Nicole Nadeau's Blog
June 1, 2020
Building A World From The Ground Up
In the previous post, I mentioned the importance of world-building as you begin to develop your story. Today we’ll be going more in-depth and talk about what techniques you can apply to your book.
But before we get started, keep in mind that world-building is for books that take place in their own world (hence the term). If it’s grounded in reality or history, then you can skip this step.
And now on to the post.
1). History
Our first thought of world-building is creating, well, the world. But we often make the world without thinking about its history. What happened before the story? Were there wars? Ancient civilizations? What happened to them?
Answering these questions can help your reader fully immerse themselves into the story.
Let’s look at The Hunger Games. Panem used to be North America before an apocalyptic event. It was then divided into thirteen districts and the Capital. After a failed revolution, the Capital bombed District Thirteen and started The Hunger Games as punishment and a warning against future revolts.
Spoilers. Sorry.
By giving us this info, we know about past conflicts and the brutal nature of the government. Readers can quickly get a grasp on the situation as the story gets underway.
2). Inhabitants
Now that we have our world, we need people to fill it. And depending on your genre you could have different species. You could have various types of aliens for science fiction, vampires and werewolves for supernatural, and elves and orcs for fantasy.
We also have to think about how they interact with each other. Are there hostilities between certain species? Or do they mingle without any problems?
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and The Lord of The Rings take different approaches. In the former, Narnia consists of both humans and magical creatures like centaurs and talking animals. The relations between the two groups are fairly good as they live amongst one another. Granted, this changes drastically in the sequel Prince Caspian, but there’s peace between the people in the first entry of The Chronicles of Narnia.
Lord of The Rings is much different. The different people live separated from another. There are the kingdoms of men, elves, and the mines of the dwarves. And there are open hostilities between the elves and dwarves.
Think about how the people would interact with each other and the fictional world will feel like a real one.
3). Culture
This feels redundant after the previous section, but it’s not. Different societies naturally have different cultures. And they could have differing views on magic or science.
Harry Potter obviously has magic, but it’s used so much by wizards that it’s become commonplace. Yet they’re awed by modern technology.
So think of your book. If there’s magic, is it viewed religiously or as just something they encounter every day? The same applies to technology. Do they embrace or reject it?
There are other examples, so think about what cultures make up your world and what makes them unique.
4). Government
World, check. People, check. Culture, check. The last major thing is the type of government.
Is it a kingdom, democracy, or dictatorship? If it’s the first two, are the leaders benevolent or corrupt?
And how do they manage their economy? Do they have their own currency? How does it tackle its infrastructure?
While the idea of government is very broad, it’s the details that help flesh it out. Think about the small things and work your way up.
World-building is no small task. But if you tap into your imagination you can create your own living, breathing world. One that others crave to escape to.
And that itself is the goal of every true writer.
But before we get started, keep in mind that world-building is for books that take place in their own world (hence the term). If it’s grounded in reality or history, then you can skip this step.
And now on to the post.
1). History
Our first thought of world-building is creating, well, the world. But we often make the world without thinking about its history. What happened before the story? Were there wars? Ancient civilizations? What happened to them?
Answering these questions can help your reader fully immerse themselves into the story.
Let’s look at The Hunger Games. Panem used to be North America before an apocalyptic event. It was then divided into thirteen districts and the Capital. After a failed revolution, the Capital bombed District Thirteen and started The Hunger Games as punishment and a warning against future revolts.
Spoilers. Sorry.
By giving us this info, we know about past conflicts and the brutal nature of the government. Readers can quickly get a grasp on the situation as the story gets underway.
2). Inhabitants
Now that we have our world, we need people to fill it. And depending on your genre you could have different species. You could have various types of aliens for science fiction, vampires and werewolves for supernatural, and elves and orcs for fantasy.
We also have to think about how they interact with each other. Are there hostilities between certain species? Or do they mingle without any problems?
