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deardragonbook · 2 years

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The Question Asked, Question Answered Method of World Building

Never heard of it? Good, because I just made it up.

It’s what I call the way I do world building. I’m sure I’m not the only one who does it this way I’ve just no read about it before. The name explains it pretty well once you know what I’m talking about.

I basically know nothing about my world when I start writing. I’ll know the details that inspired me to start, so for example in a book I’m writing at the moment the only thing I knew at the start of writing was there were two kingdoms, at war, with different magical abilities.

Do I know the culture of each kingdom? Do I know the technology level? Do I know what animals they keep as pets? Do I know their history? Their geography? The weather patterns?

No.

And I don’t need to know them to START.

I think a lot of new authors feel overwhelmed by all they need to figure out. And because of that people just never start. Or worse, you work out a super complex world, you start... and then you realize the story would be far better in a completely different world (unfortunately I say this from experience).

I think I mentioned this in a post about maps once upon a time, that my method of map making included adding things as they appeared in the story. That gave me complete freedom while writing because I wasn’t limited to what a pre-made map said, but it also meant I could keep track of the world as I made it.

I do this with every single detail in my book.

Timeline? I have a timeline, but I add to it as things come up, and only once something is published do I use a grey highlighter to mark is as “unmoveable”.

I don’t know how my fantasy creatures work until I work with them, inside a story.

When a question comes up during writing, I answer it.

That’s how I worldbuild.

A couple of things to note here:

1.- I do keep track of things using timelines and maps, I don’t just write without reference. This means I don’t tend to make many continuity errors and things still make sense.

2.- This works very well for me because I do a VERY rough first draft. My first draft is not meant for the eyes of a reader. It’s meant to bring the story into existence after which it becomes my outline and I do a complete re-write starting from zero cleaner second draft.

3.- I don’t only write main series content. A lot of the details come from journals, prequels and other bits of writing that help the world be flashed within my mind. If I only had the main books to work with this method would lead to a rather bland and empty world.

I hope this helped!

As usual, check out my book, stories I’ve written plus other social medias: here.

#writing tips #writing tip #writing tricks #writing trick #how I write #how to write #world building #woldbuilding #writing world building #book world building #writing fantasy #how to write fantasy

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sluggishdawn · 2 years

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a snippet of what i’m working on :D

—A menacing wall of thick, dark fog ran down the motorway. Mason shivered, hunching over as the sudden cold shot up his arms. He wouldn’t be able to get home. However determined he was, Mason wasn’t an idiot. Beside him, his three friends stared determinedly at the fog. It was no use.

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justgottafinishthischapter · 1 year

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This came across my Facebook feed, felt I’d share it.

#worldbuilding #Fantasy Writing #fantasy map #world building #fantasy worldbuildiung

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animentality · 1 year

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#twitter #writing #writers on tumblr #spilled ink #world building #writing prompt

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heavenlyraindrops · 1 month

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World Building Checklist

Have you ever started writing a story and realized your world has a bunch of unexplained shit and you have to fill in the gaps as you go? Me too, buddy. Me too. Here’s a checklist so that you can fully flesh out your world to the max. (I’m dying)

How does Time work? (Minutes, hours, days, the daylight cycle, years, ect.)

Species (if Fantasy. Will probably make another post on this.)

Countries, Nations, Tribes, ect. (nationalities/ races. Will probably make another post on this.)

The geography of the world (draw a map. Doesnt have to be good. Just for a general idea.)

Rivalries between races (includes prejudice, racism, ect.)

Religions

Technology

The Magic system. (Will probably make a whole other post on this.)

animals, plants, ect.

The sky: Sun, Moon(s), Stars, Constellation, Are there rings? (If the planet has rings)

Educations system

Government system

Politics

Methods of transport (Vehicles)

Medicine

Can’t really think of anything else. If you have more to add then reblog and add to the list! :) bye bee

#writing advice #how to write #creative writing #writers on tumblr #writing #writeblr #world #world building #fantasy worldbuilding #fantasy writing #fantasy tips #Fantasy world building tips #Writing tips #HEAVENLYRAIN’S WRITING TIPS

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sas-soulwriter · 6 months

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What to give a fuck about,while writing your first draft!

