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Workshop: Using Worldbuilding to Shape your Characters

Workshop: Using Worldbuilding to Shape your Characters

February 20, 2021 Conference 2021, Live 2021 92 Comments

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Tags: brainstormingcharacter developmentworkshopworldbuilding
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Shelby Kisgen
Shelby Kisgen
7 days ago

Besides the obvious info-dump, what is the biggest mistake you see in worldbuilding? and how to avoid it? Thanks!

3
Reply
Heather A Harwood
Heather A Harwood
7 days ago

Do you have some tips on making your world feel as three-dimensional as your characters?

3
Reply
JMTuckerman
JMTuckerman
7 days ago

Hello! Checking in: I’m Jessica from NJ.

1
Reply
Bitterroortgirl
Bitterroortgirl
7 days ago

Kelly Newberg Oregon

1
Reply
Monnarae
Monnarae
7 days ago

Monnarae Bauer Florida, USA

1
Reply
melbato
melbato
7 days ago

Melissa from Virginia

1
Reply
Charlene77
Charlene77
7 days ago

Hello from Charlene Avery Southwestern Wisconsin. Chapter books yesterday was excellent!

1
Reply
Ruizium
Ruizium
7 days ago

Sarah from Washington DC!

1
Reply
Irene Pozoukidis
Irene Pozoukidis
7 days ago

Irene, SF Bay Area, the panel with Gail Carson Levine.

1
Reply
KISSMYSAS
KISSMYSAS
7 days ago

Checking in from Daytona Beach!

1
Reply
Heather A Harwood
Heather A Harwood
7 days ago

I’m Heather from HoustonTX! I loved the panel on Bring Creative when Everything’s on Fire

2
Reply
Cynthia
Cynthia
7 days ago

Cynthia Syracuse NY Thanks Carolyn for being with us!

2
Reply
Rebecca
Rebecca
7 days ago

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

2
Reply
ShannonCFRogers
ShannonCFRogers
7 days ago

Hi from Shannon in New York! Just came from the great panel on being a good critique partner. 🙂

3
Reply
GillianStClair
GillianStClair
Reply to  ShannonCFRogers
7 days ago

Hey, hey 😉

0
Reply
CarolynTara
CarolynTara
Reply to  ShannonCFRogers
7 days ago

Hi Shannon! 😀

0
Reply
nrae
nrae
7 days ago

Hi! I’m Nyssa from Alberta, Canada. I really enjoyed the Rethinking Rejection workshop!

1
Reply
austen
austen
7 days ago

I’m Jenni from Oregon. I really enjoyed the Dystopian panel and Romance panel today. Hi, Kelly!

1
Reply
Elza
Elza
Author
7 days ago

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.

0
Reply
Crazyfoxxy
Crazyfoxxy
7 days ago

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!

Last edited 7 days ago by Crazyfoxxy
1
Reply
Jeanette
Jeanette
7 days ago

Hi!! I’m Jeanette from Florida. I write YA fantasy. I have been loving all the live Q&As!

1
Reply
JessicaAKassin
JessicaAKassin
7 days ago

Jessica from Chicago, IL!

1
Reply
GillianStClair
GillianStClair
7 days ago

​Gillian in Vermont, this is the first one I’ve made it to this weekend 🙂

2
Reply
CarolynTara
CarolynTara
Reply to  GillianStClair
7 days ago

Hi Gillian! <3

1
Reply
Vera
Vera
7 days ago

Hi Carolyn, Vera from Maine. Loved the panel – Being Creative When Everything is on Fire!

2
Reply
ElizabethAnne
ElizabethAnne
7 days ago

I’m in DC!

1
Reply
Tracy
Tracy
7 days 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!

2
Reply
Krromo
Krromo
7 days ago

Kristi from Twin Cities in MN.
Writing Chapter Books was full of smart people!