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and The Lord of The Rings take different approaches. In the former, Narnia consists of both humans and magical creatures like centaurs and talking animals. The relations between the two groups are fairly good as they live amongst one another. Granted, this changes drastically in the sequel Prince Caspian, but there’s peace between the people in the first entry of The Chronicles of Narnia.
Lord of The Rings is much different. The different people live separated from another. There are the kingdoms of men, elves, and the mines of the dwarves. And there are open hostilities between the elves and dwarves.
Think about how the people would interact with each other and the fictional world will feel like a real one.
3). Culture
This feels redundant after the previous section, but it’s not. Different societies naturally have different cultures. And they could have differing views on magic or science.
Harry Potter obviously has magic, but it’s used so much by wizards that it’s become commonplace. Yet they’re awed by modern technology.
So think of your book. If there’s magic, is it viewed religiously or as just something they encounter every day? The same applies to technology. Do they embrace or reject it?
There are other examples, so think about what cultures make up your world and what makes them unique.
4). Government
World, check. People, check. Culture, check. The last major thing is the type of government.
Is it a kingdom, democracy, or dictatorship? If it’s the first two, are the leaders benevolent or corrupt?
And how do they manage their economy? Do they have their own currency? How does it tackle its infrastructure?
While the idea of government is very broad, it’s the details that help flesh it out. Think about the small things and work your way up.
World-building is no small task. But if you tap into your imagination you can create your own living, breathing world. One that others crave to escape to.
And that itself is the goal of every true writer.
Outlining: What You Need Before You Start Writing
So you have the perfect idea for a book? Great, congratulations! Ready to start writing?
Pump the brakes.
I know it’s tempting to take your new idea and run with it, but you need to have a plan for it if you want it to succeed. You need a road map for your story. You need an outline.
Now, not every writer needs to outline. Aptly dubbed "pantsers", these writers fly by the seat of their pants and come up with the story as they go. If you’re a pantser yourself, way to go! You’re able to do something that most cannot.
For the rest of the writers, this post is for you.
There’s no right way to outline. Go into as much or little detail as you want. But as you begin to outline, there are a few things you need to do:
1). Research, Research, Research
You might be asking, “But Nicole, I’m writing a fantasy or a space epic. I don’t need to research for this type of book.”
Wrong.
You need to research no matter what you’re writing. But your research could be different depending on the subject.
For a historical romance, you’ll need accurate facts for that place and time period. And if it is a fantasy or a space epic, there’s still research to be done. J.K. Rowling included actual Latin phrases into the spells. And every space epic will have some shred of science in it.
Research is a fundamental step in outlining. It’ll help take your book to the next level.
2). Remember Your Natural Laws
Every fictional universe has it’s basic rules. Wizards cannot fly unaided. Magic can’t bring back the dead. There are natural laws you need to follow to make your story believable.
This is much easier to do if your story takes place in the present day. Just don’t act like most Hollywood movies and defy the laws of physics.
If you’re creating your own world, you need to make your own laws. What’s something that’s impossible with even the strongest of magic/science? Are there actual laws? What are they?
Worldbuilding is critical. We’ll cover it in another post, but for now, create your basic laws and cement them into your mind.
3). Know Your Cast Inside and Out
What is a story without its characters? They’re the major players, taking center stage as the action unfolds.
So, of course, you need to know every little detail about them. You don’t need the name of their second-grade teacher, but you do need to know their biggest dreams and deepest fears.
Are they insecure? Do they fall in love too easily? What’s their ultimate goal?
Answer these questions as you outline, and your characters will be the ones writing the story.
4). Have Your Ending Ahead of Time
Ironically as our last item on the checklist, you need to know your ending ahead of time. That way you know where you’re going and can foreshadow.
Crime novels do this expertly. When the culprit is caught, the detective recounts how they came to this realization while also touching upon red herrings found earlier in the story. It shows that the author knew all along who the criminal was and didn’t just pick them out of a lineup.
