World Building, Part Ten: Culture
Now that you have the basics of your intelligent life down, it's time to get into the nitty-gritty details. Every group of people has its own culture, whether it's something that developed in a vacuum, or it's culture from many places all crammed together.
This post will about finish what I have for culture, but if there's something I missed, let me know!
Step one: Money. What sort of monetary/trade system do they have? They may have coins, they may have paper. They might use bits of shell, or scraps of wood. How does this work? Is this money dispensed by the government? Why or why not? Does that trade center decide the value of each item up for barter? What different denominations are there? How your people get and spend their money or other things is something you need to think through, especially if you're going to need it in any part of your story. A fantasy whodunit will probably have some form of money involved, in bribes, motives, or something else. You may also need to know this if you're dealing with a merchant or trader, or your characters go to market.
Step two: What kind of buildings do your people have? If your people are nomadic, they'll probably have tents, or something similar that can be taken down and put back up. If they stay in one place, they might have log cabins, stone structures, or even metal and glass buildings. It all depends on how long they've been there, and how much scientific or magical capabilities they have. Depending on what these dwellings are made of, you may want to think about architectural idiosyncrasies. Perhaps this people has a penchant for arches, pillars, or eight-sided buildings. You'll also want to think about how they decorate them. A tent might have paintings on the side, or ornaments dangling from poles. A stone building might have pillars, carvings, or painted designs. Maybe most of these buildings are arranged in a specific pattern. These little details can be important when describing different places in your stories.
Step three: Religion and superstition. Religion and superstition can go hand in hand. If, for example, a religion in your story demonizes birds, the people are likely to come up with ways to protect themselves from those birds. If there is religion in your world, especially if it's going to play any part in your story, you'll need to think about the basics. Even if you have an atheistic character, they're likely to think poorly of religion, and you may be called upon to explain why. Your people's religion can center on one deity, or many. If you decide on a religion with multiple deities, you'll have to think about how worship of them will change from one deity to the other, and if these deities are patrons of things. If you have one deity, there's likely to be vast differences in how people think, worship, and interpret any sacred texts or signs. If you have religious conflict, this can be very important. Is this religion widespread? Why or why not? What causes people to believe or not believe in it? How does it affect their daily lives? What kinds of superstitions are likely to arise from their beliefs?
Step four: Businesses. What sort of businesses thrive in your world? You might find it helpful, here, to write a short bio on how a person or family started a business and then made it a huge success. This can be helpful for several reasons. One, you'll need to know what kind of business will succeed at all. Your people need to have a demand for it, or it won't work. Two, it might shed some light on any government dealings your business will have to go through, which can give you insight to the government. Three, it will help you decide what kinds of businesses to include in your story, as well as what kinds of people will be running them. Four, it may make you consider things like business competitors, which can offer a lot in the way of plot and conflict.
A business, like I said earlier, needs to provide something for which there is a demand. So, what do your people need? Obvious answers are food, clothing, and shelter. So there's likely to be healthy trade in food, cloth, and construction. The tricky part is the businesses that don't have to do with necessities. Things like flowers, sweets, toys, and services. Those will depend on your people's needs and desires.
Step five: Knowledge. How does your civilization pass on knowledge? Do they have schools? Maybe their parents teach them at home, and their children go into the same trade as their parents. Or, maybe it's like here in the US, where kids pick a profession and then get the appropriate schooling. There might be a sect of religious or magical people who are responsible for this, or the government might be. Maybe they value book learning, or they push on-the-job learning. It could start young, or it could start a little older. Maybe they have very little education, and everything is passed down orally.
You'll also want to consider what types of knowledge are more valuable, or esteemed. A doctor who goes through years of training, for example, is generally highly thought of, while someone who learns construction might not be, simply because the doctor is in the business of saving lives. Someone who has studied magic, as another example, can be highly sought after if magic is complex, difficult, and valued, but someone who has studied magic can also be ostracized if magic itself is viewed as a dark art that causes pain and suffering.
Step six: Language. If, like Tolkien, you want a full language, then go for it. Otherwise, a basic understanding of it, plus translated versions of the sentences you'll need should be sufficient. For simplicity's sake, you may choose to use the same grammar rules as English, rather than attempting to use a different set. If, however, you are familiar with other languages, such as Japanese, Spanish, Italian, or French, you may also decide to borrow certain elements of those as well. If you have multiple languages, you can mix them up a little and give each a different sound. Having different languages in your world gives it depth, and also allows you to invent words that don't have English equivalents. It also allows you to contrast different cultures without getting too detailed. (For a quick, easy guide to creating a simple language, click here.)
Step seven: Regional/cultural idiosyncrasies. Different areas have different specialties, and this is something you may want to take into account. As an example, a city near the sea will likely have a bustling seafood market or two, as well as a vibrant selection of local seafood based dishes. Another example, if there is a city in the desert, water is likely very valuable, and may be guarded more closely than jewels. Perhaps, like the Japanese, your people like to use chopsticks. Or, like the French, have specific foods their nation is known for like baguette bread or wine. This can help you if your characters travel to different locations; having to deal with different cultures can make the situation seem more real and relatable to a reader.
Step eight: Typical family structures and habits. This can vary quite a bit, depending on the life cycle and family-raising habits of your people. Your typical family could be the standard mom, dad, children, or it could be more complex, grandparents, children, grandchildren. There was a television show once that had a race of alien people that required three people to produce children. You may choose to do something similar, or you may choose to have them reproduce asexually. Depending on how this works, the familial relationships will have to alter to fit. If, for example, you have a typical human household of a man, a woman, and their children, you're likely to see relationships similar to the ones you see in real life. But if you have a family that's composed of three sexes, the dynamics change. Perhaps one works outside the home, one works inside, and one tends children. Perhaps two work outside, and one works inside and they all tend children. Their relationships with each other may alter, too, as well as any courtship process.
