How to Build Your Fictional World with Games!

How
does the world of your story work? Today, we’ve based our blog post on a webcast led by founder and Executive Director of The Society of Young Inklings, Naomi Kinsman. Naomi leads improv-based workshops that use a set of quick-thinking and movement games to develop the world of your story, no matter the
genre:

Writing is all about the choices you make along the way. Part of what makes your writing voice unique is the way you choose to tell the story you choose to tell. So, why not play a fun game to help you make those important story choices? You can choose to play these games one of two ways: on your feet or in your seat! The choice is now yours.

Let the games begin!Prompt/Activity #1:

The goal here is to make some choices about the world of your story. So, ask yourself: Are your
characters… 

Rule following, or rule breaking? High-achieving, or
relaxed? Creative, or analytical? Generous, or self-focused? Logical,
or emotional? Quick to react, or slow to react? Healthy, or
unhealthy?

What does this information tell you about the world your characters live in?

 Prompt/activity #2: 

Try to physically inhabit your
character! Think about your character: How do they walk? What are
they wearing? Are they holding anything? Do they have an expression
that they wear? Try to find the rhythm of your character’s breath.

Then, imagine your character going somewhere to get food. Where do characters in your world get their
food? An open-air market, a grocery store, or meals on wheels? Or do they have to hunt and forage in order to eat? What would your character want or buy? What would they smell,
hear, or taste?

 Prompt/activity #3:

Visualize your character in an
outdoor space in the world of your story! What does it look/sound
like? What does is smell like? Eucalyptus trees, roses, the ocean? Or does it smell like exhaust from cars passing, a street-side hot dog cart? How does this outdoor space feel to your character? 

Then, something in this
space surprises your character!

Prompt/activity #4:

Go to an urban
area in the world of your story. What’s the architecture like? How
many people are on the street? Is it crowded or are the streets empty? What are people carrying? How do they
interact with each other? How does your character feel in this space? 

Then, your character finds something with writing on it in the street! This could be a newspaper, a sign, a magazine, graffiti. What does the text tell us about the world your characters live in?

Prompt/activity #5:

Choose a room for your main character to enter. What does the
door look like? What is the largest object in the space? What kind of
tools are in the room? What objects show pop culture? What status
symbols are present or absent? What are the decorations or furniture
like? What objects are available for entertainment purposes? 

 Prompt/activity #6:

Draw a map of your world! Go big: use
quick symbols and labels. Where does your character live/sleep? Where do their friends and family live? Are there businesses near by? A market? A park? A sporting arena? A university? A library? Where does the government of your character’s world operate? Is there a jail? A theater? Places of worship? A hospital or medicine woman/man? Which areas are most dangerous and scary for your character? Where does your character feel safest?

Be sure to include on the map any additional locations where incidents/scenes occur in your story.

So many choices, so little time!

Watch the full YouTube webcast with Naomi. 

The Society of Young Inklings is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth writers, ages 8-18. Their programs launched in 2008 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through their work (and play!) with thousands of students and educators, they developed and refined Writerly Play, a game-based approach to the creative process. The Society of Young Inklings now offers online mentorships, writers’ circles, and courses. Stay in touch by following them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Top photo by Hannah Rodrigo on Unsplash.