I am very glad to see more creators placing an emphasis upon realism as immersion in world-building. I think you are particularly insightful when you note that a culture needs, at root, Belierfs about life, death and the unseen; ways of marking identity; and taboos and traditions, in order not to seem "hollow." It's like, there's no culture that we know of in the real world that isn't somehow interested in questions of afterlife, or that lacks a means of naming folks. So when a fantasy culture conspicuously lacks these things, or if they're underdevelopped, then, naturally, it'll appear half-baked and fake.
I have found that an excellent way to flesh out a particular fantastical culture is by making lists of vocabulary in areas that would be important to them. If you're telling a story about a cave-dwelling folk, for instance you'd expect thier dialogue to contain a wealth of terms particular to thier world's speleology. But you wouldn't stop there. The logistics of living underground, what with belly-crawls, and flooded caves, and spooky limestone boneyards, would influence thier worldview and cosmology. Their bad afterlife might involve crawling through a perpetually flooding narrow passage, whereas the virtuous might find themselves comforted in echoing halls full of glowing moss and music. Living in proximity with dangerous subterranean predators, might have led thier language to develop a taboo against speaking certain echoey words, which would have interesting consequences on the vocabulary of their langauge.
Interesting article! Giving context into what I've worked on. I currently have this story I'm word sprinting out and stopped at a scene where the priestess is sacrificing someone to their God because they harvested when their God didn't give permission to do so. The twist here is they live on their God. I guess this works in what you meant? 🤔
But, I'd like to ask. What if that's not the goal of your worldbuilding though? Unless you want this deeply fleshed world. Maybe some people just want something to explore an idea or concept? 🧐
I'm not disagreeing to disaagree. Just trying to have a discussion. You got me thinking!
I'm glad I got you thinking, and I'm always happy to have a discussion about worldbuilding! Worldbuilding is a great vehicle for exploring a concept. What concept are you examining with your world?
The timing is right for me to discover your stack. I am writing a science fiction story, and I need to create a subculture of eco-anarchists that subscribe to some indigenous beliefs, creating a new local culture. Can you direct me to some of your posts where you deal with the basics? Thanks, bg.
Well, honestly, Brian, I've not written much about "basics." I do have one piece titled Worldbuilding 101, and I've written about power struggles in fantasy. I'd link them here if I could, but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be a formatting option in a comment.
You can find them by surfing back through my Archive though!
A lot of those younger to writing would benefit from what you've shared here. I've found that many young writers are trying to escape from mundane norms, and I suspect this lends itself to starting off with magic systems, monarchies, and wars rather than the more nuanced anthropological worldbuilding concerns. The latter are the very things younger fantasists and worldubilders are trying to escape! But you're absolutely right that imagined worlds feel like flimsily-built theater stages when the author's concerns all seem to be written from 30,000 feet rather than the street.
I think a pragmatic solution for those who can't foot the time and energy bill to really study the humanities is to start with characters. Start with people and their problems, and give yourself permission to create weird social problems for them that are analogous to real life but not a mimicry of it. It's by no means the only way to address this matter, but it's one technique that's helped me a lot.
Oh this is all so exciting to read as a budding fantasy writer. Reading this makes me feel like your series could give me insights on how to make worlds richer, lived-in, and, when the time comes to self-edit the completed draft, to end in a way that feels like I can look back on my draft and say "holy crap, I made an entire world that I really, really love."
Good stuff here. Power, custom, survivle, landscape, population. Strutures. How do people live in their communities?
As I open my curiosity to write in new genres, this is perfect timing! Thank you for sharing your perspective and knowledge.
Sounds awesome thanks
Great piece! I love diving deep into the what-ifs and whys of culture.
Thank you, I do too!
I am very glad to see more creators placing an emphasis upon realism as immersion in world-building. I think you are particularly insightful when you note that a culture needs, at root, Belierfs about life, death and the unseen; ways of marking identity; and taboos and traditions, in order not to seem "hollow." It's like, there's no culture that we know of in the real world that isn't somehow interested in questions of afterlife, or that lacks a means of naming folks. So when a fantasy culture conspicuously lacks these things, or if they're underdevelopped, then, naturally, it'll appear half-baked and fake.
I have found that an excellent way to flesh out a particular fantastical culture is by making lists of vocabulary in areas that would be important to them. If you're telling a story about a cave-dwelling folk, for instance you'd expect thier dialogue to contain a wealth of terms particular to thier world's speleology. But you wouldn't stop there. The logistics of living underground, what with belly-crawls, and flooded caves, and spooky limestone boneyards, would influence thier worldview and cosmology. Their bad afterlife might involve crawling through a perpetually flooding narrow passage, whereas the virtuous might find themselves comforted in echoing halls full of glowing moss and music. Living in proximity with dangerous subterranean predators, might have led thier language to develop a taboo against speaking certain echoey words, which would have interesting consequences on the vocabulary of their langauge.
I'm really looking forward to this.
Interesting article! Giving context into what I've worked on. I currently have this story I'm word sprinting out and stopped at a scene where the priestess is sacrificing someone to their God because they harvested when their God didn't give permission to do so. The twist here is they live on their God. I guess this works in what you meant? 🤔
But, I'd like to ask. What if that's not the goal of your worldbuilding though? Unless you want this deeply fleshed world. Maybe some people just want something to explore an idea or concept? 🧐
I'm not disagreeing to disaagree. Just trying to have a discussion. You got me thinking!
I'm glad I got you thinking, and I'm always happy to have a discussion about worldbuilding! Worldbuilding is a great vehicle for exploring a concept. What concept are you examining with your world?
This is such a perfect reminder. I think creating the world goes so much deeper than the actual story.
The timing is right for me to discover your stack. I am writing a science fiction story, and I need to create a subculture of eco-anarchists that subscribe to some indigenous beliefs, creating a new local culture. Can you direct me to some of your posts where you deal with the basics? Thanks, bg.
Well, honestly, Brian, I've not written much about "basics." I do have one piece titled Worldbuilding 101, and I've written about power struggles in fantasy. I'd link them here if I could, but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be a formatting option in a comment.
You can find them by surfing back through my Archive though!
Happy reading!
Is the answer “specifics”? My biggest problem with fantasy is always the details
A lot of those younger to writing would benefit from what you've shared here. I've found that many young writers are trying to escape from mundane norms, and I suspect this lends itself to starting off with magic systems, monarchies, and wars rather than the more nuanced anthropological worldbuilding concerns. The latter are the very things younger fantasists and worldubilders are trying to escape! But you're absolutely right that imagined worlds feel like flimsily-built theater stages when the author's concerns all seem to be written from 30,000 feet rather than the street.
I think a pragmatic solution for those who can't foot the time and energy bill to really study the humanities is to start with characters. Start with people and their problems, and give yourself permission to create weird social problems for them that are analogous to real life but not a mimicry of it. It's by no means the only way to address this matter, but it's one technique that's helped me a lot.
Great thoughts here!
Good article!
Very excited to learn in the coming Wenesdays
Oh this is all so exciting to read as a budding fantasy writer. Reading this makes me feel like your series could give me insights on how to make worlds richer, lived-in, and, when the time comes to self-edit the completed draft, to end in a way that feels like I can look back on my draft and say "holy crap, I made an entire world that I really, really love."