My journey as a fantasy writer

Join me as I go through my path of becoming a published author.

[rrameyguerrero]

Magic

According to Brandon Sanderson, magic must have rules. Not all writers agree with this theory, however. That’s the fun in writing fantasy. The “rules” don’t apply to every story. There are plenty of stories where no rules apply to magic. It is mysterious and unexplainable. But in other stories, there are hard set rules and consequences for using magic.

This is my journey into creating my world and its magical system.

I first asked the question- who has magic? And why? I see magic as just another form of science that certain people have the ability to learn. In my world, the “immortal” races are the ones who are able to cultivate magical crafts. Magic comes from pleasing the elements. For example, a soil steward uses the magic of the earth to grow a garden that sustains the entire city. Others can ask the wind to lend its breath in creating a storm. The reason only the immortal races are able to cultivate magic is because of the length of time it takes to master the concentration to telepathically communicate with the spirits. There is also technique to learn and in some cases, spells.

Because not everyone has access to magic, an underground slave trade develops, selling magically talented people. Some people fear magic, thinking it is an unfair advantage. The Underlings have a type of magic, and they are set on making the whole world their empire. Other magically talented people value knowledge and art above all else. So it is interesting to see how the access to magic affects their culture and how they are seen by the untalented.

But lets say you decide that you’d like to limit this more. You might give a chosen few the ability to use magic. Or maybe they are mutant-like beings, and no one else has this ability. The world will respond to magic in some way, whether its to fear it, deny it, or praise it.

Next, I asked myself, how does someone access this magic? Do the spirits prefer the poetry of spells? Or are the spirits pleased by music? Does magic require a sacrifice of something living? In my world, there are a few ways to access magic. One way is by living a life that intrigues the spirits by practicing painting, music, or spidersilk spinning. A practicer of the magical arts may gain the spirits of the air’s attention by playing a pipe. This will result in the piper being able to briefly control the wind. Others use sacrifice to maintain the favor of the elements.

Maybe in your world, you choose to have spells use special ingredients. Maybe those ingredients are rare. Would this make magic only something the rich can practice? What’s stopping the magically talented ones from taking over the world? Are there other groups of magically talented who balance them out?

This brought me to the question, what does magic cost the user? The answer to this question came in many forms. For Soil magic, it costed attention. Soil requires devotion and time before any healing herbs can grow. For Blood magic, it costed sacrificial blood to get the spirits’ attention. Air magic often costs a song, but air has favorites and will aid someone it likes. Water magic requires protection to keep it pure.

As you can see, this cost can be something physical like mana reduction, or it can be abstract like knowledge. Maybe it costs precious resources or secret ingredients.

Then I ask myself, what can magic accomplish, and what are its limits? In my world, magic can be used for anything from light and heat to transportation and entertainment. People can summon the dust of a star in the form of a ‘light orb’ to brighten a dark space and give it warmth. The drawback is a person needs several orbs in order to light or heat a room. Underlings use the powers of lava to create steam to propel their train called the Worm. The limit is that it has to be constantly maintained by a group of workers who fuel the lava and keep it hot. Certain groups have healers, their limit is their prior knowledge and the herbs they have access to.

These rules may never see the page, but I find them useful in constructing magical systems. Having limits helps prevent having overpowered characters. In my opinion those types of characters who have limitless powers are boring.

    Some blogs I found:

https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2019/12/a-guide-to-writing-magic-systems/

 https://maxonwriting.com/2016/07/19/being-a-better-writer-so-you-want-to-be-a-wizard-eh/

 https://hollylisle.com/fantasy-is-not-for-sissies-real-rules-for-real-worlds/

[furiouslywriting]

Worldbuilding: cities

Some things to consider when designing cities for your world. Pick and choose whichever suits you!

What material are the roads made from

What material are the buildings made from?

What are the most common jobs?

What are the most important jobs?

How does the surrounding geography affect the city (eg. If they're on the coast are they a major trading point?)

Where do their resources come from?

What is the population number?

What defences, if any, do they have? (Eg. Soldiers, guards, guard towers, wall etc.)

Who runs the city?

That's it for now! Enjoy shaping your world.

[beyond-far-horizons]

Cannot stress enough the point about where the resources come from - desert cities come to mind.

This made economies interesting to me and the answers you come up with will shape the world and your thoughts about our own. I honestly think we should have a module on this in schools.

To add to this - 

religions and places of worship - do they get along with each other?

Waste - look to the past if you want some grisly answers!

Doctors/hospitals/apothecaries 

Communication/postal systems

Entertainment sources - taverns, playhouses, clubs, stadiums, sports etc.

How do they deal with plague?

Systems of justice and crime?

Segregation (religion, class, wealth, race, magic etc) or not and why?

And many more. Don’t despair if this is overwhelming, historical research can help and my advice is to focus on plot and not get too overwhelmed by ‘worldbuilder’s disease’ as Brandon Sanderson calls it. We love interesting worlds but we will forgive a dull world if it has a great characters and plot, not the other way around. 

If in doubt write (insert x here) and fill in worldbuilding or scene later. Ideally worldbuilding enhances plot and vice versa.

[rrameyguerrero]

How does your fictional world handle a weather crisis?

I live in South Texas. If you’ve been paying attention to weather events in the United States, you probably know that a devastating winter storm blew through here, leaving most of the state without power, water, and cell phone service. People died of hypothermia in their homes because they had no heat for days. There were pictures on the news of frozen toilets it got so cold. Texas refused to weatherize their power equipment, and we suffered the consequences of this lack of preparation. Our leadership told us they did everything they could, but did they?

How well prepared a place is, is a direct reflection of their leadership. In Texas, our leaders failed us. It put us in a grim state of affairs. But the sad truth is, we’re also vastly unprepared to handle other climate-related catastrophes like hurricanes and wild fires.

