Editor’s Note: All believers should be willing and able to share and lift up their fellows. Karina Fabian is more than generous to share her wisdom with CWG members. So with gratitude we will happily take this sweet treat that we are being given. This one is from Karina with love!
Over this year, Karina is going to share some of her writing seminars on the blog, with the lessons and references for further study. We’ll be posting these once a month. There’s no assigned homework, but if you have questions, please ask them in the comments. Her first workshop is worldbuilding.
Worldbuilding 101 by Karina Fabian
Lesson 1: Why Worldbuild?
The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.
—Tom Clancy
There’s a funny Star Trek parody about the similarity of worlds in Star Trek about how unlikely it is to have discovered planets all across the galaxy–yet the major differences in biology results only in different eyebrow ridges. It asks the timeless question: “How can humans successfully mate with Klingons? Genetically, Klingons have more in common with their dinner!”
I remember reading a sci fi novel (possibly another Star Trek) with a Jovian main character. The major difference was the person was shorter and stronger than earth humans. Even then, I thought this was ridiculously simplistic–the gravity of Jupiter is immense! How dense would this person’s molecular structure be to survive it–if it’s even possible? Why didn’t he break chairs whenever he sat?
At the other end of the spectrum is Terry Pratchett’s Discworld: a flat disk supported by three elephants riding on the back of an intergalactic turtle. His only justification is, “Space/time is infinite; possibilities are infinite. So why not?” Yet his world is fun, enthralling and–for the time you are reading his books–believable.
What’s the difference? Worldbuilding.
Worldbuilding is more than just postulating a planet and its people; it’s figuring out how things within that world interact with each other to fit the internal logic of your universe. Done correctly, it makes your setting either as delightful to explore as the plot is to follow or invisible to the plot because it’s so seemless. Done wrong, and it will distract your reader–sometimes to the point of losing her.
How much worldbuilding you need for a story depends on your story, however. If you think of it as a scale, at one end you find the case where the world is peripheral to the story. Whether the protagonist’s skin is green or he has three arms makes no difference to whether or not he meets his quest and wins the girl. Star Trek stories were often like this–many critics called them morality tales set in space. At the other end is the case where the world IS the story, because something about the world itself drives the characters or society or conflict. Pratchett’s Discworld or Niven’s Ringworld are good examples.
In the first case, worldbuilding is easy. You main goal is to make the world alien enough to provide an interesting twist, while unobtrusive enough that it doesn’t distract. That means, however, keeping some internal logic and common sense. (You can postulate medical intervention to have humans and Klingons create offspring, but Jovians would not simply be shorter humans.)
In the second case, you need greater detail; and even more, you need to know HOW everything works together. How does physics affect geology? How does geology affect the growth of civilization? How does the growth of civilization affect the culture? And how does the culture affect the reason your character had the experience that set him on his adventure?
For More reading:
Great tips on things to avoid when worldbuilding from Charlie Jane Anders: 7 Deadly Sins of Worldbuilding http://io9.com/7-deadly-sins-of-worldbuilding-998817537
Lisa Hartjes has a blog on worldbuilding. This page lists some links: http://www.lisahartjes.com/world-building/#sthash.bKj3ZDRp.dpbs
Here’s a blog about worldbuilding with lots of resources as well: http://worldbuildingrules.wordpress.com/
World-Building (Science Fiction Writing) by Stephen Gillett http://www.amazon.com/World-Building-Science-Fiction-Writing/dp/customer-reviews/158297134X
KathrynCunningham
Kathryn is a retired junior high teacher. A convert with a love for the Church she believes that its teachings have a more than viable application for today's world. She writes practical theological for the people in the pews believing that they have as much right to good catechesis as our youth and converts. Her writings appear on Catholic web sites and local Church publications. She has even been published in the diocese of Australia and most recemtly Zenit. Kathryn holds a Master's in Theology and is a certified spiritual director. Learn more about Kathryn at: www.atravelersview.org
Hi, Karina, thank you for sharing your creative knowledge. As a little kid Trekkie, I recall I as a fantastical escape/journey. Morality play, I can see some episodes, i.e., one where a colony worshipped the Sun, which our voyagers later learned was the Son, who was known in another world far across galaxy.
The quote from Tom Clancy, that fiction bas to make sense, Cool ^_^ One for my post-it board.
Question, to make a world believable, is it necessary to know and understand all of it, how it works and fits together, or do you think it would work if the world evolves as it is explored; could the action hold the reader in without him/her having a complete knowledge of the world in which the story unfolds? Can worldbuilding be a dynamic process or need it be a fully formed and developed foundation ? Thank You ^_^
Kate