With dynamic characters, complex relationships, beautiful scenery, and actionpacked scenes, theres nothing quite like diving into epic fantasy stories. Now my favorite novels to read are fantasy novels, i get so involved learning about, not only the characters of the story, but the whole world those characters lived in. The main reason i think worldbuilding has become a problem is that it leads people to believe that realism is the primary point of fiction, even fantasy fiction. World building tips trying to write my first novel, ive got my main characters figured out and a part of the story but its the building a world that im having trouble with and i hoping for some tips. Whether youre brushing up on your science facts for a detailed multibook space opera, or digging into the nittygritty of life on an isolated. The ultimate world building questionnaire the novel factory. In this video i go over the pros and cons of filling out the worldbuilding bible in advance vs. Are the laws of nature and physics actually different in this world, or are they the same as in real life. Due to the nature of these questions, they are not intended to have brief answers, certainly not yes no. While many of these questions may be helpful or crucial to certain stories, they will not all apply to every story. We are bringing history, technology, sociology and science from the real world middle ages into medieval high fantasy role playing, world building and fantasy genre writing.
The 10 elements of worldbuilding that you should ponder over and plan so that your audience falls in love with your fantasy novel are. If you want to create a plot, you need to know what kind of world youre trying to create. Rating is available when the video has been rented. And sometimes, a fantasy book can spend so much time. Building a fantasy world is just like building a science fiction world. Worldbuilding part two brandon sanderson on writing science fiction and fantasy duration. Every one of your favorite books, movies and tv shows involves building a world. The best thing is, its nongenrespecific so you can use it without feeling restricted by your chosen genre. From my perspective, one of the most important elements of any fantasy is the world in which it takes place.
Thousands of cities and points of interest add depth to the world. Her debut novel, the book of m, was chosen as an amazon best science fiction and fantasy books of the year, and has been featured on the today show, npr on point, and in the guardian, io9. Phillips an ongoing trend for fiction and fantasy novels is having a map for the reader to follow along with, just after the title page in the book. This article discusses some of the concerns you should address before starting a contemporary fantasy novel. Before creating magic, fantasy, and hitech elements of the world, its important to create an underlying societal structure. To help you get over this lull, we have put together a list of 12 more epic fantasy books like game of thrones. So, this means you have a big book with the scope of the classics such as the lord of the rings, or game of thrones but you also have a dominant central romance story that centers around the developing. Perhaps the author is particularly good at developing the world and implying a lot about the wider world without boring you with exposition alla brandon sanderson. Thats another way of saying that its an entirely fictional place. The worldbuilding leviathan and a scrivener template. Broadly speaking, your book will either take place in our world or belong to whats called second world fantasy. Feb 22, 2018 fantasy novel writing world building, dragons, magic and more this post is the twentyeighth in a series about writing a novel.
Writing prompts can help you kickstart your writing again, and bring you into new imaginative territory. Aug 01, 2019 writing a novel requires more than good writing chops and fancy literary devicesyou need solid worldbuilding in order to craft a realistic image for our readers and youve heard the word world building being tossed around a lot, especially in association with the sciencefiction and fantasy genre. It doesnt matter if youre writing short fiction, an episode of a web or television series, or the screenplay for a major motion picture, you need to be able to create worlds that your readersviewersaudience would want to visit or live in. Great authors can create a living, breathing environment for their stories, invite readers into another world, and make us homesick for a place weve never been. Tips on how to build a fantasy world for your novel ny. If a novel is a historical fantasy set on earth, science is not a critical part of world building. Their pages must be filled with compelling characters and. Author joshua david bennett is a scotch lover, history enthusiast, graphic artist, and world traveler. His first novel, seacaster, is a caribbeanaztec fantasy that tells the story of a young man at war with the magic coursing through his veins. This book, written by a scifi author with a phd in geology, is explicitly targeted at science fiction writers and covers worldbuilding. World building is an important component of fantasy writing because your fantasy world must be grounded in a history and abide by certain rules in order to persuade your readers to suspend their disbelief when you bring in magic, fantastical beasts and other implausible elements. Why is world building important for fantasy novels. I, for one, am excited that youre writing a fantasy this world needs more otherworldliness. These ya novels are some of the best 2019 has to offer, ranging from historical fiction, retellings of popular legends, and wholly original fantasy worlds.