Having your ending in mind is key. It’s your final destination. Remember that as you outline.
Even though it’s more exciting to immediately start writing, outlining will save you time in the long haul. You’ll bypass the plot holes and the feeling of being stuck in your story. And maybe even some of the writer’s block.
So sit down and start outlining. Then you can truly enjoy writing your new story.
Pump the brakes.
I know it’s tempting to take your new idea and run with it, but you need to have a plan for it if you want it to succeed. You need a road map for your story. You need an outline.
Now, not every writer needs to outline. Aptly dubbed "pantsers", these writers fly by the seat of their pants and come up with the story as they go. If you’re a pantser yourself, way to go! You’re able to do something that most cannot.
For the rest of the writers, this post is for you.
There’s no right way to outline. Go into as much or little detail as you want. But as you begin to outline, there are a few things you need to do:
1). Research, Research, Research
You might be asking, “But Nicole, I’m writing a fantasy or a space epic. I don’t need to research for this type of book.”
Wrong.
You need to research no matter what you’re writing. But your research could be different depending on the subject.
For a historical romance, you’ll need accurate facts for that place and time period. And if it is a fantasy or a space epic, there’s still research to be done. J.K. Rowling included actual Latin phrases into the spells. And every space epic will have some shred of science in it.
Research is a fundamental step in outlining. It’ll help take your book to the next level.
2). Remember Your Natural Laws
Every fictional universe has it’s basic rules. Wizards cannot fly unaided. Magic can’t bring back the dead. There are natural laws you need to follow to make your story believable.
This is much easier to do if your story takes place in the present day. Just don’t act like most Hollywood movies and defy the laws of physics.
If you’re creating your own world, you need to make your own laws. What’s something that’s impossible with even the strongest of magic/science? Are there actual laws? What are they?
Worldbuilding is critical. We’ll cover it in another post, but for now, create your basic laws and cement them into your mind.
3). Know Your Cast Inside and Out
What is a story without its characters? They’re the major players, taking center stage as the action unfolds.
So, of course, you need to know every little detail about them. You don’t need the name of their second-grade teacher, but you do need to know their biggest dreams and deepest fears.
Are they insecure? Do they fall in love too easily? What’s their ultimate goal?
Answer these questions as you outline, and your characters will be the ones writing the story.
4). Have Your Ending Ahead of Time
Ironically as our last item on the checklist, you need to know your ending ahead of time. That way you know where you’re going and can foreshadow.
Crime novels do this expertly. When the culprit is caught, the detective recounts how they came to this realization while also touching upon red herrings found earlier in the story. It shows that the author knew all along who the criminal was and didn’t just pick them out of a lineup.
Having your ending in mind is key. It’s your final destination. Remember that as you outline.
Even though it’s more exciting to immediately start writing, outlining will save you time in the long haul. You’ll bypass the plot holes and the feeling of being stuck in your story. And maybe even some of the writer’s block.
So sit down and start outlining. Then you can truly enjoy writing your new story.
The Struggle is Real Entertaining
Like life, there’s no lack of conflict in fiction. But we actually enjoy it when we read about it. Yet writers sometimes make things too easy for their characters—having them breeze through the plot without any difficulty. And that’s boring. If there are no obstacles to overcome, the reader won’t have any emotional stake in the story and wouldn’t have any incentive to keep reading.
Having your characters struggle is good. It not only adds to your plot but makes your characters more relatable.
Look at most comic book characters. They have amazing powers and abilities, save the day, but they still have problems. Besides the constant threat of supervillains. They get dumped. Some struggle financially or with addictions. And, in the case of secret identities, they deal with the fallout of lying to their loved ones. The people behind the capes have the same battles that we face.
A perfect example is our favorite genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist—Tony Stark, or better known as Iron Man. He starts out arrogant and self-centered. And even after he changes, he’s still a former alcoholic. And he’s still insanely popular.