I`ve posted a list about things you don´t need to give a fuck about while writing your first draft. Here are things you NEED TO CARE about! (in my opinion)

Your Authentic Voice: Don't let the fear of judgment or comparison stifle your unique voice. I know it´s hard,but try to write from your heart, and don't worry about perfection in the first draft. Let your authenticity shine through your words.

Your Story, Your Way: It's your narrative, your world, and your characters. Don't let external expectations or trends dictate how your story should unfold. Write the story you want to tell.

Progress Over Perfection: Your first draft is not the final product; it's the raw material for your masterpiece. Give a fuck about making progress, not achieving perfection. Embrace imperfections and understand that editing comes later.

Consistency and Routine: Discipline matters. Make a commitment to your writing routine and stick to it.

Feedback and Growth: While it's essential to protect your creative space during the first draft, be open to constructive feedback later on. Giving a f*ck about growth means you're willing to learn from others and improve your work.

Self-Compassion: Mistakes, writer's block, and self-doubt are all part of the process. Give a f*ck about being kind to yourself. Don't beat yourself up if the words don't flow perfectly every time. Keep pushing forward and remember that writing is a journey.

Remember, the first draft is your canvas, your playground. Don't bog yourself down with unnecessary worries.

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prompt-heaven · 2 months

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a list of 100+ buildings to put in your fantasy town

academy

adventurer's guild

alchemist

apiary

apothecary

aquarium

armory

art gallery

bakery

bank

barber

barracks

bathhouse

blacksmith

boathouse

book store

bookbinder

botanical garden

brothel

butcher

carpenter

cartographer

casino

castle

cobbler

coffee shop

council chamber

court house

crypt for the noble family

dentist

distillery

docks

dovecot

dyer

embassy

farmer's market

fighting pit

fishmonger

fortune teller

gallows

gatehouse

general store

graveyard

greenhouses

guard post

guildhall

gymnasium

haberdashery

haunted house

hedge maze

herbalist

hospice

hospital

house for sale

inn

jail

jeweller

leatherworker

library

locksmith

mail courier

manor house

market

mayor's house

monastery

morgue

museum

music shop

observatory

orchard

orphanage

outhouse

paper maker

pawn shop

pet shop

potion shop

potter

printmaker

quest board

residence

restricted zone

sawmill

school

scribe

sewer entrance

sheriff's office

shrine

silversmith

spa

speakeasy

spice merchant

sports stadium

stables

street market

tailor

tannery

tavern

tax collector

tea house

temple

textile shop

theatre

thieves guild

thrift store

tinker's workshop

town crier post

town square

townhall

toy store

trinket shop

warehouse

watchtower

water mill

weaver

well

wind mill

wishing well

wizard tower

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jvlianbashir · 1 month

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"the creator said in a reddit thread -" "the official twitter account posted that -" "the actors confirmed in a livestream that -"

i don't care and that's not real to me. put it in the text.

#for fun stuff like 'this character's favorite food is meatballs' im like cool but for worldbuilding and stuff? nah #i do understand some nuance with writers or w/e who were held back by corporate teams on confirming a character is gay or something #and wanting to talk about their hopes and intentions #but this is rly about the opposite with creative teams wanting the points for diversity or plot choices #or world building without putting it in the actual story #esp if its bc they just didn't want to piss off bigots or can't write well #sw giving backstory on the sith fleet situation in a TWEET will always be infamous to me #not st #doctor's log

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typho-draws · 5 months

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A I L U R A N T H R O P Y 1 0 1

#art #my art #oc #my ocs #my oc #werecat #werewolf #neon #werewolf oc #werecat oc #horror #wanted to do a fun little dossier thing!!! :-D #took waaay too long but YAAAY finally done #i want to make more dossier style stuff of different thangs too..... looking at my alien raptorid dudes #i need to draw up world building type pieces like mad #everything is stored in my brain like a vault i neeed to draw it all out #also if some of this doesnt make sense....... sorry!!! i think in pictures and writing stuff is hard

