  Fantasy
This week: A real live world to explore Edited by: Kate - Writing & Reading  
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"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."
Edgar Allan Poe
Greetings, I am honored to be the guest editor for this issue of the Writing.Com Fantasy Newsletter ^_^ I believe that all creative writing, be it poetry or prose, has an element of fantasy. We write what we know, perceive, and imagine.
The word "fantasy" has myriad definitions; but thumb through any dictionary, or surf dictionary.com or wikipedia.com, and you will see that they all begin with "imagination."
Is that not what the writer does? ~ Observe, perceive, or visualized an object, emotion, situation, and with pen/pencil, or keyboard, use words to develop a story or a poem that relates that observation, perception, or vision.
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Greetings, fellow weavers of otherworlds, be they perceived through the senses or the imagination
When we hear the term 'worldbuilding' we think of fantasy and science fiction, but doesn't all writing have a home base, a world?
Whatever your chosen genre of writing verse or prose, do you not seek to write and, when reading, to find yourself immersed in an imaginary (or real) realm. Characters (and readers) interact with and are challenged by all aspects-external and internal-of their world.
You want to give a strong sense of place in your story or poem and offer a landscape of to draw your reader into the world. Worldbuilding adds depth and meaning to writing, is a great way to brainstorm writing, and helps forge deeper bonds to the world on the page. And as you do, so to will your readers.
So how do you build your world? One way is to draw a map or write lists with aspects of the world and engage in creative writing exercises that help you submerge into the world. I just found an old set of the Dragonlance trilogy and there's a map printed for reference as you open each book. I find myself returning to the map for placement (and one of the characters in the story draws and holds maps - connections ). The creative writing exercises are also fun - write your character's first day in school - magic school, trade school, bible school, elementary school, it's your world Or maybe each character's first look at their reflection in a mirror, a pond, a crystal ball, you see where I'm going.
Most of the details of your world and your characters will not go in your story or verse, maybe about a quarter of it will show up through dialogue or engagements. But you need to know the details and keep them consistent so that as your characters engage each other and the world, they will reveal bits of themselves and the world they inhabit (which you created for them). Share the details that help tell the story.
Build a world that intensifies meaning and conflict. Be sure every element in your world has consequence and meaning. If it doesn't, it doesn't belong. Build your world to reflect the theme of your story or poem. Or, when you finally figure out the theme (isn't it often near the end before the real story is revealed ) enhance the world to reflect it in a stronger way.
Your world will develop as you write. Allow it to motivate, surprise and engage you along with your characters, and your readers will feel all these things too.
So, how can you make your world real and engaging?
 Set up your rules and their exceptions ahead of time. That way if you are consistent in your writing and reveal the rules as you go, you won't have to worry about upset or confused readers down the road. Consistency is extremely important. Once you establish elements in your world, stick to them.
Fantasy allows an infinite range of worlds, but the end result must be logical enough to make sense to readers. Worldbuilding can be as in-depth as you wish, in a flash piece perhaps surface details and a conflict will suffice. In a longer short story, novella or novel, and some epic verse, you can include with the physical topographs war, religion, arts, science, history and more.
And drawing a map, sketching mountains or flatlands or sand dunes or lava rivers can help keep the action real and believable.
Consider when weaving your world whether you will use an alternate Earth or another planet or asteroid or star perhaps? Interact with the physical and atmospheric features of the landscape. Are there two moons, do they affect tides, or the morphing of werewolves? Is it cold, do your beings weare clothes and, by the way, what happens to the werewolf's clothing when he/she morphs and then returns to human form clothed ~ I've wondered that over time...
Know the history of your world, class or caste system, politics, religion or belief system. What of magic and technology? If there be magic, are magicians elite, reviled, trained or born? Be consistent with the rules of magic in your world and the role of wizards in society. Recall the wisewomen of old on Earth who were cast into the role of evil sorceress as social structures changed through conquest and war.
The individuals (be they human, elf, plant-based, extra-terrestrial, winged, you name it) and their customs. What do they eat, how do they greet each other, their language, ethics, values, religion, belief systems. What if two characters stand side by side (if they fit) in front of a mirror and comment on (not criticize) each other's appearance - one can smile without lips and eyes on fingertips can see the scent of a soft pink rosebud. See, playing here with an exercise. Remember, once you've set the rules for play, remain consistent. Next time we look in this mirror, the same character will not now have eyes on earlobes.
Society and social interaction. What of crime, politics, war, weapons, trade, business, science, arts, architecture. What of their manners, education, fashion, entertainment, medicine, weaponry. How do they measure time, measure aging - how do you chart a lunar calendar when there are two moons.
Your world is ready for exploration. Engage it with your characters, and your readers will join you in the exploration, suspending disbelief for a time as they embark on a journey of discovery.
I wish you joy in your creative journey.
Write On!
Kate
Kate - Writing & Reading
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Let's spend a bit of time in the otherworlds envisioned for us by several members of our Community and share your thoughts with a comment or review
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Thank you for sharing this exploration with me. As a guest, I invite you to create for us your own 'otherworld' and bring it to life for your characters - and readers - to enter and, for a time, suspend disbelief as we leave behind common ordinary mundane reality.
Until we next meet,
may your 'otherworld' engage
your own muse creative
Write On!
Kate
Kate - Writing & Reading
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Fantasy: March 23, 2011 Issue [#4298]
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