We’ve been getting quite a high number of Fantasy submissions over at Literary Wanderlust lately. Unfortunately, the majority of these stories feel as if they are rehashing the same old story settings. So, I thought I might pose some thoughts for fantasy authors to help them create a new fantasy world as the setting for their novel.
- Determine the genre and scope of your novel: Before you start creating a new world, think about what type of story you want to tell and how large in scope you want it to be. Do you want to write an epic high fantasy with multiple kingdoms and races, or a more intimate story set in a single city or region?
- Establish the physical rules and parameters of your world: Decide what kind of physical world your story will take place in. Will it be a flat world, a globe, or something entirely different? Consider the climate, geography, and natural resources of your world.
- Create a history and mythology: Every world has a history, and creating a detailed history can add depth and richness to your story. Decide on the major events that have shaped your world and create a mythology that explains the origins of the world and its inhabitants.
- Develop the cultures and societies of your world: Determine the different races, cultures, and societies that inhabit your world. Consider their beliefs, customs, and traditions. Think about how these groups interact with one another and how they view outsiders.
- Design the political and economic systems of your world: Decide on the governing structures and economies of your world. Consider the different forms of government that exist, such as monarchies, republics, and oligarchies. Think about the different economic systems that exist, such as feudalism, mercantilism, and capitalism.
- Establish the magic and supernatural elements of your world: Decide on the rules of magic and supernatural powers in your world. Consider the sources of magic, the limitations, and the consequences of using it.
- Create unique flora and fauna: Create a list of unique flora and fauna that exist in your world. Think about how they contribute to the ecosystem and how they are used by the inhabitants of your world.
The importance of thinking about and outlining these things before you start writing is that once your world is set, it’s very difficult to change, especially for a series. For example, If the rules you create for your world\’s magic do not specify that your story people can fly through telekinesis, then having a character fly in chapter thirteen (out of the blue) pushes the reader out of their ability to suspend their disbelief and get emotionally emmeshed in your story. In other words, your reader will be thinking, \”How can this character suddenly fly? That doesn’t make any sense.” So, be sure set the rules in advance, and make sure your characters adhere to those rules.
Overall, creating a new world for a fantasy novel can be a daunting task, but with careful planning and attention to detail, you can create a rich and immersive world that will captivate your readers, or in our case, your editors.