Our experience wasn’t as bad as it could have been. My partner and I have previously lived up north, and we knew to layer our clothing. We sat outside most of the time, huddled around a fire we made in our grill because it was warmer and brighter around the flames. We watched as our neighbors searched for anything they could burn to keep warm. My partner was able to help some people gather firewood from the small wooded area behind our apartment where the deer live. We were fortunate enough to have food by making caldo in a pot over the fire. It kept us busy enough to where we didn’t have time to be bored without technology to occupy our time. We had no news of the outside world for days.

Nothing was open. The grocery store shelves were bare, with long lines to get in. The gas stations that had gas didn’t have electricity to sell it. The highways were closed because we don’t have salt or snowplows. But our city’s skyline was lit, showing the callous of our leadership. We have a grocery store here called HEB that does more to help our people than our officials.

In your world, what happens when weather behaves unexpectedly? Does the city shut down, like mine? Are the leaders prepared for any eventuality? Are the people left to fend for themselves? Maybe the community comes together, or maybe it falls apart. Is there looting?

Introducing a climate-related incident is a great way to see how your world functions. Do their ideals hold up under pressure? Who do the people turn to— their governments, religious communities, neighborhoods? Maybe the people who can flee, pack up their wife and two daughters and fly to Cancun. Most likely the rich and well-connected will flee to more comfortable lands before the worst hits. Who is left behind? Are other lands welcoming of these refugees, or do they see them as invaders?

Do outsiders offer to help by sending aid? How is that aid distributed? Who receives help first? Is this distribution left up to local governments to decide or does the one offering aid have all the decision-making power?

Most importantly, do the leaders learn from their mistakes? How do they go forward after a catastrophe? Who picks up the pieces? How are the people who lived through it changed? Do they have lingering traumas associated with going into survival mode? Are they able to just go back to their regular lives like nothing happened? Do employers understand the need to give their employees time to recuperate? Do the employees have a safety net if they cannot readjust?

Knowing how your MC’s homeland would respond to crisis can help add depth to your worldbuilding. Use Texas as inspiration if you want. And remember, have fun with it.

[quinnsqueries]

Things You Should Consider When You’re Writing Royalty

Inheritance

How is the throne inherited?

How strict are traditions when it comes to the transferring of power?

How is the order of succession determined?

Can commoners become royalty?

How are hiers trained?

Marriages:

Are all marriages for power? 

Are politics ties favored over marriages for love? 

How common are arranged marriages?

History: 

How long has the monarchy been in power?

How did the monarchy gain that power?

Princesses and Princes that aren’t first in line for power:

How are they handled

Are they given special responsibilities to discourage resentment?

Wealth:

How do they spend it?

Do they prioritize certain aspects of their kingdoms wellbeing over others?

Other:

Would they rather inspire love or fear in their subjects?

Biggest threats to their position

Relationship with the subjects

Preferred method when it comes to interacting with royalty (Indirectly or directly)

How do they deal with assassination attempts?

Kinds of special etiquette that is required when dealing with royalty. Is it strict or relaxed? 

[deer-my-gay-beloved]

Interesting/weird abilities and traits to give to your characters

The ability to slip at least one hand out of handcuffs

Really good at mimicking voices/noises

Making weird noise at animals/when bored

Absolutely terrible at describing the thing but they can absolutely show you/draw it/write down instructions

The ability to visualize something in their head, 3D and full color

The complete lack of ability to visualize things in their head

Can move their fingers in a weird way - as in bending their fingers in odd ways, being able to bend them back really far, etc

Other weird ways they can move their bodies - being double jointed, able to crack their neck/fingers/joints/back without pain

Walking on their toes subcontiously - I don't mean in a sneaky way, I mean in a walking-up-on-their-toes-so-their-heels-don't-touch-the-ground kind of way

Dramatic hair flick, all the time

Can and will run up the stairs on all fours like you did as a kid (you know what I'm talking about)

Measures spices with their heart, always cones out amazing and perfectly seasoned

Alternatively - measures spices with their heart and it's always fucking terrible for one reason or another but they still won't consult the recipe goddamnit

Twirling or fidgeting with their earring(s) as a nervous habit/self comfort

Terrible handwriting, but can write calligraphy really well when prompted

Calls all their teachers Mom/Dad/etc shamelessly

Alternatively - calls only one teacher Mom/Dad/etc and it isn't their parent that works as a teacher

Can't dance for the life of them, but walks/moves like they could

Can sing wonderfully, chooses to sound terrible

Talks super fast, so fast that it would look likethisifyouwroteitout (like this if you wrote it out)

Emo bangs

They don't kiss, but will lick your cheek/forehead/nose instead

They don't want kids, but are so good with them they make parents envious with their skills

Have a really obscure skill that they don't look like they could do. EX: miniature unicorn sculpting, but they're big, dark, and muscle-y

And anything else you can think of. Feel free to add on.

[rrameyguerrero]

writing

[rrameyguerrero]

Worldbuilding: Daily life and careers

What is daily life like in your fantasy world? Is the day spent in leisure or in toil? Are there different roles for different people? Maybe there are those who study to get an education during the day. Some people may spend the day traveling.

There are so many things to consider when crafting careers for your characters. What time period is your story set in? What does your MC’s country produce or is famous for? What class is your character in? Does your story take place during a time of war, famine, or plenty?

Some categories of employment in a fantasy setting are:

Protection (police, soldiers, ect.)

Servers (cooks, housekeepers, ect)

Providers (farmers, factory workers, miners, tailors, ect.)

Rulers (kings, governors, ect.)

Maintenance (builders, plumbers, electricians, blacksmiths, ect.)

Entertainers (actors, painters, dancers, ect)

Information (news, town criers, mail people, ect)

Sales (merchants, shop owners, ect.)

Research (teachers, scientists, students, ect.)

Law (judge, lawyers, jailers, ect.)

Childcare (mothers, nannies, wetnurse, ect)

Money tenders (bankers, tax collector, accountant, ect)

 The culture and environment will have a lot to say about day to day life. Say your character lives in a theocracy, and the religious authorities control every aspect of a person’s life from what they eat, to what they wear, to how they procreate. If your character is of a disenfranchised group, they may have no say in what they do as a career.

