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Worldbuilding Questions: Other* Cultures - a handy list for writers with little time

(*not the main characters')

After my extensive [list of questions for towns and cities] for your main setting, there will also be many countries, regions and cultures mentioned in your project, that aren't central to the plot, that you don't have time to delve into detail about, but that still should feel 'real'.

For this use (or, really, in general, if you don't have much time to worldbuild before you start your first draft), I prepared a list with 10 very rough, basic questions to make your world feel alive:

What is their most important export good or economy?

What was the most important event in their recent history, and how long ago did it happen?

What do people from that place wear and how do they style? Are they distinguishable in a crowd?

What is their language, and is it understandable for your narrator? Do they have an accent?

What are they famous for? (People from there, their humor, their food, their skills at something...)?

Are or were they at war / at the brink of war with other people; esp. with those at the center of your story?

What is their most important difference to your "main" / narrator's culture? (Religion, society, economy...?)

Are representatives of that culture seen often in your setting?

What is something outsiders say about them?

What do they say about themselves?

I recommend thinking about these for your side character's home cultures, as well as for your setting's most important regions and neighboring countries. Five or so might even be enough, just as a handy ressource to make your setting feel alive and real.

Where to start as a beginner writer

Are you new to the world of writing? Here are some pointers to consider when starting out your journey!

Define your purpose

A super important first step for any writer is to ask themselves why they are actually writing. What sort of message do you want to put out into the world, what types of stories are you going to tell? Do you want to make people cry, laugh, do you want to inspire them, do you want to shine a torch on important issues, do you want to thrill them or make them feel good?

Familiarize yourself with character arcs

Before plot, there is character! Character arcs are a great way to get yourself started on your writing journey. Learn about internal conflict, misbelief, positive and negative arcs, backstories... Once you know this, the plotting side of things clicks into place much easier.

Understand the basics of story structure

You do not need to be a plot-genius to write a good book. As long as you have a good grasp on your character arcs, and a basic understand of how a story is structured, you’re good to go! It’s great to read about 3-act, 5-act, hero’s journey, and other structures on examples of books you’ve read or films you’ve seen.

Read in your genre

Cannot stress this enough! Every writer should be a reader. It’s so important to read within and outside of your genre, because reading is the best way to learn and grow and improve.

Don’t be afraid to write whatever comes to mind

All writers get stuck into certain parts of their writing, and we all become victims of perfectionism or procrastination one way or another. Don’t let this be a thing to discourage you. What’s important to know about writing is that the more you do it, the more you will improve. So even if you’re writing something for fun, or you’re not entirely happy with the quality, know that actually writing it will help you more than avoiding it.

Did you know I have a free novel plan to get you started on your writing journey?

You can grab it through the [link here] or below!

the-plottery.com

The Plottery Links

The Plottery offers writing services such as book coaching, book editing, novel plotting digital courses, and theory books on the craft of w

THE WRITER'S WORKBOOK - free

Hello hello, it's me!

Today I'm here to tell you about each feature of "The Writer's Workbook", which you can download for free.

Note: this workbook has two variations, so you can print it or use it digitally as a PDF.

I designed this workbook in an intuitive way so that the plot progresses as you go further in the exercises. It is divided in six big categories: Idea & Plot, Character Development, World Building, Writing, Journal, and Resources.

Note: feel free to skip exercises or to complete them in any other order than the one suggested by me!

IDEA & PLOT

This section is meant to help you develop your idea before you even know who your characters are.

In this part, you will choose the central conflict, write down keywords about your idea, and draw a mind map. Then, you'll proceed to find your voice through different exercises, to then find each key point of the plot, from exposition to resolution.

It's also in this part that you are going to come up with plot twists and the ending of the book.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Here, as the name says, you will completely develop all your characters, from the protagonist to the side characters. You will also have the opportunity to develop their relationships through mind maps and brainstorming processes.

WORLDBUILDING

Just like the other categories, worldbuilding is a fundamental step when plotting a novel.

In this workbook, you'll be asked to draw or generate a map of your world so that you always have it near you whenever you need it. There are also some prompts to fill out about it, and locations to create and explore.

In this part, you can also make a timeline for all the main events in your world.

WRITING

Now that most of your story is planned, it's time to think about writing it!

