Are you a Sualwet or an Erdlander? World Building in Contemporary Literature
World Building is a full time job. When I read a book I love it when I can lose myself in the landscape of the story. Sometimes, there are even stories I enjoy despite weak plots because of the excellent World Building (Across the Universe). But what is it that goes into the creation of a world. I really had no idea until I started writing
Two Moons of Sera.
Two Moons of Sera takes place on a world where there are two species of people (so far anyway *wink*wink*). The Sualwets are a water-borne people whose survival has depended on practicality. Alternately the Erdlanders are more human-esque but their species is dying out. Driving them to extreme measures.
When I first started writing I thought this was enough. My other stories all make use of culture and religion so I felt like it wouldn't be too hard to translate that into World Building. Shadow On The Wall takes place in modern day turkey with a Muslim superhero! Surely the research I did into that alone is enough to make me ready to create a species of my own.
Man was I wrong.
If done well your new world will include technology, psychology, anthropology and sociology: to help create a realistic and fleshed out cultures. Once you have that it is only natural to continue on to explore issues of philosophy and religion.
One of the best examples of quality World Building is of the Fremen in Dune. While they are technically human, the world of Arakkis is so fundamentally different from Earth that Herbert had to create cultures influenced by forces outside of our frame of reference. This requires not only imagination but time. The dedication to accuracy, consistency and originality in the culture of the Fremen is an inspiration to me as I attempt to create not one, but two (maybe more - shhh) complete societies. So, check out this quiz and tell me how I did!
And Remember - I'm still having a mega giveaway on my blog through the end of the month. Come join the fun!
Pav
Two Moons of Sera.
Two Moons of Sera takes place on a world where there are two species of people (so far anyway *wink*wink*). The Sualwets are a water-borne people whose survival has depended on practicality. Alternately the Erdlanders are more human-esque but their species is dying out. Driving them to extreme measures.
When I first started writing I thought this was enough. My other stories all make use of culture and religion so I felt like it wouldn't be too hard to translate that into World Building. Shadow On The Wall takes place in modern day turkey with a Muslim superhero! Surely the research I did into that alone is enough to make me ready to create a species of my own.
Man was I wrong.
If done well your new world will include technology, psychology, anthropology and sociology: to help create a realistic and fleshed out cultures. Once you have that it is only natural to continue on to explore issues of philosophy and religion.
One of the best examples of quality World Building is of the Fremen in Dune. While they are technically human, the world of Arakkis is so fundamentally different from Earth that Herbert had to create cultures influenced by forces outside of our frame of reference. This requires not only imagination but time. The dedication to accuracy, consistency and originality in the culture of the Fremen is an inspiration to me as I attempt to create not one, but two (maybe more - shhh) complete societies. So, check out this quiz and tell me how I did!
And Remember - I'm still having a mega giveaway on my blog through the end of the month. Come join the fun!
Pav
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