Or maybe this culture grows up along the river. Fishing is important, and if a character does not own a boat, they are nothing. Maybe farmers are thought of as less than fishermen. Their standard of living may be lower. Maybe because these people are fishers, they do not educate their children formally. What might happen if a merchant class is the only ones who can read? Maybe they take advantage of the illiterate fishers and farmers.

In some cultures, time is kept, and schedules are important. Consider a culture that does not keep a schedule. How will they make and keep commitments? Or what if there was a culture that had robots do all labor— how would people occupy their time? Maybe their culture ushers in an artistic boom.

Recreation is important to any world built.

The type of recreation enjoyed will depend on the culture of the people. Maybe their culture values strength, and they are entertained by gladiators or sports. Maybe their culture values wisdom, they might value museums, libraries, or the arts. Maybe their culture is very restrictive, and their only “entertainment” is public executions. Maybe their culture is technologically advanced, and they have television and movies.

Whatever you decide for your world, daily life will be an important part of your world building.

[rrameyguerrero]

Worldbuilding: Marriage

It was the eleventh anniversary of when my partner and I started dating the other day. It got me thinking about marriage traditions in my world. What does marriage mean? To me it meant making a commitment to be there for my partner as long as we chose to be together. To some it means, romantic partners who procreate together to create a family. But what if “marriage” meant “a covenant to protect and provide for a dependent”? Marriage might be between a father and a family, instead of two or more romantic partners. What if marriage meant the wife must be a servant to the husband and his family? Might the man have more wives?

I found it helpful to research marriage customs all over the real world. I was especially interested in child weddings because it seemed so foreign to me. I found cultures all over the world who did this practice. Many times, marriage was a contract between two families where they joined through marrying their young children together. In some cases, the daughter would go to live in the husband-to-be’s household, but not always. In those cases, the marriage was always arranged by the parents or families, and the children had no say.

That brought me to consider which cultures in my world would have arranged marriages, where the bride, at least, had little say. In many cases, the bride will have a dowry, and her properties become the husband’s upon marriage. These marriages are usually patriarchal in nature, but in a world you create, why not flip the script?

Usually, when talking about marriage, there is talk of ownership. Who owns what? What happens if two royals from different lands marry? Who rules what? Are the lands combined? Or does each party rule their own sovereign nation? I have plans of addressing this topic in my later books. In your world, it will be important to decide what are the legal implications of marriage.

Socially, what is expected of partners? Is dating outside the couple parameter acceptable? Are partners expected to make babies? Do they have to procreate right away? Who raises the offspring? Is it one partner’s responsibility or is it a community effort to raise children?

Who can marry? Maybe there are age requirements like in the United States. Maybe there is a requirement that both parties complete their education first. Or maybe only people who own land can marry legally, so your rebels perform illegal ceremonies.

When people decide there will be a marriage, what does the courtship process look like? In some cultures, gifts are exchanged. Gifts may be given to the bride, groom, or the families. Does a spouse-to-be have to ask the other party’s parent’s permission? For example, the groom-to-be will ask the bride’s father permission to marry his daughter. Is there an elaborate proposal process, which one party is presented with a token of affection, like a ring?

How old are partners usually when they decide to marry? After how long of dating does someone propose? In some cultures, a girl must “prove” her virginity. In other cultures, a man must prove they are able to provide for the wife. What other type of test might a culture impose upon people before they start a relationship?

Is it legal for same sex couples to marry? Is it something people debate the validity of? If so, why? Is it for religious reasons or other reasons? Do same sex couples adopt children? Is there a way to artificially reproduce? What if, in a dystopia, LGBTQ couples were not allowed to have children, would there be people who adopt illegally?

How many people are involved in a relationship? Two, three, four, more? Does a relationship always involve sexual intercourse? How many partners are involved in that at once? How do they raise any children— separately or together? Is fidelity expected?

Can a marriage be dissolved? Under what circumstances can a marriage be dissolved? What happens to the children or property? Are things divided evenly?

What does a wedding ceremony look like? Is there a special type of garb worn by any of the parties? What traditions are normally seen? Maybe this is your opportunity to show off your decorating skills. What type of décor is usually used? Is the ceremony usually held at a place of worship or a courthouse?

Do other parties join in the ceremony, like the father of the bride or a flower girl? Is there a special type of procession that goes through town? Who is invited to the ceremony? Is there a call for objections? What happens if someone objects? Do the bride and groom jump over a broomstick together or something similar? Maybe candles, ribbons, or rings play a part in your ceremony.

What happens after the wedding? Maybe there’s a big party. Is it the bride and groom’s duty to feed everyone? What type of dishes are traditionally served? Is it catered, or does everyone join in to make the meal? What type of activities are held during this party? Is there dancing and games? Or is the party more like a somber dinner party with only close friends and family?

After the wedding and reception, is there a trip the couple takes together, like a honeymoon? For many cultures, this was a time where the couple would consummate their marriage and hopefully get pregnant to start their family. For others, this is a time for the couple to spend together free of distractions. Where might a couple go? This will probably depend a lot upon cultural norms and socioeconomic status of the couple’s families.

What happens if someone chooses not to marry? Maybe they are considered outcasts, and not allowed to own property or join into town tasks. Maybe they never leave their parents’ home. Are people considered an adult if they are not married? At what point would they be considered a true adult— when they’re a certain age, after graduation, when they leave home?