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esoteric-goblin · 3 months

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on worldbuilding, and what people think is going on

there is one facet of fantasy worldbuilding that is, to me, the most interesting and essential but i don't see it come up in worldbuilding guides or writing prompts or anything, and that is the question of:

what do the inhabitants of your world believe about how the world works, and how are they wrong? a lot of fantasy media will set up their cosmology, gods, magic systems, planar systems, concepts of the afterlife, &c., and proceed as though the inhabitants of the world know and understand them.

from someone whose entire academic career is focused on studying human culture in various regions and time periods, with a focus on belief systems (religion, occultism, mythology, folklore): that sort of worldbuilding is unrealistic and missing out on so much fun.

people are always seeking new understanding about how the world works, and they are mostly wrong. how many models of the solar system were proposed before we reached our current one? look at the long, turbulent history of medicine and our various bizarre models for understanding the human body and how to fix it. so many religions and occult/magical traditions arise from people disagreeing with or adapting various models of the world based on new ideas, methods, technologies. many of them are wrong, but all of them are interesting and reflect a lot about the culture, beliefs, values, and fears of the people creating/practising them.

there is so much more to the story of what people believe about the world than just what is true.

to be clear: i think it's fine and important for the author to have a coherent explanation for where magic comes from or who the gods are, so they can maintain consistency in their story. but they should also be asking what people in the world (especially different people, in different regions/nations and different times) think is happening when they do magic, or say a prayer, or practise medicine, or grieve their dead. it is a rich vein for conflict between individuals and nations alike when two models of the world disagree. it is fascinating how different magic systems might develop according to different underlying beliefs.

personally, i think it is the most fun to spawn many diverse models of the world, but give none of them the 'right' answer.

(bonus points if you also have a thriving academic system in the world with its own theory, research, and discourse between factions! as an academic, it is very fun to imagine fictional academic debate over the topics i'm worldbuilding. sometimes i will be working out details for some underlying mechanic of the world and start imagining the papers being written by scholars researching it)

#worldbuilding #world building #writing #creative writing #writeblr #on writing #fantasy worldbuilding

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austinramsaygames · 8 months

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Pro tip for world building: if you have an entity designed for the players to fight in combat, don't name it "pirate", "raider," "soldier" or something equally generic. And ESPECIALLY don't name their faction that!

It's much more characterful to give them a place or people that they come from.

Easy example: Fallout 3 vs Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout 3 has raiders, raiders, and more raiders.

New Vegas has Great Khans, Fiends, Powder Gangers, Jackals, Scorpions, Vipers, and Greasers.

All of the above are effectively "raiders" but New Vegas offers 7 different (or at least theoretically different) raider cultures with their own histories, while Fallout 3 has 1, maybe 0, raider cultures.

Even just naming these NPC groups will develop the world because it'll either make the players or YOU, the designer, ask questions about why they are named that.

In short: every NPC has a group they belong to, so at least name the groups.

PS: if you want more game design thoughts from me, my Patreon is here.

#world building #fallout new vegas #fallout 3 #ttrpg design #worldbuilding #my writing #fallout

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deardragonbook · 2 years

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Elizabeth’s Journal on Alchemy

If you follow me an read all my posts (thank you!), then yesterday you got to read about taxes. I realize that probably wasn’t the most fun you’ve had on my blog so to make up for it, I bring to you Elizabeth Owen’s journal on Alchemy.

It’s a fantasy journal written from the perspective of a character in universe about her journey learning Alchemy. It’s got some fun world building, cute doodles and some of her personality popping through.

I highly recommend these kind of projects for world building and character development. But forget about writing for a moment. Here’s the journal up to date:

Sorry I couldn’t figure out how to flip this next image inside of Tumblr, careful with your neck!

I stand with Elizabeth. Teas and coffees are the equivalent to magical potions.

Forgive my scary drawing skills at times. When throwing ink on paper with no prior sketch it’s essentially a coin toss on a spectrum.

The above page is my favourite page aesthetically fuss far. I don’t know why, I think it’s the Jikuld that I love so much. I also can’t wait to talk about fossilized tree caves in my story at some point.

I know I said we weren’t going to talk about writing and just enjoy the journal today but... There’s something on this page that’s interesting.

A compliment I’ve received a couple of times regarding my writing is the way characters react to the world, the fact that they don’t act surprised or weirded out by fantasy aspects because... well, it’s their world.