As everyone signing up for nanowrimo or any writing challenge quickly learns, this is really the selfeditor speaking. You can check out the list of past topics at the end of this post. Fantasy novel writing world building, dragons, magic and. Worldbuilding is the process of constructing an imaginary world, sometimes associated with a whole fictional universe. World building tips often focus on fantastical genres such as fantasy and scifi, because they involve creating worlds different to our own.
I recently received an email from a better novel project reader asking about world building. A lot of aspiring writers tend to have the wrong impression that plot should go first before worldbuilding. How to create immersive worlds for sciencefiction and fantasy. Best urban fantasy not pnr or whatever hybrids series. Fantasy novel writing world building, dragons, magic and more this post is the twentyeighth in a series about writing a novel. Good worldbuilding lends an immersive richness to your writing, while also giving readers the information they need to understand characters and plot lines. To make this a much easier process i have made you a super handy little cheat sheet for fantasy world building. Building fantasy worlds is like any other aspect of writing. Feists riftwar cycle are classic examples of second world fantasy.
Using history as inspiration for fantasy mythic scribes. Which are some fantasy books with amazing worldbuilding. Worldspinner makes it easy to create an entire fantasy world in just a few minutes. Think about the laws that govern the world, the way the government works, the worlds history, geography, technology and mythology. The world in your scifi or fantasy novel can be as different and interesting as you make it. Creating a language this is a pretty detailed article about creating a. Fantasy novel writers are responsible for taking readers on an unforgettable journey. You should consider them prompts with which to write a short essay. Tips on how to build a fantasy world for your novel ny book editors.
Apr 06, 2017 money, clothing, territorial boundaries, tribal customs, building materials, imports and exports, transportation, sex, food, the various types of monkeys people possess, whether the world does or does not contain satanic twerking rites. If youre writing science fiction or fantasy, your world probably has gods. Ive long wanted to incorporate my own sordid religious history into one of my books. As the others have said, mark nelsons fantasy worldbuilding is gorgeous little book. Aug 18, 2018 world building creating place names realistically and. The ultimate list of 42 worldbuilding resources the dabbler.
In the fantasy genre, a living, breathing world is as or more important than compelling characters. World building is defined as the manner in which an author constructs a completely new, fictional setting for their novel. Jul 20, 2018 building a world can be a ton of fun, but it can also be quite the laborious process when you get into the nittygritty of it all. But representing reality whether real reality or a fictional one is simply one way of telling a story, just one house in the city of fiction. So, how exactly should writers go about building worlds in their fiction. The series is built around the concept of two parallel new zealands the modern world, and another magical world peopled by legends, historical personages, and the ghosts of ordinary new zealanders. Its important to create immersive, interesting and believable settings, whatever your genre. Its the very essence of any good fantasy or science fiction story, and the basis of a sense of place in other genres.
The history, geography, and unique beings of the fictional universe must be explicitly described since the setting is made from scratch. But then remember that magical accidents can be as environmentally damaging as a meteor. Mark nelson has had a long and storied career, and with the caliber of work shown here its easy to see why. When you read a story that takes place on normal earth, without even bending the rules of physics, the only thing you have to be absorbed within is the characters, and the plot. Download my free cheat sheet to streamline your fantasy outline and avoid holes and confusion in your. If youre writing a three book epic fantasy, and each book is gonna be 150,000 words a pop or more, you may want to find a comfort level with the details big and small of the world about which youre writing in certain modes of fantasy, the world is itself a character, and a focused world bible will help you reflect that.
Thats why ive created world building warrior, a digital workbook designed to walk you through the process of building your next fictional world stepbystep. Nov 15, 2016 worldbuilding, roleplaying and fantasy writing resources. Yeah, you probably wont want to complete all of them. Myths are powerful tools in your worldbuilding arsenal. Ok, ive been waiting for a very long time to make something on books with good worldbuilding. It is comprehensive in its description of the physics of star and planet formation and will tell you everything you need to know and possibly more than you want to know about astronomy. Tips on how to build a fantasy world for your novel ny book. It is not necessary for an author to answer all, or even any, of the questions.
