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Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024

11:11am EST

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Writing Blog Number 2

by S

Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #2311764

This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC

This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. If it falls this year (2024), then I may stop the whole blogging thing, but that's all a "wait and see" scenario.

An index of topics can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 Index"

Feel free to comment and interact.

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Kåre เลียม Enga

7 minutes ago
In response to "20241228 Messages In Writing"

It's the same with setting. There's no need to dump everything on the first page. Or describing the main character in minute details ad nauseum.

Is Narnia Christian? If it's a great story well told, does it matter?

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 21, 2024 at 12:34am
In response to "20241221 Kudzu Plotting"

IMO Anne McCaffrey does this well with the parallel Dragonriders of Pern and Harper Hall trilogies. Adults-with-dragons; youth with fire-dragons. Memorable world building. Wonderful characters.

Kudzu the plant... only a curse for those who don't know its uses: forage, food, fiber.

Dec 19, 2024 at 7:09pm
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

🐕GeminiGem🎁 - I chose Grease because it is so egregious and goes against everything Sandy had demonstrated up to that point. Dirty Dancing was set a few years later (early 60s), and, though Baby changes, it is gradual and is more a change of growing up, being true to herself. So, I think the time period can be used effectively without being so demeaning. As I see it.

🐕GeminiGem🎁

Dec 19, 2024 at 6:58pm
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

I agree that when a woman changes herself to attract a man shows misogyny and is annoying...but...using the movie Grease as an example it an interesting choice. Yes, the lead female changes her appearance to appeal to the male. I think it was more because of peer pressure, but the peer pressure happened because of the pervasive misogyny of the peers. Interestingly, the male character does the exact same thing for the same reasons.

The movie is set in the 1950's, a time where the misogyny we see now is even waaaay worse. So, here is a thought. If you are writing about a time period like that and are showing social interactions of the characters, something like the pervasive misogyny is going to be true to the time and place the story takes place. Does that excuse it? No, of course not, but having present-day sensibilities in an era like that would make the story seem really off.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 19, 2024 at 3:57am
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

In my travels I try to connect with most everyone. I wonder what my stats would be... but many contacts have names whether human or not, whether the boss or 'servant' or guest.

In my writings...

thinking.

I do have characters without names.

SAD Holiday Potato

Dec 18, 2024 at 3:54pm
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

As someone who is an Aunt to two children who have an age difference of four years, I can definitely tell you that they act completely different. Even though one of them is neurodivergent, the older one definitely acts more mature than the younger one.(also the older one has never tried to lick my feet.)

With very few exceptions, I've never had to tell an adult "stop eating my dress," "please don't lick me" or "stop pulling my hair," to anyone over the age of six. Yet within the last year or so I've had to tell my five year old niece these things repeatedly. She thinks this is hilarious.

Anyways, thanks for pointing out that kids aren't just miniature adults! I'll try to keep that in mind while writing.

Dec 18, 2024 at 6:44am
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

Elisa: Snowman Stik - Writing about those who are neurodivergent is not something I feel I can talk about comfortably. I am trained as a teacher of those on the spectrum, and so I would not write a character in that regard because I do not feel it is my story to tell. But, yes, that last point may not apply to a child with developmental issues.

1 Like

Elisa: Snowman Stik

Dec 18, 2024 at 6:28am
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

I am curious if there is wiggle room for the last point for child characters with developmental disabilities. (I do recognize this kind of character presents its own set of development pitfalls in terms of depicting the disability without stereotyping. That said, I think this can be a reasonable exception to the rule when done with care.)

1 Like

Dave Ryan

Dec 16, 2024 at 1:26am
In response to "20241216 Poor Characterisation"

There was once a variation of "compressed vice" in an original episode of Star Trek ("Who Mourns for Adonais?"), where a landing party of the usual suspects + one random never-seen-before-or-since female crew member are captured by the god Apollo and they turn the usually gruff Scotty into a simpering, love-struck puppy to try to introduce some conflict when Apollo puts the moves on her. Why they didn't just have Kirk horndogging it as usual I do not know - at least then everybody would have remained consistently in character. It looks like Scotty, it sounds like Scotty, but WTF?

1 Like

SAD Holiday Potato

Dec 14, 2024 at 3:41pm
In response to "20241214 Punk Genres"

This is interesting yet confusing. So basically it's like world building but with the word "punk" in there to make it sound cooler.
Maybe I misunderstand.

February 9, 2024 at 12:42am

#1063809

20240209 Speculative Settings

Speculative Settings

This is worlds that you create wholecloth out of your imagination. A fantasy setting, a new planet for sci-fi, anything in the speculative sphere.

And I will start this by saying something I have already said in the last two posts – draw a map!

But also do some research as to why towns are where they are in the real world. Just putting towns wherever might make for a cool looking map, but if it makes no sense in the economics or politics of your world, then the world-building needs work. Here are some examples of places where settlements would be built and why:
1) Mountains, because of mining or for defence. Maybe they protect a pass through the mountains, and so there would be a stronghold there. If for mining, there is a chance the town would be rich, or there could be a lot of minor shanty towns stuck on the sides precariously. In both cases, there is a chance there would be things for soldiers or cashed-up miners to do and so a seedy underlife would exist.
2) Rivers, because of trade. Boats in fantasy settings are the best way to get large amounts of good transported at once quickly. River mouths would also be where the largest trading towns would exist, so they can receive boats from other areas across the ocean as well as upstream.
3) Forests, because of mining (again) or the timber industry.
4) Fields, as a centre for surrounding farmlands, or as a stop-over for cross-country travellers.
5) Royal cities. These would grow where the most important aspect of the nation’s economy exists. If it’s farming, then it would in the middle of a plain; if a trading nation, then near water, etc. For ease of defence, however, they would be on higher ground, and with access to a quick escape.

What this means is that a history is probably great to work out in your world-building. But that is part of world-building and not necessarily setting.

Sp, one more thing to remember is that the world might be fantasy, but the inhabitants still have to eat, mine, make goods, make clothing, breed animals (including horses for travel). There still needs to be a means of trade (barter, goods swap, coins). They still need modes of transport that make sense for the terrain and people involved. Your world should reflect these inanities of life.

If your world has non-human races, what are they? Are they integrated or, like Lord of the Rings, have their own domains? Do they follow traditional archetypes from mythology (dwarves mine and live in mountains, elves love nature, etc.)? Are they your own creation? Where did they evolve/develop and why? How do they interact with humans? Are there even humans? These are the questions for every fantasy setting to make sense for a reader.

Then you go to the future setting or alternative history setting. What will have changed? Why? In science-fiction, what about the aliens they might meet? Are they like the creatures in the film Avatar and are hexapods (as opposed to all terrestrial animals that are tetrapods)? Are they carbon-based like us? Or something else? Or are they like the races in the Star Wars and Star Trek universes, and just mostly humans with added bits? It’s your story, your call. But it still needs to make sense. Your setting needs internal logic.

Yes, there are a lot of things to look at, and there are many books and YouTube videos on how to put these together realistically.

Before I give you some helpful videos, remember - this is all a part of world-building. You need this as a writer. That does not mean the reader needs it all. Lord of the Rings is a good example. Have you read all the essays and supplementary works? There's your history, your world-building, your explanations. in the books themselves? Not so much.

So, here's 5 videos to start you on your fantasy world creation.

And, remember - make a map. It'll help you and readers love maps!

Some pitfalls in hard world building:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODY21Z9zNCw

Naming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcKMbVXpRRA

Island countries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTYpjsGcKgQ

Mountains

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSFIEYmOAp0

Fallen civilisations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdH3RqVNUaE

2 Like • Comment

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