Shannon Messenger
Oh boy--that's kinda one of those, "impossible to properly answer" questions. At least in a quick, Goodreads Q&A kind of format.
I actually do a whole hour long presentation on world building at conferences, because it's a hugely involved process.
I will say, though, that one of the biggest tricks to world building is to make sure you have a reason for everything. You'll be making hundreds and hundreds of decisions, and you should know why you're deciding what you are. Is it because of the political system? The world's history? Their culture? Their laws? Their magic/technology--or lack thereof?
Know your world well enough to give it a logic to it. Know its strengths and its flaws. And know WAY more than whatever actually makes it into the books. I spent a year building the KEEPER world, and I'm still constantly adding to it. But it's worth the effort because the world can give so much to your story.
I actually do a whole hour long presentation on world building at conferences, because it's a hugely involved process.
I will say, though, that one of the biggest tricks to world building is to make sure you have a reason for everything. You'll be making hundreds and hundreds of decisions, and you should know why you're deciding what you are. Is it because of the political system? The world's history? Their culture? Their laws? Their magic/technology--or lack thereof?
Know your world well enough to give it a logic to it. Know its strengths and its flaws. And know WAY more than whatever actually makes it into the books. I spent a year building the KEEPER world, and I'm still constantly adding to it. But it's worth the effort because the world can give so much to your story.
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