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How to Create a Richly Imagined World

For someone who likes fantasy and sci-fi fiction, most of the time, a lot of people ask me about how to create a richly imagined world. Fantasy and sci-fi elements rest heavily on how an author weave the setting and the world in which the heroes dwell in, and it helps to make the novel to be imagined vividly in the readers' minds.

A convincing world should be relatable, something that we can associate ourselves with. For us to be associated with a world an author created in his mind, and wrote on the pages of a book, this world has to be close to the real thing. It has to be systematic, real and alive, and very convincing.



A real world has certain elements, and an author must consider them in writing a vividly imagined world:

  1. Cartography - a fantasy or sci-fi world depend heavily on geography and maps, especially if the plot requires war and the belligerents occupy so much space in the plot. A convincing world has the world separated in territories, and every part of the world has attention to details.
  2. Society - a richly imagined world has a society clearly defined. And society requires culture, it requires constant socialization, a way of life, it has social problems, it has tyranny and social menace, and there are social biases.
  3. Economy - a fantasy or sci-fi world is not complete without a source of economy. Economic activity must be clearly defined, although not all fiction in this genré emphasize economy in the fabric of their works, but it is always very helpful to hint on it.
  4. Conflict/Opposing Forces - a good story is only as good as its conflict, and a conflict driven world has proven to be the most effective. A conflict has opposing forces who are usually fighting for glory or supremacy. There are also opposing forces who are fighting against suppression and tyranny.
  5. Race/People - a fantasy or sci-fi world is not always about the human race, although sometimes they are also included. A race has to be clearly defined, including their appearance, clothes, characteristics, color or skin, as well as their powers and unique abilities.
  6. Government - a government is always important in weaving a fantasy world, and they are usually part of the conflict. A government has its own form, system of governance, politics, and erring politicians, as well as policy conflicts, among others.
  7. Weaponry - a system of weaponry is also important to define, with each race carrying unique abilities, or possessing universal weapons.

There are other elements that effective fantasy or sci-fi novels possess and these are only some of them.

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Photo from Pixabay.

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