How to create a breathing world for your fantasy novel time if you could compare the era of your story to one on earth, when would it be. Theres a huge debate on whether world building is a valid use of your time. Less a fantasy series and more a complex dedication to worldbuilding. Worldbuilding guide for writers and world builders part 1. When youre writing fiction, worldbuilding is vital to the success of your. To find out, well break down the concept of worldbuilding into three main categories. As the others have said, mark nelsons fantasy world building is gorgeous little book. World building for fantasy questions fantasy is a genre that includes magical elements or a supernatural humanoid racesspecies such as elves, vampires, dwarfs, and fairies and that means it needs a set of world building criteria that differs from the above. Below are some of the important questions to ask yourself when creating a fantasy world.
Whether youre brushing up on your science facts for a detailed multi book space opera, or digging into the nittygritty of life on an isolated. Aug 04, 20 worldbuilding is fun, especially when you start making maps. Yay, this fantasy novel actually lives up to its superb world. Theyre set in a fantasy world thats not our own, has extensive worldbuilding and features magic andor fantastic beasts and monsters. With 165 pages of focused activities and guided questions, this is one resource you dont want to miss. Magical realism, contemporary, dark, and paranormal romance all have a place in the fantasy genre. Aug 30, 2018 worldbuilding is a term youll hear from a lot of writers especially when youre talking about the science fiction and fantasy genres. World building is a complex and personal task, and no two worlds are alike. Hair has also written a four book ya series, the return of ravana, set in india and published by penguin india. Jan 16, 2020 world building tips often focus on fantastical genres such as fantasy and scifi, because they involve creating worlds different to our own.
The characteristics of world building you need to know to create a fully immersive world that your readers. Six of crows and crooked kingdom by leigh bardugo this book, as i may have mentioned before, is my favorite book of all time. Created by kitty chandler at kittyspace, the worldbuilding leviathan is a great method of worldbuilding while developing your plot. These prompts will help you consider every aspect of your story world. Here are six tips for understanding the importance of world building in your novel. You can turn to nearly any page and find something worth examining. World building worksheet this is an extra resource to go along with the original article. The resulting world may be called a constructed world or conworld. Aug 23, 2019 as a side note world building isnt the same as world creating. I have frankensteined this together from a number of worldbuilding. Build the complete, living world behind your incredible novels, games and art using our inspirational toolset. Setting the fantastic in the everyday world you dont get out of worldbuilding just because you want to set your fantasy novel in the real world. Worldbuilding is not merely creating a fictional setting and writing a narrative in it. The ultimate world building questionnaire 1 questions some notes.
Writing good science fiction or fantasy requires strong worldbuilding skills. Showcase your worldbuilding, novels, characters, campaigns, maps and timelines to. A lot of times, people want to write a novel and think i want to write fantasy, but theres so much world building i would have to do i havent done any of it. Therefore, in the spirit of sharing, here are a collection of story ideas and writing prompts that have been floating around in. What a wonderful world a celebration of imaginative worldbuilding 299 books 64 voters best urban fantasy not pnr or whatever hybrids series. The following list of questions is meant to aid authors of fantasy fiction who are seeking to create believable imaginary settings for their stories. Its filled to the brim with exciting and imaginitive artwork.
To build a detailed world, one to rival westeros, hogwarts or dickens london, use these world building tips. The sword of truth series is 14 books, all of which are designed to be standalone stories, totally independent from the others. If you have a rich set of ideas for your worlds timeline, you may be starting by fleshing out your timeline. Consider how every society on earth has a creation myth, an endoftimes myth, and more. Developing an imaginary setting with coherent qualities such as a history, geography, and ecology is a key task for many science fiction or fantasy writers. Aug 08, 2017 a worldbuilding bible can help you to stay organized and to make sure your novel is consistent. As you said, it may be someplace where people have been, and youre taking them and others there for a visit. Go beyond just outlining the setting your characters live and work in. The 12 best epic fantasy books like game of thrones. See every continent, island, sea, forest, desert, and nation. Worldbuilding is so much more than just a framing device. You need to research where shops were, what its like at pikes place market in seattle, for instance, how far from here to there, etc.