An early sketch for the cover of my futuristic novel A CRACK IN THE SKY by the amazing artist Per Haagensen
Some thoughts for writers:
In some ways the writerly concept called “world building” is just another way of saying “writing”. Still, no matter your story’s genre, taking the time to think through and organize some of the story-world’s details and rules up front can help keep the story coherent, consistent and feeling ‘real’ (and save you lots of rework time later). Whether you’re writing sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary realistic, or any other flavor of fiction (or non-fiction, for that matter), the following non-exhaustive list of considerations is intended only as thought-starters as you begin to organize and plan.
What is your story’s world?
A Few Questions/Considerations
Place and Time:
- When and where does the story take place? An current-day town on an ordinary day? Future Earth? Another planet? An imagined ‘Almost-Earth’? A suburban garage? Somewhere else?
- What is the geography? Terrain?
- What is the climate?
- Is it a time/place that really existed? Is it totally imagined? Where do the real and imaged overlap?