However, it’s fun to remember that we don’t know everything about the world we live in. We’ve all heard at some point a random animal fact that’s shocked us. In this page we see that with Elizabeth, she didn’t know satyr had eggs, it shocks her, and she reacts to it. Knowing what things are common knowledge and what isn’t, is another fun world building exercise!

Who and how was this figured out? If you really want to know, I googled “most muscular fantasy creature” with the intent of including them in the symptom relief of muscle pain in some way. Minotaur of course showed up and my first through was fur but this made more sense.

Within the universe how was this figured out? Valid question. I don’t know and I don’t think I need to.

And this final page (for now) actually contains a tinsy of foreshadowing for later on in my main series. I’m not going to say what though.

If you enjoyed reading through this fun little project of mine and would like to read more about the character writing it or the world she’s in, I recently added Oppida Institute for Reformation to Book Funnel so you can download the first Act for free in several formats (it’s an ongoing series, I’ll be uploading each act as it’s completed).

You can find that story as well as my main book series, social and more, here!

I believe when this post comes out I’ll still be looking for ARC readers for my second book so check that out. And if you have any questions or would like a post on how I “research/force inspiration” for this journal, tell me and I’ll see what I can do!

#fantasy journal #fantasy journals #fantasy world #world building #worldbuilding #writing worlds #writing world building #fantasy creatures #fantasy medicine #writing tip #writing trick #journal #journals #character #characters #oc #ocs

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sluggishdawn · 2 years

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THE CLICK // summary

a group of kids go to school as usual on monday. as the clock strikes twelve, without a warning or trigger, they are transported to a mirror (alternate reality, parallel) dimension where they are left to their own devices. no one is there besides them. they are faced with many challenges and have to overcome them.

seventeen 8th grade kids, alone.

my friends version

character profile index

chapter index

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stevieschrodinger · 5 months

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So what if like the thing that makes Alpha and Omega pairs, true mates or whatever, is like a detectable thing that they can test for. And like, everyone has their little blood test at birth and then on say, their 18th birthday, the Alpha gets informed as to who their omega is.

Obviously it's a bit of a sexist deal and lots of Omega and their supporters are trying to get it changed so that both parties are informed, to make it fair, and that is getting some traction but right now, the Alpha gets told and the Omega has to wait for them to show up.

Except when Eddie, fucking excited as all hell to meet his Omega finally, opens his envelope to find Steve Harrington's name starring back at him and Eddie just. He just can't. Steve's one of the biggest bitches at Hawkins high. And even if Eddie can, sort of, get past that, Steve's a snob. He lives in a fucking mansion and has a nice car and preppy clothes and yeah...Eddie is going to get rejected stone cold and that would be fair because he doesn't have a single thing to offer and Omega like Harrington.

Eddie burns the envelope.

And yeah, he can't help but watch Steve a little more now that he like, Knows, but he does his best to put it behind him.

And Steve gets into a fight with Nancy wheelers new Omega, when Nancy gets her envelope, and it's not Steve's name inside and it looks like Jonathan came out on top and Steve...well, he looks beaten and sad and that nearly makes Eddie cave but...no. no.

Right up until he has Steve under his hands, pinned to a boathouse wall with a bottle to his throat and Eddie's been thinking of Steve has his Omega for so long it just kind of slips out. Eddie whispers it, 'Omega' and the bottle drops to the floor and shatters more.

And Eddie has to watch it play out from close range on Steve's face, dawning realisation. Deep hurt. And then anger. An angry shield that comes down as he pushes Eddie off.

"Dustin explain to Munson what's up, I'll be outside a minute.". And Steve just stomps out and there's fuck all Eddie can do about it.

And then he kinda gets distracted by hell dimension stuff. For a bit. And Steve's clearly fucking angry with him and Eddie, well, what the fuck is Steve expecting Eddie to do, right? Steve would never have wanted him in the first place. So Eddie is fucking angry. And it comes out spiteful, calling Steve 'big boy' like he knows it'll rile Steve up. Throwing his jacket at Steve so he will cover up, because he can't bare to look at all the skin Steve is showing, especially with fucking Wheeler hanging around. And if it got something of Eddie's on Steve, well then, it doesn't fucking matter does it? Doesn't mean anything.