Let me repeat that. A character that was literally created as a challenge to make a hero that no one should like, then force them to, is one of the most iconic comic characters in history. All because we see the man behind the suit and the problems he faces every day.
Struggles equal relatability. If a character has problems, it humanizes them. Period.
From a plot standpoint, adversity adds excitement to your book. Will the hero win? Will they find love? Or will they fail and lose everything? If your protagonist doesn’t have any obstacles, it takes away that emotional investment the reader has put into your book.
Imagine if Frodo destroyed The Ring with ease. If he had just walked into Mordor (pun intended). Not only would you cut an epic trilogy down to probably one book, but it wouldn’t be epic anymore. It would be a story about a Hobbit who went on a long hike and threw away a ring. There would be no Nazgûl, no orc armies, and no betrayal from Saruman. Pretty boring, right?
Conflict makes your story what it is. It brings excitement to the table. And it shows your characters in a different light and helps readers connect with them.
So have your characters bleed. Make them stumble and fall. Then have them get back up again. Because nothing is more human than that.
Having your characters struggle is good. It not only adds to your plot but makes your characters more relatable.
Look at most comic book characters. They have amazing powers and abilities, save the day, but they still have problems. Besides the constant threat of supervillains. They get dumped. Some struggle financially or with addictions. And, in the case of secret identities, they deal with the fallout of lying to their loved ones. The people behind the capes have the same battles that we face.
A perfect example is our favorite genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist—Tony Stark, or better known as Iron Man. He starts out arrogant and self-centered. And even after he changes, he’s still a former alcoholic. And he’s still insanely popular.
Let me repeat that. A character that was literally created as a challenge to make a hero that no one should like, then force them to, is one of the most iconic comic characters in history. All because we see the man behind the suit and the problems he faces every day.
Struggles equal relatability. If a character has problems, it humanizes them. Period.
From a plot standpoint, adversity adds excitement to your book. Will the hero win? Will they find love? Or will they fail and lose everything? If your protagonist doesn’t have any obstacles, it takes away that emotional investment the reader has put into your book.
Imagine if Frodo destroyed The Ring with ease. If he had just walked into Mordor (pun intended). Not only would you cut an epic trilogy down to probably one book, but it wouldn’t be epic anymore. It would be a story about a Hobbit who went on a long hike and threw away a ring. There would be no Nazgûl, no orc armies, and no betrayal from Saruman. Pretty boring, right?
Conflict makes your story what it is. It brings excitement to the table. And it shows your characters in a different light and helps readers connect with them.
So have your characters bleed. Make them stumble and fall. Then have them get back up again. Because nothing is more human than that.
December 30, 2019
To Prequel or Not to Prequel
Prequels are tricky things. They’re supposed to help push your story forward before it even takes place. If done correctly, they can add more to your story and make your readers gain a different perspective.
If. Done. Correctly.
If not, it will confuse your readers and leave your story a jumbled mess.
There are many reasons why a prequel succeeds or fails, but today we’ll cover two of the most common ones.
The first reason is continuity. When you write your story, you set the stage by introducing the world and the events that led up to the beginning of the story. Prequels show what exactly happened, but the plot of a prequel can often wreck the stage for your original book.
A good example of a prequel done right is The Hobbit. Even as we follow Bilbo’s adventure, we know his eventual ending. He returns to the Shire with the One Ring and records his tale that he passes on to his heir, Frodo. Tolkien keeps that in mind while he writes The Hobbit. He shows how Bilbo not only reaches the Lonely Mountain but how he obtains the Ring on the way. By the time he returns to Bag End, all of the plot points have been tied up and tees up The Fellowship of the Ring. The prequel doesn’t ruin the beginning of the original trilogy, but rather acknowledges its existence and follows the timeline Tolkien originally set up.
