Writers, SF/Fantasy writers in particular, strive to create a realistic and internally consistent space for their story to take place. (I would argue that all writers do this, even if the space they're creating is a bar like in the TV story Cheers.)
What makes a convincing world? A world builder works with the following physical :
- Geography of the world. Discworld, Terry Pratchett's long-running comic fantasy series, created a world that was flat, built on the back of a turtle ... (avid Pratchett fans can recite the rest of that description by heart. I have not yet had my coffee.) Making a map helps.
- Natural resources. The presence or absence of natural resources will drive the characters' behavior. This item fits with and expands #1. Darkover's mountains, marginal land and short growing season mean that greens can only be harvested in a limited season except when grown in a greenhouse, and dried fruits and vegetables provide much of the year's diet.
- Level of technology -- These will depend on the two items above. Without bulldozers, paved streets take a lot of manpower, often convict or slave. Houses will likely be wood-frame with wood preparation done by skilled artisans (as with the Amish). On a desert island, a house may be built from items washed ashore (Think Cast Away with Tom Hanks).
But we're not done: There are social factors to be considered, too:
- Physical form of race(s). In science fiction and fantasy, these could be humanoid or non-humanoid.
- History -- this may influence holidays, rituals, religion and spirituality -- but they're not the only influences.
- Religion and spirituality. In addition to history, religion and spirituality may be influenced by geography, weather and climate, natural resources, and even level of technology.
- Culture -- influenced by all of the above and more, culture includes arts and crafts, hidden rules, etiquette, music, taboos, and others.
- Language -- this may be optional, as at most you'll include a few words or a short conversation. It's very hard to make up a language because there's a lot of structure in language. Examples of well-constructed but minimal languages are Tolkien's languages (Sindarin, Quenya, Black Speech, etc.) and Klingon.
But the most important rule is:
Internal consistency. All of these items need to make sense together. A planet that has never seen humans probably won't have Christianity (or the same Christianity) as a planet colonized by space travel with Christians on board. If there is no history of war on the planet, weapons will only be used for hunting and home chores.
As I said at the beginning, you may be world-building without going to another world in your book. If you have a special minority on earth (like my time-travelers in Voyageurs), they'll have their own slang, unwritten rules, etc.
Don't let world building scare you -- it's a wonderful opportunity to use both sides of your brain at once!
I see now that there is much to think about when writing sci-fi. My brain is analytical. I was not a child who had pretend imaginary worlds. I was unable to relate to other kids who did. I had a difficult time watching sesame street during the scenes when the real adults were talking to the puppets. I believed that the actors were not very smart because they talking to puppets as if they were real. I did not understand that they were acting. I truly believed that those adults thought those puppets were like real children. I had a difficult time accepting ideas that could not exist in the natural world.
ReplyDeleteI do admire people who are able to able to create sci-fi worlds. I enjoyed the Lord of the Rings series and I like some of the Star Wars movies. Although Star Trek never peeked my interest. This is Lanetta.