And it's not until it's all done, and Eddie wakes up fucking high as a kite on pain meds, with non other than Harrington sitting by his bedside that it all slips out, "what are you doing here?"

Steve shrugs, won't look at him, "waiting to see if my Alpha dies, I guess."

And he just sounds so...bereft. so broken.

"Steve, I just...look-"

"Doesn't matter. You've made it clear. It's fine. And you're going to live I guess so I'll just-" and he's standing, turning to leave.

And Eddie knows Steve now. Sees him with the sheep. Knows he isn't a bitch. Knows he's just...a good guy. Knows he isn't any of the things Eddie thought he was.

"You grew up in a fucking castle." Steve pauses, sitting back in the chair to frown at Eddie.

"What has that go to do with-"

Eddie clears his throat, it's dry and scratchy and hurts but he has to do this. "You grew up in a castle. Nice car. Both parents. Preppy clothes, fucking, shitty fucking jock friends. Steve, you would have rejected me in a heartbeat. I live in a fucking trailer and sling drugs on the side I'm not- I couldn't do that to you."

And Steve just, he just starts crying. He nods, wipes his eyes, "I might have," he admits finally, "I don't know what I would have said...but I needed you. Since then I needed you so much and," he sniffles, wipes his pink nose .

"And I didn't know. I couldn't have and I am so sorry but could we just, now, can we just-" and it hurts like fuck but Eddie bites it down because Steve is half clambered into the bed next to him and yeah. Yeah, that's perfect.

#eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #steddie #alpha eddie munson #omega steve harrington #world building #ficlet #i write

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tanaor · 16 days

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Want to worldbuild like a pro??

(📖 Master tips and everything I know📖)

Hello writers! You don't know how to worldbuild? Don't know where to start explaining the world you have created? Don't worry, you are in the right place! I have been there myself, and after many research (and even more trial and error) I have put together a list of the best worldbuilding tips I have encountered, and also created some of my own. (I know the first one is kind of overheard, but trust me).

Don't start right away with worldbuilding. A long paragraph about how your world works and its history might overwhelm new readers. A lot of other writers suggest waiting and learning about the world at the same time the protagonist does, or if that doesn't work for your story, dropping bits of information while the story moves forward. However, if you want to give a sense of how your world works from the start...

Exposition through action. This is my favorite method, and it helps a lot if you don't want to pause your story to info dump about the world you have created. Instead, this method relies on explaining the world and its dynamics while you continue with the narrative, briefly. For example: "As always, you couldn't see any trees in the meadow. The king had ordered years ago to cut each one of them because of a prophecy that foretold that the last dragon egg would lay in an oak."

Use expressions that reference normality or routines. In the last point, we used "as always", but there are tons of expressions you could use in your writing. This helps the reader understand what is the norm in this new world and what things are common, to later detect something that is not within that norm (or sometimes just to understand the world and its traditions better).

Use flashbacks when necessary. If you need to explain a very specific or detailed topic, I suggest using a flashback scene, that will help the reader understand with the narration and dialogue, instead of just explaining it to them. It makes for a more dynamic learning experience. But, at the end...

Do whatever will intrigue you. Some readers even like info dumps, and there is not one correct way to show your world. If it would make you curious, go and do it, wether people say it's correct or not. There are a lot of successful books that randomly stop to explain something about the world, and there is nothing wrong with that if you like it.

Hope you find this list useful, and as always happy writing :)

Also, if you are interested in tips or more examples of a specific topic, you can always leave a question in my ask. I'd be glad to answer it!!

Other tips for writers: previous

#writeblr #writing #writer #writers #writers on tumblr #writerscommunity #writers of tumblr #creative writing #current wip #world building #worldbuilding #tips for writers #tips #writing tips

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triona-tribblescore · 9 months

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And so it begins...

Character ref sheets:

#FIRST LITTLE PART OF MY ROTTMNT PIRATE AU #Gotta have a lil backstory first no? ;)#and a hint of world building #Im not used to drawing comics ...#or writing...#so....sorry ;w;#excited for the ofmd refs to come in #ofmd x rottmnt #ANLFM #rottmnt lou jitsu #Rottmnt leo #rottmnt usagi #rottmnt au #rottmnt big mama #leosagi #tribbleart #anlfm

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