Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith

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Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions

While out researching something else, I came across this terrific resource by Patricia C. Wrede. Although designed for use in a fantasy setting, it should work equally well for science fantasy, and some parts could be adapted for use in science fiction or horror settings. If you're drawing a blank on ideas, try reading through this list of questions -- there are oodles of story seeds in here.

http://www.sfwa.org/writing/worldbuilding1.htm
Tags: fantasy, fiction, writing
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  • 2 comments

Anonymous

July 19 2007, 17:15:06 UTC 13 years ago

I utilized Wrede's list of questions extensively in the world-building for the series I'm writing and I agree that it's a tremendous resource. Another terrific resource is Elizabeth Viau's online world-building kit at:

http://curriculum.calstatela.edu/courses/builders

What I found so helpful about this resource was its emphasis on simple math and science to construct complex worlds and ecosystems.

Another great resource, this one for conlangs, is at:

http://www.zompist.com/kit.html

This resource is great for people who aren't linguists but want to create believable languages for their invented universes.

If I might post a page of my own here as well, I've collected these and other resources together and written a short article on my web site about world-building. That article is here:

http://www.csmaccath.com/wbandconlang

I figured that if I had trouble putting together a comprehensive plan for world construction, other people might as well, so when I finally put it all together in my head, I put some notes online.

Blessings!
Ceallaigh
www.csmaccath.com
Thank you so much for sharing! These are really good resources.