[wordsnstuff]

Resources For Describing Emotion

Emotions

Without Making Your Character Feel Too Self Aware

Showing Emotion Without Telling About It

Emotions Associated With Body Language

Telling Readers What The Character Doesn’t Want To Show

Hiding Emotions

Expressing Cardinal Emotions: Masculine vs. Feminine

Writing Extreme Emotion Without Melodrama

Specific Emotions

Conveying Shock

Conveying Embarrassment

Conveying Disappointment

Conveying Love/Attraction

Conveying Annoyance

Conveying Relief

Conveying Uncertainty

Conveying Impatience

Conveying Shame

Conveying Resentment

Conveying Panic

Conveying Guilt

Conveying Desperation

Conveying Sarcasm & Verbal Disrespect

Conveying Confusion

Conveying Stubbornness

Conveying Frustration

Conveying Indifference

Conveying Indignation

Conveying Confidence & Pride

Conveying Smugness

Conveying Enthusiasm

Conveying Curiosity

Conveying Hopefulness

Conveying Unease

Conveying Reluctance

Conveying Worry

Conveying Humility & Meekness

Conveying Happiness & Joy

Conveying Amusement

Conveying Disgust

Conveying Resignation

Conveying Jealousy

Conveying Anticipation

Conveying Contentment

Conveying Defeat

Conveying Excitement

Conveying Fear

Conveying Hatred

Conveying Hurt

Conveying Being Overwhelmed

Conveying Sadness & Grief

Conveying Satisfaction

Conveying Somberness

Conveying Sympathy & Empathy

Conveying Wariness

Conveying Defensiveness

Conveying Desire

Conveying Doubt

Conveying Energy

Conveying Exhaustion

Conveying Hunger

Conveying Loneliness

Conveying Physical Pain

Emotional Wounds

A Role Model Who Disappoints

A Sibling’s Betrayal

A Speech Impediment

Becoming a Caregiver at an Early Age

Being Bullied

Being Fired or Laid Off

Being Held Captive

Being Mugged

Being Publicly Humiliated

Being Raised by Neglectful Parents

Being Raised by Overprotective Parents

Being So Beautiful It’s All People See

Being the Victim of a Vicious Rumor

Being Stalked

Being Trapped in a Collapsed Building

Being Unfairly Blamed For The Death of Another

Childhood Sexual Abuse (by a family member or known person)

Discovering One’s Parent is a Monster

Discovering One’s Sibling was Abused

Experiencing a Miscarriage or Stillbirth

Failing At School

Failing To Do The Right Thing

Financial Ruin Due To A Spouse’s Irresponsibility

Finding Out One’s Child Was Abused

Finding Out One Was Adopted

Getting Lost In a Natural Environment

Growing Up In A Cult

Growing Up in a Dangerous Neighborhood

Growing Up In Foster Care

Growing Up In The Public Eye

Growing Up In The Shadow of a Successful Sibling

Growing Up with a Sibling Who Has a Chronic Disability or Illness

Having Parents Who Favored One Child Over Another

Having To Kill Another Person To Survive

Infertility

Infidelity (emotional or physical)

Losing a Limb

Losing a Loved One To A Random Act of Violence

Making a Very Public Mistake

Overly Critical or Strict Parents

Physical Disfigurement

Rejection By One’s Peers

Telling The Truth But Not Being Believed

The Death of a Child On One’s Watch

Victimization via Identity Theft

Watching A Loved One Die

Wrongful Imprisonment

Spending Time In Jail

Suffering From a Learning Disability

Motivation

Achieving Spiritual Enlightenment

Avoiding Certain Death

Avoiding Financial Ruin

Beating a Diagnosis or Condition

Being Acknowledged and Appreciated by Family

Being a Leader of Others

Being the Best At Something

Caring for an Aging Parent

Carrying on a Legacy

Catching The Bad Guy or Girl

Coming To Grips With Mental Illness

Discovering One’s True Self

Escaping a Dangerous Life one Doesn’t Want

Escaping a Killer

Escaping a Widespread Disaster

Escaping Confinement

Escaping Homelessness

Escaping Invaders

Finding Friendship or Companionship

Finding a Lifelong Partner

Having a Child

Helping a Loved One See They Are Hurting Themselves and Others

Obtaining Shelter From The Elements

Overcoming Abuse and Learning To Trust

Overcoming Addiction

Protecting One’s Home or Property

Pursuing Justice For Oneself or Others

Realizing a Dream

Reconciling with an Estranged Family Member

Rescuing a Loved One From a Captor

Restoring A Name or Reputation

Righting a Deep Wrong

Seeking Out One’s Biological Roots

Stopping an Event From Happening

Trying Again When One Has Previously Failed

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[rrameyguerrero]

Worldbuilding: Technology

Your fantasy world will need some level of technology to be realistic. I use ages in human history as basis for my own levels of technology found within my world. Is your world based in the Stone Age, where they use stone-based weapons and have few advances? Or maybe your world takes place in an industrial era. Sometimes there can be a technological boom in one area, but another area may be behind considerably. You might consider who has technology and why?

 One bit of advice I have about technology is this: go light on the details. Know them, yes. But don’t write out how every light bulb or steam engine works. It bores readers. Just give enough details so that a reader can get the idea. Afterall, the story is about the characters.

 Technology is important for storytelling. Say your character has to get from the valley to the fortress. How will they get there? Do they teleport, fly, walk, or ride in a car or carriage? Or, say a character goes into a dark room. How do they see? Do they have night vision goggles, do they flip on a light, or do they light a torch?  Or, say your character needs to deliver a message. How does this work? Do they call them, text them, or send an owl?

 Sometimes technology isn’t widespread. Technology can be very expensive. Maybe your richer nations have better hospitals, infrastructure, and electricity, while your poorer countries have this to a sparce degree. Maybe people have to travel long distances to see this level of technology. Maybe the people of this place do not want to share with the world. This can create international conflict.

 In my world, the west uses mechanical gears in carts to get around. The driver winds the gears and directs the cart. Not everybody can afford to rent or own one. The people who do not have access to carts, rely on foot travel. In the east, they mainly rely upon great ships that look like sea monsters. Some of the more wealthy humans have horses and carriages. Underground, they use a steam powered locomotive called the Worm. Everyone is allowed access to the Worm. Each of these civilizations developed independently of one another, and they have only begun to influence one another.

 Most of my technology arises from a question I asked. How do they cook? How do they travel? How do they light/ heat their homes? Your technology should have a specific purpose in your world, and it should answer a similar question.