Prequels that fail forget that there’s another story once it’s over. They either leave plot points open or rush to tie everything up, which just makes for a sloppy ending. It wouldn’t have been as exciting if Bilbo found The Ring on the side of the road on his way back home. We would’ve known that Tolkien forgot and quickly added it in. If you do a prequel, write down the major details of the beginning of your original book and make sure you neatly work them into the prequel.
The other major factor for a prequel’s success is details. Specifically, important events or facts from the original story. If there’s something that is claimed to have happened before the start of your book, the prequel needs to show it. And the prequel must account for other details from its predecessor, both significant and trivial.
Going back to The Hobbit, we know Bilbo somehow obtains the One Ring before The Fellowship of the Ring. During his adventure we see just that—he takes the Ring from Gollum and keeps it until he eventually gives it to Frodo. And while we recognize the Ring for what it truly is and know Gollum’s story, Bilbo doesn’t see their significance and carries on without too much thought. This small section of the prequel keeps true to the original story’s timeline and shows its characters dismissing important details as insignificant.
As readers, we remember important details and events from the original book. If the writer can’t keep track of them, it not only confuses the reader but can create unnecessary plot holes in the main story.
Prequels should be handled with care and extreme caution. If you’re interested in writing a prequel or might in the future, sit down and write out a timeline. Make a list of important facts and keep track of them. Details make or break every story.
And in a prequel’s case, it does that for two.
If. Done. Correctly.
If not, it will confuse your readers and leave your story a jumbled mess.
There are many reasons why a prequel succeeds or fails, but today we’ll cover two of the most common ones.
The first reason is continuity. When you write your story, you set the stage by introducing the world and the events that led up to the beginning of the story. Prequels show what exactly happened, but the plot of a prequel can often wreck the stage for your original book.
A good example of a prequel done right is The Hobbit. Even as we follow Bilbo’s adventure, we know his eventual ending. He returns to the Shire with the One Ring and records his tale that he passes on to his heir, Frodo. Tolkien keeps that in mind while he writes The Hobbit. He shows how Bilbo not only reaches the Lonely Mountain but how he obtains the Ring on the way. By the time he returns to Bag End, all of the plot points have been tied up and tees up The Fellowship of the Ring. The prequel doesn’t ruin the beginning of the original trilogy, but rather acknowledges its existence and follows the timeline Tolkien originally set up.
Prequels that fail forget that there’s another story once it’s over. They either leave plot points open or rush to tie everything up, which just makes for a sloppy ending. It wouldn’t have been as exciting if Bilbo found The Ring on the side of the road on his way back home. We would’ve known that Tolkien forgot and quickly added it in. If you do a prequel, write down the major details of the beginning of your original book and make sure you neatly work them into the prequel.
The other major factor for a prequel’s success is details. Specifically, important events or facts from the original story. If there’s something that is claimed to have happened before the start of your book, the prequel needs to show it. And the prequel must account for other details from its predecessor, both significant and trivial.
Going back to The Hobbit, we know Bilbo somehow obtains the One Ring before The Fellowship of the Ring. During his adventure we see just that—he takes the Ring from Gollum and keeps it until he eventually gives it to Frodo. And while we recognize the Ring for what it truly is and know Gollum’s story, Bilbo doesn’t see their significance and carries on without too much thought. This small section of the prequel keeps true to the original story’s timeline and shows its characters dismissing important details as insignificant.
As readers, we remember important details and events from the original book. If the writer can’t keep track of them, it not only confuses the reader but can create unnecessary plot holes in the main story.
Prequels should be handled with care and extreme caution. If you’re interested in writing a prequel or might in the future, sit down and write out a timeline. Make a list of important facts and keep track of them. Details make or break every story.
And in a prequel’s case, it does that for two.
December 8, 2019
SMA + Me = Writer
Hello, my fellow authors! It took a long time to get to be able to call myself that, but I did it!
