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Hot dense state
Gather all your story ideas tightly together and then let them explode out onto the page.
Hot reply
I have done that already.
I have a few stories that link together now.
Write your story.
Write your story.
define the rules that govern the universe it is set in
describe the society
specify any restrictions, like the no mermaids of the Dark Realms Universe.
specify what is needed for any other author's work to be considered canon
the story itself answers half of the above criteria ( the first 2, the rules and society )
post the universe rules as a separate story/ grouping page.
Stupidity is a capital offense. A summary not indictable.
This
This is how I basically created my universe :)
it is a logical way to do it.
it is a logical way to do it.
if the story is one you are happy with, then it has the core of the universe in it.
it's just the effort of getting that info filtered out into specifics, if the universe is open for others to play in.
Stupidity is a capital offense. A summary not indictable.
God complex
I usually just say: "LET THERE BE LIGHT!!!"
And remember...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifLqzLEB3E0
Let There Be
Let There Be
Let There Be
Let There Be
Let There Be
Whisper Words of Wisdom
Let There Be
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
wah wah wah wah
wah wah wah wah wahhhhhhhhhhhhh
Love, Andrea Lena
Easy. Write A Story.
Every piece of fiction that's ever been created exists in the author's private universe.
But I think I know what you mean. And the best question you can ask yourself is 'what if?'
What if there was a world where people could change sex at will?
What if there was a world where children were genderless until they reached puberty?
What if there was a world where gender didn't exist at all other than for the purposes of reproduction, in which everyone shared a dual role?
Those scenarios have already been covered - by Tanith Lee, Mary Gentle and Ursula Le Guin respectively. What they went on to examine was how the various societies might have evolved given the parameters mentioned, how their limitations might have affected anyone who felt they didn't fit in, and how outsiders might have responded to their attitudes and values.
So there's the second question you need to consider. Do I want to create this universe for its own sake, or will it help me say what I have to say more effectively?
Breaking a promise to myself here...
But here we are. Building a universe is nowhere near as daunting a task as you might think. You've probably got a good chunk of it in your head already. Keep it there for now. Write your stories. Make note of the special details that make this world/realm/universe different from our own. Don't do the universe building so much beforehand, because you will come up with new and really cool stuff based on what you're doing in each story you write. Let the building be done organically. This way you're not limiting your creativity. Then after a few stories, start putting together a bible (that's what TV shows call it) which details the special bits. This is what I've done with numerous RPG campaigns I've ran over the years. and had planned to do with Athena's Wisdom. But... >shrug<
~And so it goes...
Breaking promises replay
I have like 9 stories that are in this universe. I'm working on linking them together
Like many have said here...
Work on your story first. As the story progresses you will come up with rules about the universe your story exists in. Write those down on a separate sheet as they occur. Things like Magic does not exist, or Magic exists but only under the following circumstances. Oh and if you have magic, make sure to explain on your sheet EXACTLY how it works and how it does not work, you'll thank me later.
Good example, In my super soldier story I started with an idea and began writing the story. As the story progressed I began coming up with ideas of exactly how the scientists changed someone into one of the super soldiers, and what they used to do this with. I wrote it all down for my own reference. As the story has progressed so has my reference material, also by not giving away this information in the story I have been able to modify and change the reference material to fit the story when and if necessary.
By doing that, you have a handy reference for your own use and as your ideas become solid, you can "Leak" bit and pieces of information into the story for the reader to learn. You also can "leak" misinformation into the story without problems by using a character that "Thinks" they have the answer (but is wrong)
All in all building a universe is easy, the hard part is placing the restrictions on the universe so that it isn't all Mary Sue'd.
We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.
Mutations
If your Universe is a long-runner, one thing you'll discover is that your Universe mutates. Especially if others can contribute to it. You might discover that early works in the Universe violate well-established canon. (I've noticed a couple things about the "Arrows" trilogy of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series that appear inconsistent with later stories.)
-- Daphne Xu
Start small, with one story
Start small, with one story at first, and develop that into what you want it to become. Add characters, places, situations and concepts, but make sure there is a consistent feel to the universe before branching out further into other areas. As long as everything has a tight, consistent feel, your universe will grow organically. :-)
Debs xxxx
Any way you want.
Any way you want.
Just as there are different writing styles, there are different world-building styles.
I'm busy and struggling with chronic illness and rsi, so haven't been able to work on mine. One of my unfinished projects began with a character for a Star Wars or Firefly-style space opera, and then expanded as I tried to come up with a better setting for her background and goals [trying to find an unihabited but habitable world for her people to flee to], and then changed as I considered who she wanted her people to be able to flee from, and as I considered different approaches to faster-than-light travel, deciding on teleportation between gates.
Another way begins with certain events, scenes, cultural references, etc. and tries to come up with a world where some or all of them make sense.
Another way begins with one event, and then fleshes out its implications.
I'll be watching this ...
I've thought some about starting my own Universe with good Aliens, good Arabs, and dozens of other good races, minimal violence, naturally expressed gender variation where the characters all dress and act the way that seems to fit them the best. There would be no psych drugs or gender changing surgeries, or at least the ones that happen would actually work.
Oh nuts, Star Trek already did that. Sigh. :(
Cryptic Background References
One way to make your early stories a part of a universe is to insert "Cryptic Background References" into your stories. The original 1977 "Star Wars" used them very well, to give the Universe a history. Mercedes Lackey didn't do quite as well. Other series begin with novels having cryptic background references to establish history as well.
They can serve as Canon Fodder.
-- Daphne Xu
Universe
Mine is set mostly in New England, but I might have some characters in North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York and on a houseboat in Tennessee.
TGSine --958