This post will about finish what I have for culture, but if there's something I missed, let me know!
Step one: Money. What sort of monetary/trade system do they have? They may have coins, they may have paper. They might use bits of shell, or scraps of wood. How does this work? Is this money dispensed by the government? Why or why not? Does that trade center decide the value of each item up for barter? What different denominations are there? How your people get and spend their money or other things is something you need to think through, especially if you're going to need it in any part of your story. A fantasy whodunit will probably have some form of money involved, in bribes, motives, or something else. You may also need to know this if you're dealing with a merchant or trader, or your characters go to market.
Step two: What kind of buildings do your people have? If your people are nomadic, they'll probably have tents, or something similar that can be taken down and put back up. If they stay in one place, they might have log cabins, stone structures, or even metal and glass buildings. It all depends on how long they've been there, and how much scientific or magical capabilities they have. Depending on what these dwellings are made of, you may want to think about architectural idiosyncrasies. Perhaps this people has a penchant for arches, pillars, or eight-sided buildings. You'll also want to think about how they decorate them. A tent might have paintings on the side, or ornaments dangling from poles. A stone building might have pillars, carvings, or painted designs. Maybe most of these buildings are arranged in a specific pattern. These little details can be important when describing different places in your stories.
Step three: Religion and superstition. Religion and superstition can go hand in hand. If, for example, a religion in your story demonizes birds, the people are likely to come up with ways to protect themselves from those birds. If there is religion in your world, especially if it's going to play any part in your story, you'll need to think about the basics. Even if you have an atheistic character, they're likely to think poorly of religion, and you may be called upon to explain why. Your people's religion can center on one deity, or many. If you decide on a religion with multiple deities, you'll have to think about how worship of them will change from one deity to the other, and if these deities are patrons of things. If you have one deity, there's likely to be vast differences in how people think, worship, and interpret any sacred texts or signs. If you have religious conflict, this can be very important. Is this religion widespread? Why or why not? What causes people to believe or not believe in it? How does it affect their daily lives? What kinds of superstitions are likely to arise from their beliefs?
Step four: Businesses. What sort of businesses thrive in your world? You might find it helpful, here, to write a short bio on how a person or family started a business and then made it a huge success. This can be helpful for several reasons. One, you'll need to know what kind of business will succeed at all. Your people need to have a demand for it, or it won't work. Two, it might shed some light on any government dealings your business will have to go through, which can give you insight to the government. Three, it will help you decide what kinds of businesses to include in your story, as well as what kinds of people will be running them. Four, it may make you consider things like business competitors, which can offer a lot in the way of plot and conflict.
A business, like I said earlier, needs to provide something for which there is a demand. So, what do your people need? Obvious answers are food, clothing, and shelter. So there's likely to be healthy trade in food, cloth, and construction. The tricky part is the businesses that don't have to do with necessities. Things like flowers, sweets, toys, and services. Those will depend on your people's needs and desires.
Step five: Knowledge. How does your civilization pass on knowledge? Do they have schools? Maybe their parents teach them at home, and their children go into the same trade as their parents. Or, maybe it's like here in the US, where kids pick a profession and then get the appropriate schooling. There might be a sect of religious or magical people who are responsible for this, or the government might be. Maybe they value book learning, or they push on-the-job learning. It could start young, or it could start a little older. Maybe they have very little education, and everything is passed down orally.
You'll also want to consider what types of knowledge are more valuable, or esteemed. A doctor who goes through years of training, for example, is generally highly thought of, while someone who learns construction might not be, simply because the doctor is in the business of saving lives. Someone who has studied magic, as another example, can be highly sought after if magic is complex, difficult, and valued, but someone who has studied magic can also be ostracized if magic itself is viewed as a dark art that causes pain and suffering.
Step six: Language. If, like Tolkien, you want a full language, then go for it. Otherwise, a basic understanding of it, plus translated versions of the sentences you'll need should be sufficient. For simplicity's sake, you may choose to use the same grammar rules as English, rather than attempting to use a different set. If, however, you are familiar with other languages, such as Japanese, Spanish, Italian, or French, you may also decide to borrow certain elements of those as well. If you have multiple languages, you can mix them up a little and give each a different sound. Having different languages in your world gives it depth, and also allows you to invent words that don't have English equivalents. It also allows you to contrast different cultures without getting too detailed. (For a quick, easy guide to creating a simple language, click here.)
Step seven: Regional/cultural idiosyncrasies. Different areas have different specialties, and this is something you may want to take into account. As an example, a city near the sea will likely have a bustling seafood market or two, as well as a vibrant selection of local seafood based dishes. Another example, if there is a city in the desert, water is likely very valuable, and may be guarded more closely than jewels. Perhaps, like the Japanese, your people like to use chopsticks. Or, like the French, have specific foods their nation is known for like baguette bread or wine. This can help you if your characters travel to different locations; having to deal with different cultures can make the situation seem more real and relatable to a reader.
Step eight: Typical family structures and habits. This can vary quite a bit, depending on the life cycle and family-raising habits of your people. Your typical family could be the standard mom, dad, children, or it could be more complex, grandparents, children, grandchildren. There was a television show once that had a race of alien people that required three people to produce children. You may choose to do something similar, or you may choose to have them reproduce asexually. Depending on how this works, the familial relationships will have to alter to fit. If, for example, you have a typical human household of a man, a woman, and their children, you're likely to see relationships similar to the ones you see in real life. But if you have a family that's composed of three sexes, the dynamics change. Perhaps one works outside the home, one works inside, and one tends children. Perhaps two work outside, and one works inside and they all tend children. Their relationships with each other may alter, too, as well as any courtship process.
No comments have been added yet.