My road to publication was a little different than others—you see, I have SMA, which stands for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. It makes you unable to walk, weakens your immune system and muscles, and causes you to get tired easier. While I use a wheelchair to get around and need help a lot, I still do everything I want to do.
It does make you have to take a different approach to do those things. When I first started writing, I was using an onscreen keyboard to type. I can’t use an actual keyboard and didn’t want to have someone else type it out for me. Too many spoilers and not enough privacy that way. Then I tried speech to text software. Sounds like a good idea, right?
Wrong.
Another side effect of SMA is making your voice weaker so you don’t have as much projection as you normally would. Which means that Siri, Alexa, and other voice recognition software very hard to use. The one I tried took forever to type the words it did understand, and then wrote gibberish when it didn’t. It was so frustrating that I kept putting off writing because I didn’t want to fight with it.
Then came Google Drive.
I can actually type on my phone faster than my laptop. I had been trying to figure out how I could write on my phone for a while, but still needed to figure out how to move it back to my laptop when I would finish a chapter. Then one day my brother showed me Google Drive and I never looked back. It’s how I’m writing this now.
There are other obstacles SMA causes when it comes to writing. If my fingers get too cold, it’s harder to move them. Which means it’s harder to write. And if I get worn down I have to take a day or two off so I don’t get sick. Getting sick with SMA means it hits twice as hard and, if you’re not careful, can put you in the hospital.
Having SMA means you have to work smarter, not harder. It makes you have to come up with creative solutions to problems and figure out what works best for you. Because even SMA isn’t cookie cutter. Some people are stronger than me, others weaker. So what works for me might not work for someone else.
Yes, I have SMA. Yes, it takes me longer to write. But no, I’m not going to let it stop me or define me.
This blog isn’t dedicated to SMA. It might come up every now and then, but I’ll be talking about everything to do with writing. From tips for new and veteran writers, my own experiences, and everything in between.
Because I’m not the girl with SMA who writes. I’m the writer who just so happens to have SMA.
My road to publication was a little different than others—you see, I have SMA, which stands for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. It makes you unable to walk, weakens your immune system and muscles, and causes you to get tired easier. While I use a wheelchair to get around and need help a lot, I still do everything I want to do.
It does make you have to take a different approach to do those things. When I first started writing, I was using an onscreen keyboard to type. I can’t use an actual keyboard and didn’t want to have someone else type it out for me. Too many spoilers and not enough privacy that way. Then I tried speech to text software. Sounds like a good idea, right?
Wrong.
Another side effect of SMA is making your voice weaker so you don’t have as much projection as you normally would. Which means that Siri, Alexa, and other voice recognition software very hard to use. The one I tried took forever to type the words it did understand, and then wrote gibberish when it didn’t. It was so frustrating that I kept putting off writing because I didn’t want to fight with it.
Then came Google Drive.
I can actually type on my phone faster than my laptop. I had been trying to figure out how I could write on my phone for a while, but still needed to figure out how to move it back to my laptop when I would finish a chapter. Then one day my brother showed me Google Drive and I never looked back. It’s how I’m writing this now.
There are other obstacles SMA causes when it comes to writing. If my fingers get too cold, it’s harder to move them. Which means it’s harder to write. And if I get worn down I have to take a day or two off so I don’t get sick. Getting sick with SMA means it hits twice as hard and, if you’re not careful, can put you in the hospital.
Having SMA means you have to work smarter, not harder. It makes you have to come up with creative solutions to problems and figure out what works best for you. Because even SMA isn’t cookie cutter. Some people are stronger than me, others weaker. So what works for me might not work for someone else.
Yes, I have SMA. Yes, it takes me longer to write. But no, I’m not going to let it stop me or define me.
This blog isn’t dedicated to SMA. It might come up every now and then, but I’ll be talking about everything to do with writing. From tips for new and veteran writers, my own experiences, and everything in between.
Because I’m not the girl with SMA who writes. I’m the writer who just so happens to have SMA.
