World Creation?

[Daymyth]

Who creates the world that they set thier story in before the write, and does it help, i mean do people just go and write or do you create your charecters and world before you write your story, or create as you go along.

[jhafiasuhfsdifhsie]

When I bothered with alternate worlds, the world just appeared around the characters to suit their needs. Then I started setting my pieces in NYC. NYC is infinately more fun.

[Seido]

For me, I usually draw up a crude map or write up a little history about the world if it's a fantasy world, post apocolyptic, etc. I like to have a fairly firm idea about where the story takes place, but it's tough for me not to get a**l about details and to start working on the part people actually give a da[ng] about: THE PLOT.

It also depends on whether your characters are going to be traveling a lot, and whether certain plot points are people-centered or location-centered. (i.e. "Two lovers having an arguement" or "heros are suddenly sinking in the swamp mud" wink

[totable_cobra]

Generally, I write stories based in this world (I'm not usually a fantasy writer). However, sometimes I venture into that area (not so much, recently) - and world-creation is probably my favorite part of fantasy-story conception, or at least a close second.

When I work with new worlds, I try to be as detailed as I can be. From what I've read on this board, most people tend to let their needs (be they plot, character, setting, etc.) dictate the world; they create it around their plot or characters. I cannot do that.

As soon as I decide my story is going to take place in a different world, I set the plot aside and spend my time just developing the setting. This actually helps me more than building the world around my needs would, I think, because it gives me consistant rules and inspires me - I often come up with random details about the nature of the people/races in the world, the religions, the landscape, the history, the norms - and these things make me think about how my characters exist in relation to these things, how I can use them, or whether I even have to. It is a helpful tool not just in setting development, but in plot and character development as well.

Plus, I think world-building is fun. Sometimes I'll just start from the bottom and make them up without reason (i.e. I've nothing I particularly want to write about at the time); I've got a number of worlds unknown just sitting in my head, which I suppose is handy when I need something quick.

It's been a while since I made anything new, though. Perhaps I'll pick it up again; posting this made me somewhat nostalgic. smile

[Azes13]

For me, I think up a story. Then I make a world for them. Then I forget to write a story and then I have an awesome world with no purpose.

[Sarehptar]

Generally I get a story idea, and then, before I start writing, I start thinking about the world- Do they speak english? Do they have different customs? Do they dress different? Do they have different morals? What makes any fantasy world real is its people. It doesn't matter how cool your map is (I draw the map about the middle of the story, and include places I need), it depends on how believable the world is.

[Jinx Jitzu]

My stories are usually set in this world, but the characters and storyline are fantasy. I find it easier to set fantasy characters into the setting of Earth, cause then you have less to think about setting-wise and you can focus on the characters. But some people like to focus heavily on the setting. It all depends on how you want the story to sound.

[Aposhi Enae]

It started out as more of a joke, but my friend and I actually created our own little world. We have a written language for it, a spoken language, some set rules, a few maps, and a code that turns each word into a single symbol. We base our stories on that world. Normally I would just make things up as I go along, but let me tell you: it is MUCH easier to make the world first.

[El_Fuego]

I prefer to fly by the seat of my pants. I make it up as I go along. As I have no shortage of good ideas, I hardly ever have writer's block. Opening up your mind to inspiration of the real world and taking interesting concepts to extremes makes for quite good writing. Like, for example, taking the idea of an imperialist society and stretching it to be an entire social structure out of that can make for some very good interaction between characters and society as a whole. It takes some time to recognize what is good and what isn't, but, with time, anyone can do it.

[Borg1of5]

Daymyth

Who creates the world that they set thier story in before the write, and does it help, i mean do people just go and write or do you create your charecters and world before you write your story, or create as you go along.

creating a whole new world is great for a book because you are no longer restricted to the rules of this one. I created a new world for the book i'm writing. it isn't easy letting my mind go because i'm still used to the rules and restgrictions of the world i'm stuck on. i think it will be difficult for my readers to free their minds as well but a new world just opens up so many possibilities. with your own world, you can control the kind of technology there is, the way people live, the government, the species of creatures, and all that good stuff. to be totally honest...i would rather live in the world i created rather than this one. it doesn't have as great technology but the government doesn't run your life and a person can make a descent living...besides....there's gryphons in my book....and vampyres.....i would love it!

[__eternal8]

My characters and the world that they live in are what keep me interested in the story. So yes, I do spend quite a bit of time world building. Sometimes it works against me, though, as I get so 'into' the world that I have created that I keep wanting to add more and more details that aren't relevant to the plot at hand.

[Rum Flag Shackles]

Oh I created one world that all my stories are placed in. I just change the times they happened.

[Releashi]

I generally start with say a scene in my head... it can be from anywhere in a story and if it contains fantasitical elements I spend a lot of time asking what is the logic of those things how did they come to pass. More than anything I like worlds that have strong political back bones so I try to spend a lot of time on the power structure that shapes peoples lives.

I think that whoever my characters are they are as much shaped by the world they lived in as they are by the story that I'll tell of them so if the world isn't convincing they wont be either.

[Caridwen-Aine]

Depends with me. I have 2 somewhat finished worlds gathering dust on my computer, but just started a story that so far does not exist in a world at all, though it is fantasy. I'll probably make up the world as I continue, detailing cultures, lands and towns when I come along them, and random jotting down things I come up with that I can later add. The first writings are drafts anyways, if something needs to be added I can easily do that. 3nodding

[Disgruntled Peony]

Depending on whether it's a sci-fi or fantasy story, my methods vary. With sci-fi stories I have to do extensive research before I can create the world so I won't, you know, completely debase an important scientific principle through ignorance or something. (Either that or I'm trying to find a theoretical way around said scientific principles... for example, the theory/fact/whatever-you-want-to-call-it that states we'll never be able to go faster than the speed of light.) With fantasy, I often let the world grow up around me (although I'll have some vague idea of how I want it to work beforehand). So really, I do both.