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This week: Living in a Fantasy World Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
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"Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one."
― Terry Pratchett |
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Hello!
I am Arakun the twisted raccoon and I am your guest editor for this issue of the fantasy newsletter.
All writers need to create believable settings, but fantasy and sci-fi writers have the added challenge of making readers believe in settings that are unlike anything they have ever seen. Worldbuilding is one of the most important parts of writing fantasy literature.Some authors spend months, or even years, creating their fantasy world before they write one word of the story.
Some fantasy stories are set in places that are nothing like the real world. Creating this type of world is fun because anything can happen, but it is difficult for the same reason. Extra effort is needed to make the unbelievable believable. One example of this type of world is Terry Pratchett's Discworld Series, which takes place on a flat, disc-shaped world balanced on the backs of four giant elephants, which stand on the back of a giant turtle. As weird as that sounds, it works. I can't explain how he does it, because every time I try to figure it out, I get caught up in the story!
Other stories take place on earth-like worlds, or mythical lands from our world's past. An example of this type is the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which takes place in Middle Earth, a mythical land in the earth's past. Still others are set in the "here and now", with magical elements or characters existing side by side with the ordinary world. Most urban fantasy falls into this category.
Some writers begin with a general idea for a new world and develop geography, inhabitants, history, and other characteristics before using it in a story. Tolkien made up the languages and drew maps before he ever wrote any stories of Middle Earth. Others start with a story idea and build their world around it. You can use any approach that works for you, as long as your world is believable.
Authors who write stories of the real world do research on their settings to make their stories more realistic. If their story is set in a place they have never been, they read everything they can about it, talk to people who have been there, and if possible, go there themselves. So how do you go about researching a setting that doesn't exist? You do it by studying ones that do exist.
Many authors study basic geology, physics, biology, sociology, mythology, and theology of the real world and apply this knowledge when they create their fantasy world. You're probably thinking that if you include all that information about your setting, your book will have about 100,000 pages, but don't worry. None of these details need to be included unless they are important to the story. Nobody but you will see most of your research, but it is worth it. Creating a convincing fantasy world is much easier if you know how the real world works.
Magic is a very important part of a fantasy story, so you need to develop a complete picture of the magic of your world. Who can do it, how does it work, and does it have limits or costs? Are some characters born with magical abilities, or is it something they need to learn?
Something to try:
If you have a fantasy story that doesn't seem believable, maybe you haven't spent enough time developing your world. Try writing a "visitor's guidebook" for it. Describe the land, the climate, the plants, and animals. Include the history and cultures of all the different groups of inhabitants. Last but not least, don't forget the magic! If you find that you aren't sure about some of these topics, that may give you a clue to the weakness in your story and help you strengthen it.
Thanks for reading!
Arakun the twisted raccoon |
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Fantasy: May 16, 2012 Issue [#5033]
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