I've been writing fantasy for, oh, twelve years now. My bits all take place in other worlds, of course (I see Earth in real life everyday, why would I want to write about it, too?). Anyhow, after taking a creative writing class in college about three years ago, I became friends with another fantasy author. Okay, so maybe he's more of a plotter than a writer...but the point here is that he has done so much plotting and worldbuilding for his (still unwritten) novel, that it made me realize that my world is...well...empty. Naturally, it held all the expected aspects of a fantasy setting, but it lacked individuality, which is far more important when you get down to the nitty gritty. So, for the first time since starting my novel, I decided to do some real world building. I mean, I'm really trying to make this place unique (with the exception of time it takes the planet to travel round the sun , etc. etc.). The problem? I have no idea where I should be going with this. Sure I named my seasons, months, weekdays, and even constellations. Made some sketches for religions and a few customs, but other than that, I'm at a loss.
You who have accomplished this daunting task, what are some of the things you have done to build your world?
Any advice is very much appreciated!
You who have accomplished this daunting task, what are some of the things you have done to build your world?
Any advice is very much appreciated!