Creating a fictional world, whether its based on reality or fantasy, can seem intimidating. But such emotional and mental challenge won’t last. Be confident on the world you are writing, and understand no one can judge you on what the world you are writing. That is one of the perks and beauty of being a creative fictional writer. No one can question on whether something is right or not. This is your imagination. This is your world.

But being consistent and vivid in your writing without seeing it is truly a challenged. However, there are ways for you to keep track of the world you’ve created.  My process in prepping for making these worlds are easy as three steps.

Firstly, write in down in detail. Second, make a mood board which co-relate the world you are creating. This will help you visual what a certain place may look.Lastly, a sketch, no matter how simple or messy it is, can help you visual where everything are – streets, countries, interior setting of your character’s home, it helps.

Write everything in detail.

This will help you know how a certain place would feel, smell, or hear for your character. Like a bustling, crowded market, which reeked of fish and meat. Or in a city, where car honked nonstop in the early morning rush hour. It’e good to write it down and get a feel of the place your character would be experience. It will help you get an idea of their surrounding and how these characters would react – it makes it more vivid.

Mood Board

As a fine arts student, I learned how mood board helped you in any aspects to create art works. But this would also apply in writing – especially when you’re creating a whole new world, which isn’t based on our world. Plus, this exercise is fun. Collecting images and placing them side by side would give you an idea how the world you’re creating would look like.

For me, even though I don’t write fantasy based novels, and focused more on realistic places, I collect all images of the town, or images of certain shops which I imagine my characters would visit. It help me visual how they’ll response and move around the area.

Sketch

I know all of us aren’t artist, but I do believe we are all creative beings. If words would ceased to help you, it best to draw it – based on my experience. It will help you conceptualise and give you a clear vision of the world you’re creating.

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I hope this tip will help you in your writing with Nanowrimo, or your future writings. But this are just my writing tips on how I usually write my novels. As an artist and writer, I like putting those two side by side. As I said, that’s just me.

But remember to give yourself a time to step back on writing. Take a break and get back fresh and filled with new ideas! Write on!