 Technology evolves over time. In human history, we went from the stone age, to the bronze age, to the iron age, and onward. In your world, are scientists working on the new best thing? If not, why?

 Technology should have consequences. For example, where there are lots of electric lights, a person cannot see the stars as well. Pollution goes into the air and water. Gaps between the haves and the have-nots are widening. People become complacent and do not fight for change when it’s needed. But there are good consequences too. Our lives have gotten easier with modern conveniences.

 What impact does technology have on your world?

 Some blogs I found:

https://writefortheking.wordpress.com/2015/08/03/world-building-5-questions-to-ask-when-thinking-through-technology/

 https://learntowritefiction.net/home/writing-courses/world-building-course/world-building-technology-magic/

[rrameyguerrero]

Worldbuilding: Arts and entertainment

Your fantasy world will need societies and cultures. Culture is the social behavior and norms found in human societies. It is the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups. And society is a group of people who socially interact regularly. A social group shares the same social territory. It is important to know about cultural norms in your world because it will impact your characters’ worldviews.

 Art

Painting is one of the oldest art forms. It has evolved over the centuries. In your world, you may have primitive paintings on cave walls that tell stories. Or perhaps drawings and paintings have become more formal. It may be a designation of high society to have the latest art from famous local artists on your character’s walls. Perhaps your characters use paintings to convey secret messages to a rebel group. Whatever you decide, painting will probably have a place in your world.

Sculpting is another old form of art. Earliest sculpting was pottery that served a functional purpose. Perhaps in your world, it is the epitome of class to have matching pottery dishes for large dinner parties. Maybe sculpting has evolved past mere functionality. Maybe your world has a Michelangelo sculpting David. Your characters may be bothered with traffic at the unveiling of such a work. Maybe your characters have statuettes of the gods in their bedroom.

Music will almost certainly play a role in your worldbuilding. Whether your characters are musicians or not, they will be influenced by music. Culture influences music just as much as music influences culture. Maybe different classes listen to different styles of music. Is one form of music taboo? Is a certain type of music associated with religious ceremonies? Maybe there is a style of music that is old fashioned, while there is a new style that’s currently popular.

Dance is wherever music is. Perhaps dancing in your world is done around a bonfire, or perhaps it’s done in a ballroom. Dance can be choreographed and rehearsed, or it can be spontaneous. Sometimes costumes are worn, and sometimes gowns are worn. Certain dances are thought to belong to high society, while others belong to the working class. Consider taboos in your world. Are certain gyrations considered improper? Maybe the religious authority tries to ban dance like in Footloose. Maybe your culture is like bees, and they communicate through dancing.

Storytelling can be verbal stories passed down through generations, or it can be written into books, tablets, or scrolls. The stories a people pass down can really tell a person about their culture. Some stories are designed to scare children into behaving. Some stories are legends. While others tell the truth through lies. Perhaps in your world stories are transformed into moving pictures, like movies. Are these types of features only reserved for the rich, or can anyone attend? Are there factions who think stories should be censored or turned into propaganda?

Theater is the use of acting to tell a story. In Greek society, theater was a way to tell the stories of the gods. Many of those plays are studied to this day. In your world, what form does theater take place? Is it somewhere that all citizens attend, or is it restricted to the upper class? Are plays musical? Do the actors stay on one stage, allowing the audience to travel to them, or do actors travel to their audiences?

Photography/ digital designs are newer art forms. Your world’s technology level will tell if this is available. How does photography affect your world? Is there satellite imaging that can find virtually anyone at any time? Or is photography still in the early stages? What can be accomplished with digital designs in your world?

 Having art in your worldbuilding will help flesh out your cultures. It gives your character something to react to or do. It gives your world spice. Without art, your world will seem bland.

 Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture

[rrameyguerrero]

Worldbuilding: Crime and the Legal system

Crime

Crime effects every community. Rich or poor. There are several ways to classify crime. Is it mala en se (wrong in itself), like murder? Or is it mala prohibita (wrong because it’s prohibited), like speeding?

In the United States crime is classified into personal, property, inchoate, statutory, and financial crimes. Personal crimes result in physical or mental harm to another person. These are divided into two main categories: forms of homicide and other violent crimes. Your world may have any of these violent crimes, such as: homicide, assault and battery, arson, child abuse, domestic abuse, kidnapping, and rape and statutory rape.

Property crimes involve interference with someone else’s property. They may also involve physical or mental harm to another, but they primarily result in property not being able to be enjoyed. Many property crimes are theft crimes that include burglary, larceny, robbery, auto theft, and shoplifting.

Inchoate crimes are crimes that were initiated but not completed, and acts that assist in the commission of another crime. To be an inchoate crime, the person must take a “substantial step” towards the completion of the crime in order to be found guilty. They cannot simply be thinking about committing a crime. (But in 1984, there are Thought Police, and I think they would fall under this category. Or something close to it.) Inchoate crimes include aiding and abetting, attempt, and conspiracy. Sometimes inchoate crimes are punished at the same degree the underlying crime would be punished. Other times, the punishment is less severe.

Statutory crimes are proscribed by statute. Three significant types of statutory crimes are alcohol related crimes, drug crimes, traffic offenses, and financial/ white collar crimes. These crimes are specifically prohibited by statute because society hopes to deter individuals from engaging in them. Anything can be a statutory law, like chewing gum in public might be illegal in your world. It isn’t harming anyone or anyone’s property, so this would be a statutory crime.

Financial and other crimes usually involve deception or fraud for financial gain. Anyone in any industry can commit a white-collar crime. These crimes include many types of fraud and blackmail, embezzlement and money laundering, tax evasion, and cybercrime.

 Your world will probably have many of these types of crimes. Every character will have a different reaction to criminals. Maybe your character doesn’t care if someone commits a statutory offense, because it is a law made by men and doesn’t harm anyone or their property. Maybe your character thinks that criminals of all kinds should be put to death by firing squad to deter crime. Maybe your character is a criminal or an ex-convict. They will have a unique view of crime and the legal process.

