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Culture, Politics, and Religion

Culture, Politics, and Religion. World building in Fantasy Christine Norris. What is World Building and why do I care?. World building is the process of constructing an imaginary world, sometimes associated with a fictional universe. It can be simple or complex:.

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Culture, Politics, and Religion

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  1. Culture, Politics, and Religion World building in Fantasy Christine Norris

  2. What is World Building and why do I care? • World building is the process of constructing an imaginary world, sometimes associated with a fictional universe. • It can be simple or complex:

  3. As a genre writer, you care because good world building makes your story become more believable to the reader. • (You want that. Agents want that. Editors want that. So do readers.)

  4. What kinds of Worlds exist in fantasy and SF? • Whole new world, created by the author. • LOTR • Usually requires the most extensive worldbuilding • Adding on to the modern world: • Harry Potter • Prediction on a possible future of the current world • Hunger Games • 1984

  5. Other Kinds of worlds • Historical event/time period where something fantastic happens. • World building = research • Customs, pastimes, events, dialogue • Often called: • “Historical Fantasy” • “Steampunk”

  6. Examples

  7. And then there’s… • Alternative History : Combination of real world and created elements.

  8. The main components of World Building • Geography • History • Economics • Politics • Religion and Culture

  9. Geography Or: where are we going and why are we in this hand basket? Aspects important to writers: Topography Climate Crops/Livestock

  10. Topography • Mountain ranges • Rivers, Oceans, Lakes • Deserts • How terrain impacts the story • Long journeys over different terrains and through different climates vs. all in one place. • Even single city stories must be thought about – is the city old or new? Is it on a hill? How does it get its water? • How does it affect the characters?

  11. Climate • Does the world have seasons? What season does the story take place? What kinds of weather would they have? • You can’t grow corn in wintertime!

  12. Crops • What do they grow and what do they export? Import? • The Hunger Games • Agrarian – what crops do they grow • If society is non-agrarian– where does their food come from? • What kind of markets exists in your world?

  13. Livestock /Animals • What kinds of creatures live in this world? • LOTR • Are they realistic? Mythological? Made up? • LOTR • Percy Jackson/Library of Athena • Harry Potter • Leviathan & the Hunger Games – genetically engineered creatures. • What is their purpose in the story? • Are they for farming? • Transportation? • Food? • Another purpose?

  14. History Or: Asking ourselves: How did we get here? My god, what have I done?

  15. History of the World, Part 3 • History can be sketchy or detailed, depending on the needs of the story. • Many times writers write much more history than ever sees the page. So please for the love of Pete, don’t try to cram it all in…

  16. Level of detail Lord of the Rings • Developed extensive history going back thousands of years • Included histories of various races and their languages. • Wars, geneologies, and folktales • Has the potential to add flavor and be interesting or bore you to death. • Something happened in America to turn it into the what we see in the books, but it is never specifically identified • History of the current America (13 Districts) is only given to lay the foundation for the story • Our modern world becomes their mythology Hunger Games

  17. Vs. Harry Potter • Bits of historical information are scattered throughout the story, and may or may not have direct bearing on the plot. • Does include genealogy, some languages (Goblin, Parseltongue), but history is limited to wizard history.

  18. Economics Or: Who’s picking up the check?

  19. Economic Systems • Barter vs. Monetary • What do we use to barter? Depends on what they grow and raise – tied to climate and trade. • What kind of money do we have? Galleons/Sickles/Knuts/Credits/ Other kind of money? • What does the money look like? Why?

  20. How does it relate to the story? • Can it tell us something about the class system in this world – who uses money vs. bartering? • Directly related to the scope of the story : is trade done with other countries, or internally? • Trade itself – where does it take place? Are there trade routes? A great agora/marketplace, or stores and shops with merchants?

  21. Culture and Religion Or: Why do we sacrifice jelly beans at Bobmas?

  22. Religion • Like anything else, can be background or a driving force of the plot, or not mentioned at all. • Examples: • Driving force: His Dark Materials • Background: Trickster novels/Glasswright’s Apprentice • Not mentioned at all: Harry Potter/Hunger Games

  23. What kind of religion? • Monotheism vs. Polytheism • What is the Pantheon of gods and goddesses and what do they stand for? • Mythology based (one man’s mythology is another man’s religion) • Author created: Trickster’s Queen/ Glasswright’s Apprentice • Religion and Politics • How much power does the church/temples have over the people?

  24. Politics Or: who’s in charge around here?

  25. Types of government • Usually modeled on familiar governments • Monarchy • Titled lords/hierarchy/class/caste/feudal system • Constitutional Monarchy • Modeled on the British government, utilizing a Parliamentary System. • Example: Harry Potter: British government model (ie: Prime Minister and various Ministries), but without monarch.

  26. Other gov’ts • Dictatorship • Democracy and democratic-like system • Example: Hunger Games – although there is a President, does he act as we expect?

  27. Who are the Politicians? • How do they get into office? Elected? Appointed? An auction/pay for a seat? • Is this government corrupt or benevolent?

  28. Odds and Ends Or: Don’t bring a sword to a magic fight.

  29. Technology • Swords vs. Pistols vs. Laser Blasters • What kinds of technology do the people in the story use? Modern (to us), ancient, or made up? • Is there a mixture of technologies? • Steampunk – ‘modern’ machines powered by older methods.

  30. Medical technology • How do people heal and get well when they are hurt or injured? • WHO is responsible for taking care of the people in this world? • Doctors and fancy hospitals? • Old veterinarians? • Healers? • Blood letters?

  31. Magic systems • What kind of magic is being used? • Who can use it? Everyone? Certain people? • Are they born with it or is it learned? • Is Magic common or a rare gift? • Muggles/Wizards vs. Gandalf the Grey • Can non-wizards/magicians/mages/circus freaks use magical artifacts – pendants, rings, talismans, magic pencil sharpeners

  32. Conclusion Or: Why did I just sit through this long and ridiculous lecture?

  33. World building and You The world you build not only provides background color and believability, it is the stage on which your story takes place. The more you know about it, even if you never include it in the story, will make the reader’s suspension of disbelief that much stronger and give the sense of ‘reality’ to even the most fantastical story.

  34. The End

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