World building is exciting. And it really sucks. You love it, and you hate it. But, either way, it's an integeral part of writing any type of fantasy or science fiction story. It's needed. Whether it's a lot of building or a little, it needs to be there. This is the kick-off to a small series of posts I'll write on the issue of world building in general. Today we're focusing on why it's important.
I'm currently working on world building for my WIP, THE STAR RUBY. I reached a point when I was writing where I'd run out of plot. And the reason I ran out of plot was because I didn't know what would happen next, because I didn't know what could happen. I needed to stop and figure out how my world works before I could move forward.
But here's the deal: You need to have a working world in order for your characters to function and your plot to line up. It's the details that make something seem real. Have you ever played two truths and one lie? Here's a hint if you haven't, the more detailed the lie, the more likely people are going to think it's true. Put in the details, and we'll get lost in the world you've created.
And people like details. Not enough to overrun the reader, mind you, but enough so that we can get a picture in our heads, see our characters and understand how things work. Without details, your readers have no idea what's going on and can be easily confused. And confused readers are frustrated readers, and frustrated readers generally put down a book.
Do you have any general thoughts about the importance of world building? Do you do it often, or does it just come to you? Let me know.
On Monday, I'll be talking about my world building experience lately. Friday, look forward to a review of LIPSTICK LAWBREAKERS.
I'm currently working on world building for my WIP, THE STAR RUBY. I reached a point when I was writing where I'd run out of plot. And the reason I ran out of plot was because I didn't know what would happen next, because I didn't know what could happen. I needed to stop and figure out how my world works before I could move forward.
But here's the deal: You need to have a working world in order for your characters to function and your plot to line up. It's the details that make something seem real. Have you ever played two truths and one lie? Here's a hint if you haven't, the more detailed the lie, the more likely people are going to think it's true. Put in the details, and we'll get lost in the world you've created.
And people like details. Not enough to overrun the reader, mind you, but enough so that we can get a picture in our heads, see our characters and understand how things work. Without details, your readers have no idea what's going on and can be easily confused. And confused readers are frustrated readers, and frustrated readers generally put down a book.
Do you have any general thoughts about the importance of world building? Do you do it often, or does it just come to you? Let me know.
On Monday, I'll be talking about my world building experience lately. Friday, look forward to a review of LIPSTICK LAWBREAKERS.
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