Legal systems

In the world there are five major legal systems. Civil law is the most widespread legal system in the world. The distinguishing feature of this system is that the legal authority is organized into written codes. This type of legal system is derived from Roman law. It is found in much of Europe, Central and South America, and several other places.

Common law doesn’t use codified laws. Instead, doctrines and rules are developed over time by judges to serve as a legal precedent. The common law system is derived from the English common law. It’s found in many parts of the English speaking world like Australia, Canada, England, the United States, Wales, and other countries.

Customary law is rooted in the customs of a community. Laws may be unwritten, customs govern social relations, and customs are widely accepted by the community’s members. Customary law systems are found in Africa, the Pacific Islands, and elsewhere.

Religious law is a legal system based on religious beliefs and texts. Islamic law is the most widespread religious law system. It governs all aspect of public and private life. Islamic law systems can be found throughout Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. These laws vary widely among countries.

Mixed law uses a combination of elements of different legal systems described above. Louisiana has elements of both civil law and common law.

 Your world should reflect one of these legal systems. Or it would be super fun to create your own system. In my book, I use a customary law that is in transition to religious law. So at its current state it’s a mixed law system.

Next, you should consider what are the penalties for breaking the law? Perhaps the offender is given a trial. Perhaps they are not. Maybe all crimes are punishable by hanging. Or on the other hand, suppose all crimes were given a warning. How would that shape your world? Maybe some people go to prison for a length of time. Maybe criminals spend the rest of their life in prison.

 Resources:

https://www.hmtlaw.com/international-business/legal-systems-of-the-world/

 https://www.justia.com/criminal/offenses/

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Worldbuilding: Realistic travel

Travel in your world is going to depend on your mode of getting from point A to B. This will depend on your technology level in a particular place. It is important to have a to scale map before you estimate travel times. Check out my post on map-making. https://myjourneyasafantasywriter.wordpress.com/2020/11/10/worldbuilding-writing-fantasy-map-making/  

I personally use graph paper when I make my maps in order to make travel times simpler. On my big world map, one square is equal to 5 miles. It would be helpful to know what type of terrain your characters are facing as well. People walk slower uphill than downhill. Perhaps they need to cross a river. Do they need to find a bridge? Maybe there’s a ferry. This may take additional time.

If your world takes place in our world, then Google maps will be your best friend. It can tell you how long your trip will take walking, by bus, or by car. It’s amazing what satellite technology can do!

But if you have created a new world, then there are still many resources that you can use. I’ve listed the ones I found.

When deciding what type of travel I will have in my world, I first look at my map. Places near water, will definitely want a type of water-based travel as one opportunity. Places that are high in the cliffs might glide like the Avatar. Maybe your world is connected by highways and train tracks. Maybe planes zip through the sky while hot air balloons bumble along.

In my world, most travel is done by foot. An average healthy person without weight will walk an average of three miles an hour. Let’s say your MC walks a whole summer day. Twelve hours. That’s an average of around thirty-six miles a day. A well-trained person may travel faster than this without weight on level ground. A person who carries weight or hikes up a steep hill will walk much slower. So, it is important to establish terrain. Also your MC will absolutely need to rest. Exhaustion is a real threat.

Assuming terrain is steep, or your MC is carrying weight, your average speed may be half of that. Realistically, a person on a long trek may travel around fifteen miles a day. At maximum your MC might travel twenty-five miles a day.

Maybe your MC rides a horse (or horse-like beast). For long journeys, a horse should travel twenty to thirty miles a day. A horse can do more than that but it isn’t good for the horse’s overall health.

There was a race in 1892 that covered three hundred fifty miles in seventy-two hours. Those horses averaged one hundred seventeen miles each day. It killed thirteen percent of the horses.

The Pony Express traveled long distances at up to ten miles an hour by changing horses ever twenty-five miles or so.

The fastest horse on record is the American quarter horse, and it can gallop at fifty-five miles an hour in short bursts.

If a horse is carrying weight, a carriage, or a wagon, this speed will be drastically different. During the Oregon Trail, most wagons covered ten to twenty miles a day. A stagecoach could travel farther, faster because they changed out horse teams every so often. Remember, wagons and coaches must travel on roads or very flat terrain. Also horses must eat, drink, and be rubbed down. Carriage and wagon wheels and axels can break.

Maybe your world has developed cars. I personally do not have cars in my world, but if I did, I would use Google maps. Even if I made my own world. I would decide how many miles from A to B, then I would find something equidistant on a terrain that is similar to mine. Then I would just Google Maps the two locations.

The time it takes to travel by train varies greatly. Amtrack reports trains can regularly reach up to 150 mph. But most passenger railway trains reach speeds of 59 mph, and freight trains can only legally go 49 mph. In your fantasy world, your train can go as fast as you want them to.

Water travel is something I use in my world. In Wen, many people choose to get around using canoes. In still water with no wind, a canoe’s average speed is 3 mph with two rowers. Professionals may reach speeds of 6 mph. This speed depends upon several factors like wind, current, rowers, and material of the canoe. Going with the flow, your MCs may travel faster depending upon the speed of the river.

A rowboat can reach speeds of 3.5- 8.1 mph. This, of course, depends on the rower, how much weight is in the boat, and the shape of the boat. Narrower rowboats are generally faster. A rowboat designed to carry occupants on a mooring may tend to be short, while a boat for use on rivers for traveling long distances might be long and narrow.

The average speed of a steamship is 15 mph, but speeds have been recorded up to 22 mph. Historically speeds were as low as 10 mph. They were not as fast as I thought they were. I was rather disappointed. A submarine can go as fast as 23 mph underwater, but most are slower.

For air travel, a very light jet may hold 2-4 people. They may be able to go 700- 1,400 nautical miles without having to stop and refuel. A light jet may hold 5- 7 people. They might be able to go 1,000 nm. A midsized jet can hold 6- 8 people, going 2,000 nm. Heavy jets can hold 8- 16 people, going 3,500 nm. And a private airliner can hold 50+ passengers+ crew, going from 4,000 to 8,000 nm. Cost will vary according to company. I’ve listed two companies in resources below.

