rule-based worldbuilding for fantasy, science fiction, and steampunk
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Selected Publications “The Last Bathroom” in Defenestration “Misunderstood” in 365 Tomorrows “The Clockwork Seer” in Steel and Bone “The Five Year Journal” in the 2015 Mormon Lit Blitz “Yongrui and the Tree of Life” in Segullah (1st place, fiction contest) “Breastfeeding Mama” in Tempe Community Writing contest (1st
place, nonfiction) “Daughter of a Boto” in Meeting of the Myths (3rd place) “I am not a Writer” (2nd place in BYU Studies Personal Essay contest) “In Which Eve Names Everything Else” in 2013 Mormon Lit Blitz (2nd
place) “Waiting” in Four Centuries of Mormon Stories (3rd place)
Worldbuilding:“the process of constructing an imaginary world” (Wikipedia)
Kirkus Reviews “Original worldbuilding and cosmology spice
up a save-the-world romantic adventure.” “Skillfully blending facets of classic high
fantasy, this debut novel will captivate readers with its rich plot and detailed worldbuilding.”
“A tedious tale of teens in purgatory suffers from clumsy prose, erratic worldbuilding, and an overabundance of characters and plotlines.”
Kirkus Reviews “Exquisite storytelling plus atmospheric
worldbuilding equals one stunning teen debut.”
“An imaginative dark fantasy is marred by opaque worldbuilding and clunky characterization.”
“Rich characterization, exquisite worldbuilding and rock-solid storytelling make this a fantasy of unusual intelligence and depth.”
Kirkus Reviews “The worldbuilding continues to shine, getting
deeper and more complex and more satisfying as the story goes on. The first book was more concerned with economic class, and while that is certainly dealt with here, too, this one takes a closer look at information and history and perspective.”
“[The novel] incorporates worldbuilding really well, without ever resorting to clumsy info-dumping.”
Kirkus Reviews “The worldbuilding is sparse, and backgrounds
are one-note—a pleasure planet, a water planet. Characters hint at historical events, technological innovations, and political shifts without expanding on them enough for the reader to appreciate them.”
“Let’s cut to the chase: It’s awful. In fact, I would, if I could, send [the novel] to the naughty corner for its terrible writing, inane worldbuilding and overreliance on tell-not-show.”
Kirkus Reviews “The worldbuilding is lazy.” “Once again, stunning worldbuilding is the
order of the day.”
The goal:To create “the inner consistency of reality” within a fictional story (J. R. R. Tolkien)
George MacDonald: “The Fantastic Imagination”
J. R. R. Tolkien: “On Fairy-stories”
The Golden Rule
The Golden Ruleof worldbuilding
The Golden Ruleof worldbuilding
“Unless specified otherwise, everything inside your world is assumed to behave exactly as it would in the real world.”
–Simon Provencher
Myrtle Von Damitz III’s “All Our Fictional Worlds” from the book Wonderbook
Worldbuilding Exercise A 16-year-old girl with a secret that could change everything at
her school. As a group, spend 2 minutes building a world, which should
include the school she attends. Genres:
Paranormal romance Historical fantasy Steampunk Science fiction with aliens and/or spaceships Spy or heist
Your group will have up to 30 seconds to explain your world, so focus on the most important details.
Tobler’s First Law of Geography"Everything is related to everything else, but near
things are more related than distant things."
Image credit: Sean Chaffey via flickr (cc)
Fantasy Worldbuilding QuestionsBy Patricia C. Wrede
The Law of OriginalityAn author should never be satisfied with simple imitation of someone else’s world.
Law of RealityAn author’s use of accurate, realistic details aids in the suspension of disbelief and makes the reader more likely to accept the fantastic.
Law of ShortcutsExplaining some scientific principles thoroughly or demonstrating a character’s proficiency in science early on allows you to fudge or skip over other details.
Sanderson’s First Law of Magic“An author's ability to solve conflict with magic is DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL to how well the reader understands said magic.”
Image credit: zongping zhuo via flickr (cc)
Image credit: Gina Collecchia via flickr (cc)
Murphy’s Lawof worldbuilding
Image credit: bakaotaku via flickr (cc)
Picture book: Dragons Love Tacos
Sanderson’s Second Law of
MagicLimitations > Power
Emotion Beats
Deus ex Machina
Helios in his chariot, 4th century BC, Athena’s Temple in IlionImage credit: Gryffindor (public domain)
Real Consequences. Real Sacrifices.
Further Resources
Sanderson’s Third Law of Magic
Wonderbook by Jeff Vandermeer
Writing Excuses podcast Building Imaginary Worlds:
The Theory and History of Subcreation by Mark J. P. Wolf
Story Beats Presentation by Katherine Cowley – katherinecowley.com/blog/story-beats
