worldbuilding -

05Oct 2014 by Dianna L. Gunn

The Ultimate List of 42 Worldbuilding Resources

Do you need help figuring out how to plan your novel? Are you looking for writing exercises that will help you develop your setting? UPDATED WITH NEW LINKS OCTOBER 2017 Well, it just so happens that you're in the right place. This year as part of my Nanowrimo blogstravaganza I've decided to create three lists: the ultimate list of worldbuilding resources, the ultimate list of character building resources, and the ultimate list of plot development exercises. My goal is to present you with all the options and the knowledge necessary to find your own way to success this Nanowrimo, and in every novelling endeavour you decide to take on after that. Are you ready to start planning your Nanowrimo novel? Is that a "yes" I hear? Well then, let's get…

19Oct 2012 by diannagunn

Mapping Your World and Creating a Factsheet

Inspirational, Nanowrimo, Workshops, Writing, Writing

With only twelve days before Nanowrimo start, there isn't much time to finish building your world and planning your novel, so you have to focus on the important details. Creating a map for your world--anywhere from a basic map establishing cities and borders to a complete road map--and a fact sheet to bring together all your knowledge of the world you'll be writing your novel in is a great way to figure out what you need to know to begin your novel without hours of hard labour. The fact sheet also provides you with a place to put notes when you discover new things about your world. Today I'm going to walk you through the process of creating a bare-bones world with these tools. Mapping Mapping is incredibly easy, though…

17Oct 2012 by diannagunn

Building your World by Addie J. King

Inspirational, Nanowrimo, Writing

Today's author is a Nanowrimo veteran who saw my call for guest posts and answered almost immediately. I'm very proud to present her post, Building Your World as part of my Nanowrimo Blogaganza. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did! * * * * So you've decided (or are thinking about) National Novel Writing Month this year? AWESOME! But what will you write about? More important, where will your story take place? Will you sail the Spanish Main? Will you inhabit the foggy gaslit streets of Victorian London? What about a spaceship, talking to aliens from another planet? Wanna write about werewolves and cavemen? Or will you write about something happening in today's world? There are a ton of ideas, and only you can decide where you…

15Oct 2012 by diannagunn

Important Questions about Your World

Inspirational, Nanowrimo, Writing

Worldbuilding means different things for different authors. For traditional fantasy authors, it involves creating a whole new world and figuring out as much as possible about the people who live there and the world itself. For urban fantasy authors, it means figuring out how this version of Earth is different from our own. For mystery and contemporary romance authors, it means researching or developing the town where a story takes place. For science fiction authors, it often means creating not just new worlds but the technologies to get a species from one world to the next. The meaning of worldbuilding also varies from author to author. Some authors develop only the parts of their world that their characters will at some point be in. Others like to develop every corner…

10Aug 2011 by diannagunn

Studying History For Inspiration

Novels, Short Fiction, Writing: The Process

A few weeks ago, I wrote a short story entitled Birth of a Vampire. It takes place in Scotland, around 700 A.D., as the last of Paganism was fading from the country. It's the first of several stories meant to travel with the vampire-Thomas-around the world and through the ages. This series of short stories is going to be my most research-heavy project yet. I'm not dreading all the legwork though-I'm excited, and I'm getting new inspiration every couple of pages. I believe that everyone should study history, especially writers. History is a study of humanity, showing our patterns and our ways of thinking. More than the names and dates, the people and the places, it says a lot about humanity as a whole. And basic human nature hasn't changed…