Perhaps your world uses hot air balloons. Research for this shows that you can go five to ten miles in a normal hot air balloon that you may see in festivals. But if you want to be like Lee Scoresby, you may need to invent your own rules to make your travel realistic.

Airships would be entirely up to fabrication. Something will need to fuel it or power it. If your airship requires “people power” how long can they peddle (or whatever) before needing a break? If it requires steam, how do they produce and store it? How long does that fuel last?

Resources:

Land:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony_Express

Water:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowing#:~:text=A%20rower%20can%20maintain%2040,%3B%203.5%E2%80%934.6%20mph).

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/american-and-british-steamships/#:~:text=At%20the%20average%20speed%20of,of%2015%20miles%20per%20hour

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/facts-about-navy-submarines-4058060#:~:text=How%20Fast%20Can%20a%20Submarine,nautical%20miles%20per%20hour)%20underwater.

.

Air:

https://www.paramountbusinessjets.com/aircraft/?q=aircraft

https://www.boltjets.com/san-antonio-private-jets

Some blogs I found:

https://susanleighnoble.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/how-far-can-your-hero-travel-fantasy-writing-series/

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Worldbuilding: Calendar

When creating a fantasy world, you may wish to develop a calendar. In my country of Wen, they have a thirteen-month calendar. I wanted it to correspond with a thirteen-month lunar cycle. Maybe in your world, there are more moons, and the lunar cycle is different. Or Maybe your months are based on a different standard of measurement. Whatever you do, you will need some kind of calendar, even if it’s a Gregorian one.

The strategy I used was to first establish how many days are in my year. I used a traditional 365-day year. But the same concept will apply no matter how many days your year is. Simply divide your day-count by your month-count. That will tell you how many days you have each month. If there are remainders, perhaps those are holy days. If it’s something that you can work with great. If not, multiply the number of days in each month by your number of months to get your yearly number.

This calendar will be especially helpful with continuity. I use mine as a planner. I list weather, moon cycle, tides, and a character’s schedule. It was simple to create a calendar in Word. All you have to do is create a table. Go to the Insert tab and choose how many rows and columns you need based on weeks and days in your month.

Next, I worked on my lunar cycle. I wanted to know when there was a moon in the sky and how full it was. I didn’t come up with my own for this. I chose a date beginning with a full moon to start my year. I began in spring because I felt spring was a place of new beginnings. A great time to start a year. The date I chose to begin with was March 31, 2018.

https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/usa is a good resource. It tells you sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset of any city you want to emulate. I chose a city in Colorado because of its northern location.

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Iktomi on the bookshelf.

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Worldbuilding: Flora/ Fauna

For your world to be complete, it needs plants and animals. I confess, I create these as needed usually. Say my characters are walking through the woods. I need there to be trees, bushes, ground cover, and weeds. Maybe a chipmunk runs across their path, and birds are singing in the trees.

You could start with a list of plants and animals that are found in each region. If you use existing plants and animals from earth, then it should be easy to make a corresponding map. When I make mine, I overlay it with the North American map. But you can do this with any part of the globe. That way, it’s easy to see where each animal or plant is found naturally. This will have to be tweaked for places like mountain ranges and beaches.

After I decide what animals and plants from this world I want to use, I move on to creating fantasy plants and animals.

Plants:

When creating plants for my fictional world, I looked at field guides and foraging guides for inspiration. These guides are helpful for when you have to describe a certain plant, or if you are deciding whether a character can eat it or use it for medicine.

There are three main types of plants. Native, invasive (weeds), and horticultural. This is important to know so that you don’t have random crops growing in the wilderness. If they are native, they may grow wild, but it is unlikely that they will grow in rows.

First when creating fantasy flora, you should have a description of the plant. I say description first, because not every character will know the name of every plant in your world, but they will be able to describe it. Is it a tree, shrub, or ground cover? Does it have spiky or rounded leaves? Does it flower? Does it have vine-like runners?

Next name it. This can be a fun process. Remember there is sometimes an official scientific name and many common names for the same plant. You don’t have to know all of them, but be aware of that.

Next you should know if the plant is a perennial or annual. If it’s a perennial does it reseed itself, or are people or animals involved? What climate or region does this plant grow in? A bog plant like a Venus fly trap would be out of place on a mountainside. A cactus would be out of place in a tundra.

One of the most important things to know about plants is how they can be used. Do they have a fruit that can be eaten? What does it taste like? Are the leaves, fruits, roots, or barks medicinal? Is it poisonous? Can you use it for textiles? Can it be used as firewood?

Certain plants are used in religious ceremonies (or recreationally) for their mind-altering properties. Are they addicting? Do people abuse this plant as a drug? Is this plant widely available, or is it horded as a costly commodity?

As you can see, creating flora can be as simple as using existing plants from our world to complex. Have fun with it.

 Fauna:

When creating animals for my fictional world, I looked at the Wikipedia page for North American animals. It listed every animal (I think) found in North America. From there I made a Pinterest page with all of those animals. I’ll leave the link below for inspiration.

When I created animals from my imagination, I first decided what region I wanted them to live in. I needed mostly monsters, so that’s what I mainly focused on, but I also created magical creatures as well. Because of this, I made them plot points. Like MC meets mountain squid.

Other times, I created the creatures as I needed them. For example, my MC goes into a bog. When he gets there, he is confronted by several creatures. When I was a very small kid, I was afraid of frogs. So I created a giant toad who sticks out of the mud, waiting to chomp on deer who trespass on their land. Many of the creatures I create are based on random fears I have.

When we look at our planet as a resource, we can see that there are two kinds of animals. Vertebrates and invertebrates. Those with and without a backbone. Vertebrates are further broken into mammals, fish, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Invertebrates are broken into annelid worms (earthworm, ect.), arthropods (arachnids, crustaceans, insects, myriapods), echinoderms (starfish, ect.), eterates (jellyfish, ect.), flatworms, mollusks, and protozoa.

