consider rural living folks and community/town living folks.
Ruizium
2 months ago
In my society, citizenship decides who gets connected to an infrastructure network and who may end up living without access to education.
melbato
2 months ago
class is a big deal in my society. The privileged “travelers” are able to travel from place to place to chase good weather and needs are provided for them. The less privileged “dwellers” have to deal with whatever weather comes and goods are more scarce.
amaretdoe
2 months ago
I addressed Ability!
In my world, magic users are coveted as they’re able to harness the wild power of the leylines and use it to the benefit of the world. Then it is the Knights for their fighting and power and the middleclass are those who are trained in skills like farming or blacksmithing. Even a noble can be considered low-class if they do not have a useable ability or skill.
Sarah
2 months ago
Class plays a part in my story. There are different levels of magical people – literally 1st class, 2nd class, etc based on their ability. What they are allowed to do within the magical society is determined by their order and class.
oooo this one is going to be hard for me! My MC is an outsider and the first time she realizes the power structure of my world is in the pages of the novel.
Hey Gillian! Are there *any* divisions that your MC became aware of before the story begins? That may be a useful prompt — even if it’s a less important axis of power, or one that she interprets incorrectly.
Oh… that is interesting to play with… her interpretations of the power structure vs how it actually plays out! That’s going to be interesting to explore!
Besides the obvious info-dump, what is the biggest mistake you see in worldbuilding? and how to avoid it? Thanks!
Do you have some tips on making your world feel as three-dimensional as your characters?
Hello! Checking in: I’m Jessica from NJ.
Kelly Newberg Oregon
Monnarae Bauer Florida, USA
Melissa from Virginia
Hello from Charlene Avery Southwestern Wisconsin. Chapter books yesterday was excellent!
Sarah from Washington DC!
Irene, SF Bay Area, the panel with Gail Carson Levine.
Checking in from Daytona Beach!
I’m Heather from HoustonTX! I loved the panel on Bring Creative when Everything’s on Fire
Cynthia Syracuse NY Thanks Carolyn for being with us!
Hey! I’m in Louisville, KY and I’ve loved it all but the RomComs were extra interesting this year because they were new to me
Hi from Shannon in New York! Just came from the great panel on being a good critique partner. 🙂
Hey, hey 😉
Hi Shannon! 😀
Hi! I’m Nyssa from Alberta, Canada. I really enjoyed the Rethinking Rejection workshop!
I’m Jenni from Oregon. I really enjoyed the Dystopian panel and Romance panel today. Hi, Kelly!
Hello! I’m Elza. I’m currently living in the deserts in CA, and I’m really looking forward to some of the MG-related events coming up.
Hiya, I’m from Los Angeles. I really enjoyed the “Molding the Glass Menagerie: The Art and Science of Creating a Literary Symbol” It was mind-blowing!
Hi!! I’m Jeanette from Florida. I write YA fantasy. I have been loving all the live Q&As!
Jessica from Chicago, IL!
​Gillian in Vermont, this is the first one I’ve made it to this weekend 🙂
Hi Gillian! <3
Hi Carolyn, Vera from Maine. Loved the panel – Being Creative When Everything is on Fire!
I’m in DC!
Tracy in Richmond, CA (north of Berkeley). I liked the Identifying Bad Habits in Your Writing session–Mary Kole has some really good advice!
Kristi from Twin Cities in MN.
Writing Chapter Books was full of smart people!
Hi! I’m Alicia from France. I loved the session about romance (Of Kissing and Chemistry) earlier today.
Hi, JEN from California
Mortis from North Carolina!
Hi! I’m Sarah from Washington State, working on a MG fantasy
That’s my birthday!
Hi! I’m Shelby from Wyoming and I really loved the character agency in MG panel and the imagery in writing. Thanks for having us!
Besides the obvious info-dump, what is the biggest mistake you see in worldbuilding? and how to avoid it? Thanks!
Mine is historical/fantastical and religion and gender play huge parts. The men definitely have the power. In part because it is a patriarchal, Christian society, and in part because it’s because, in a fishing village, men control access to food. The women who truly have power exist outside these bounds (but society doesn’t know it). The novel is about the women breaking and taking back their own power.
Thanks for helping me think about this in terms of power! I knew these were critical aspects, but this gives me a new lens to view my world through!
The men also use religion to further their gendered power.
Yes!!!
I think nationalism and citizenship play a large part in the power structure, since my world has got the “warring kingdoms” trope in it.
citizenship is purchased in my world and nations are the size of cities
citizenship – the planet you’re born on in the solar system gives you different opportunities in life, because interplanetary travel is still too expensive to do often
– popularity / public eye: popular kids get away with a lot of things, while unpopular kids get in trouble for similar outbursts and standing up for themselves. They are sneakier and rely not only on teachers’ favor but also on the favor of their peers.
Hi JM! This is interesting. I would ask you – what makes a person popular in your world? What qualities/characteristics tend to be rewarded with popularity?
I realized I need to really consider rural living folks and community/town living folks.
In my society, citizenship decides who gets connected to an infrastructure network and who may end up living without access to education.
class is a big deal in my society. The privileged “travelers” are able to travel from place to place to chase good weather and needs are provided for them. The less privileged “dwellers” have to deal with whatever weather comes and goods are more scarce.
I addressed Ability!
In my world, magic users are coveted as they’re able to harness the wild power of the leylines and use it to the benefit of the world. Then it is the Knights for their fighting and power and the middleclass are those who are trained in skills like farming or blacksmithing. Even a noble can be considered low-class if they do not have a useable ability or skill.
Class plays a part in my story. There are different levels of magical people – literally 1st class, 2nd class, etc based on their ability. What they are allowed to do within the magical society is determined by their order and class.
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oooo this one is going to be hard for me! My MC is an outsider and the first time she realizes the power structure of my world is in the pages of the novel.
Maybe I will write a vignette that shows how her world was different than this world to compare…
Love that idea!
Same for me!!
Hey Gillian! Are there *any* divisions that your MC became aware of before the story begins? That may be a useful prompt — even if it’s a less important axis of power, or one that she interprets incorrectly.
Oh… that is interesting to play with… her interpretations of the power structure vs how it actually plays out! That’s going to be interesting to explore!
barbara from iowa – joining late!
Dance break!
=D
love this (all zooms should have dance breaks!)
agreed!
whoooo hooo!
I’m an extravert and she has social anxiety
You can have both 🙂
Very true!
I thought it was weird that I started with one piece in the first exercise and then moved to a different project.