2
Reply
Alicia
Alicia
7 days ago

Hi! I’m Alicia from France. I loved the session about romance (Of Kissing and Chemistry) earlier today.

1
Reply
JENGarrett
JENGarrett
7 days ago

Hi, JEN from California

1
Reply
amaretdoe
amaretdoe
7 days ago

Mortis from North Carolina!

1
Reply
Sarah
Sarah
7 days ago

Hi! I’m Sarah from Washington State, working on a MG fantasy

1
Reply
Monnarae
Monnarae
7 days ago

That’s my birthday!

1
Reply
Shelby Kisgen
Shelby Kisgen
7 days 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!

2
Reply
GillianStClair
GillianStClair
7 days 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!

2
Reply
GillianStClair
GillianStClair
Reply to  GillianStClair
7 days ago

The men also use religion to further their gendered power.

0
Reply
CarolynTara
CarolynTara
Reply to  GillianStClair
7 days ago

Yes!!!

0
Reply
Elza
Elza
Author
7 days ago

I think nationalism and citizenship play a large part in the power structure, since my world has got the “warring kingdoms” trope in it.

0
Reply
Rebecca
Rebecca
7 days ago

citizenship is purchased in my world and nations are the size of cities

1
Reply
nrae
nrae
7 days 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

1
Reply
JMTuckerman
JMTuckerman
7 days 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.

0
Reply
CarolynTara
CarolynTara
Reply to  JMTuckerman
7 days ago

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?

0
Reply
Charlene77
Charlene77
7 days ago

I realized I need to really consider rural living folks and community/town living folks.

1
Reply
Ruizium
Ruizium
7 days ago

In my society, citizenship decides who gets connected to an infrastructure network and who may end up living without access to education.

0
Reply
melbato
melbato
7 days 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.

0
Reply
amaretdoe
amaretdoe
7 days 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.

1
Reply
Sarah
Sarah
7 days 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.

1
Reply
Monnarae
Monnarae
7 days ago

comment removed by moderator.

Last edited 7 days ago by Elza
-2
Reply
amaretdoe
amaretdoe
Reply to  Monnarae
7 days ago

comment removed by moderator.

Last edited 7 days ago by Elza
1
Reply
GillianStClair
GillianStClair
7 days ago

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.

2
Reply
GillianStClair
GillianStClair
Reply to  GillianStClair
7 days ago

Maybe I will write a vignette that shows how her world was different than this world to compare…

0
Reply
ShannonCFRogers
ShannonCFRogers
Reply to  GillianStClair
7 days ago

Love that idea!

1
Reply
Tracy
Tracy
Reply to  GillianStClair
7 days ago

Same for me!!

1
Reply
CarolynTara
CarolynTara
Reply to  GillianStClair
7 days ago

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.

1
Reply
GillianStClair
GillianStClair
Reply to  CarolynTara
7 days ago

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!

0
Reply
iowasix
iowasix
7 days ago

barbara from iowa – joining late!

Last edited 7 days ago by iowasix
0
Reply
JMTuckerman
JMTuckerman
7 days ago

Dance break!

2
Reply
GillianStClair
GillianStClair
7 days ago

=D

0
Reply
rosemary
rosemary
7 days ago

love this (all zooms should have dance breaks!)

2
Reply
GillianStClair
GillianStClair
Reply to  rosemary
7 days ago

agreed!

1
Reply
ShannonCFRogers
ShannonCFRogers
7 days ago

whoooo hooo!

1
Reply
Bitterroortgirl
Bitterroortgirl
7 days ago

I’m an extravert and she has social anxiety

0
Reply
JMTuckerman
JMTuckerman
Reply to  Bitterroortgirl
7 days ago

You can have both 🙂

1
Reply
CarolynTara
CarolynTara
Reply to  JMTuckerman
7 days ago

Very true!

0
Reply
JMTuckerman
JMTuckerman
7 days ago

I thought it was weird that I started with one piece in the first exercise and then moved to a different project.

0
Reply

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