Naming your fantasy animals is very important. Sometimes, people have different names for the same species. Sometimes there is a scientific name that is used. Next you’ll need a description of your fantasy animals. How big is it? Does it have fur, scales, or feathers? Does it have ears? Can you see its teeth? How fast is it?

What does this animal eat? Is it a carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore? How does it hunt (if it hunts)? Does it hibernate and store food for the winter?

Consider this animal’s habitat. This will have a lot to say about its appearance. For example, animals that live in the desert usually have developed certain ways of conserving water, like a camel with its hump. Is this animal domesticated? Why did people decide to domesticate this animal? For example, dogs were domesticated to guard a camp, and cats were domesticated to keep vermin away. Has this relationship evolved over time?

What are their uses? Are they bread for a specific purpose, like to eat or to be work animals? Is this animal a threat to your MC’s way of life?

Of course, it is important to tailor the type of animals you have for the world you’ve built. For example, if your MCs live in a water planet, there probably won’t be fluffy creatures or they would drown.

  Here are some blogs I found:

https://eledris.com/creating-fantasy-vegetation/

 https://eledris.com/creating-fantasy-animals/

 https://randyellefson.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/how-to-create-plants-and-animals-for-your-fantasy-setting/

 https://arimeghlen.co.uk/2016/07/02/how-to-build-your-world-flora-plants/

 https://arimeghlen.co.uk/2016/07/08/how-to-build-your-world-fauna-animals/

  Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/rachelramey318/for-my-book/north-american-wildlife/

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Iktomi in the window

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Worldbuilding: Religion

“Religion is the opiate of the people.” -Karl Marx

Religions are important in creating your fantasy world. To some characters, this religion will impact every aspect of their lives. Just like with people in the real world. It shapes the family and societal structure of the followers. There are some people who only associate with people from their faith. Religion impacts the nonreligious as well through pop culture, legislation, and even what businesses are open on certain days.

There are two strategies I used for creating my fictional religions. One is to take inspiration from existing religions, and the other is to create a religion organically. I took inspiration from mythologies that were interesting to me like Aztec, Sumerian, Christian, Hindu, Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Lakota- Sioux, Irish, and German mythologies. I used aspects from these religions like traditions for marriage or funerals. I based some of my gods personalities based on gods from the old world.

This strategy involves research. There are hundreds of deities out there to choose from. When choosing a religion to use as a basis, I researched a variety of mythologies until I found some that I enjoyed reading their myths. I used some mythologies from my own ancestry, but others were purely because I was interested in their concepts of gods.

Be careful that you are not appropriating someone else’s culture when building your fictional religion.

Or you can build a religion organically.

One thing to consider before you begin to brainstorm, is whether your religions are universal, meaning there is one religion in your world, or not. Sometimes a religion is overlapping, and there is one god or group of gods that are called different things in different cultures. Other times, there are many religions in a world, and all the gods live and interact with each other in whatever world the gods live in. Some gods create the world and leave to go on to do other godly things, and others are more active in the world.

There are many different kinds of religious classifications. When designing a fantasy religion, it is important to know what type of religion it is going to be. Will you have one god or many? Are there competing religions?

Religious Classification

What/Who Is Divine

Polytheism

Multiple gods

Monotheism

Single god

Atheism

No deities

Animism

Nonhuman beings (animals,  plants, natural world)

Totemism

Human-natural being connection

(https://courses.lumenlearning.com/alamo-sociology/chapter/reading-world-religions/)

 If there are multiple religions in your world, you might want to consider how these followers interact with one another. In the world we live in, catastrophic wars have been fought over whose god is the true god. Sometimes followers of a religion are persecuted, and other times religious followers persecute non-believers. In your world, consider whether the predominant religion is at odds with science.

Next it would be good to decide the purpose of the religion. Was it thought up to explain natural phenomenon that they couldn’t explain any other way? Was it designed to provide hope to the hopeless? Most religions fall under one of those two categories, but perhaps a religion could be formed strictly with the goal of consolidating power.

How is your religion organized? Some religions are based on a family structure. Some gods are based on heroes, elements, and natural phenomena. Other gods represent ideas like love, war, and fertility.

For polytheistic religions, it would be helpful to assign a domain to each god. For example, Poseidon is the god of the sea. Osiris is the god of the Underworld. This is essential in my worldbuilding journey. When I create a god, I begin with their domain. I began with a water goddess. From her domain, I was able to develop her personality based on properties of water. You can get creative here. For me, she can be both nurturing and destructive.

What myths do your people have for their gods? Do the gods have their own holidays? Where and how to their followers practice? What type of rituals (birth, marriage, death, ect) do your people practice? Do your people perform sacrifices (human, animals, or other)?

It may be helpful to outline core beliefs of your fantasy religion. For example, Illios, the Underling god of power, tells his followers to go out an put the land to good use. This has been taken to mean that the Underlings should conquer as much territory as possible in order for the ruler to use it efficiently. So it is with that holy purpose in mind that the empire enslaves the people of their provinces.

What type of values do the followers of this religion uphold? What are the gender roles? What type of family structure is there? Are there symbols associated with your religion?

Maybe your religion has been around for a long time. It may have evolved from its origins. Maybe a passage of a sacred text is taken literally when it was meant to be figurative. Maybe a passage is being taken out of context.

As you can see, there’s a lot to think about when creating a fantasy religion. Have fun with it. Get creative. 😊

  Resources:

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/alamo-sociology/chapter/reading-world-religions/

 Some blogs I found:

http://inkwellideas.com/worldbuilding/worldbuilding-religion-design/

 https://pblindberg.com/2020/07/31/worldbuilding-religion-how-to-create-impactful-and-immersive-religions-for-your-fantasy-world/#:~:text=Worldbuilding%20religion%20is%20an%20important,fantasy%20world%20must%20live%20by.

 https://eledris.com/how-to-worldbuild-believable-religions/