This section is perfect to come up with the best title for your book, brainstorming and develop the opening scene, and fully developing each key point using the snowflake method.

There's also a place to write down all the scenes and chapters you want to include in your book and check it off as you write it.

JOURNAL

This part is for you to reflect on your writing goals, on your ideas, and to see your progress. It's important to check this often and make sure you always have your goals in mind!

RESOURCES

Here you will find some useful resources from writing communities to courses and softwares to help you in this process and, hopefully, make it easier!

THE WRITER'S WORKBOOK

If you don't have it already grab it now here! It's completely free and I'm sure it will help you develop your new idea <3

Capitulo 6: El Libro

Como conociste a mi mama? preguntó Stephanie mientras se recuesta en la cama al anochecer 

En el río, en la luvia, un rayo cae y la luz hace su presentación, dijo el papá mientras recorre las sábanas para cubrir el cuerpo de la niña.

Era Hija del Rayo? infirió la menor mirando la imagen de su presentación.

Se puede decir. Por la potencia de su luz, contesta el papá

Cómo se quedó? inquirió intranquila la niña 

Le dije que si volvía, le escribiria con mis propias manos unos cuentos y se los leeria todos los dias en el parque 

Volvió?

A veces 

Que pasó?

Los escribimos los dos, y después los leíamos los dos, dijo mientras apagaba la luz, y cerraba la puerta de la habitación.

Remembering the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today.

You Inspire Me: To Writing Groups Who Become True Friends

Writing isn’t as solitary a pursuit as many think. Inspiration comes in many forms, but most often, it comes in the shape of people. All month long, we’re asking writers to write a Not-So-Secret-Admirer’s Note to the people who’ve inspired them to take up the pen. Today, participant Suzanne Shaw celebrates her writing group:

Dear Colleen, Kay, Niki, Teresa, and Traci,

Yes, my wild, inspired sisters—you are the reason I am able to write, not just reclusively as writers must, but also as part of a small but vibrant writing community. Aren’t I lucky to have this opportunity to write out loud about what a difference you have made in my life! 

How could we have imagined when we first met at Hedgebrook, a retreat for women writers in Washington state, that we would still be in almost daily contact over a year later? We were together in a historical fiction master class for only a week, learning from the phenomenal Deborah Harkness and reveling in Whidbey Island’s magic. Although Hedgebrook and its dedicated staff remain close to my heart, you are the gift that keeps on giving. Even now that we are scattered from the West Coast of the US to Germany, thanks to technology we are there for each other almost every day, and sometimes even in the middle of the night.

What we have in common connects us — our obsession with historical fiction, alternating fascination and frustration with the writing process, and a passion for red wine with salt and pepper potato chips. I have seen most of you at least once in the intervening year and I cherish those times, too. Only with true friends can you meet and take up the conversation again without missing a beat. And what conversations! Encouragement, sympathy, understanding, humor — each of you has these things in abundance and shares them unquestioningly.

Thanks for always being there, convincing me I can succeed, and cheering me over all the hurdles. Maybe I could do it alone, but I’m glad I don’t have to try.

Love,

Suzanne

Keep reading

I have a few stories on the back burner but one that I'm trying to wrap my head around is about two characters who find themselves as leaders of their kingdoms. Both characters are juxtaposed with conflicting worldviews, and personality traits which has them hating each other. The issue I'm having is finding their purpose. Stuff that they believe in. I'm a little worried that these two characters will just end up being 2-dimensional.

Opposing Leaders Still Need a Conflict

You have a good start to the story, but there needs to be a conflict. The conflict can't just be that they hate each other. What is the problem that needs to be solved in their external world and/or their internal worlds? That's the conflict.

These characters have conflicting worldviews, but what does that actually mean in your story? What are the issues in these kingdoms or in the story world where these characters stand in moral opposition? A good example would be in A Song of Ice and Fire, when Daenerys Targaryen came into power, she was opposed to slavery, which put her in opposition with the many leaders in Essos who upheld it. Another example would be the members of the rebellion in The Hunger Games, who were opposed to the brutal and oppressive regimes of the Capitol, which put the rebels in opposition with the current President Snow and his regime.

Without a conflict, you don't have a story. But the conflict doesn't have to be a problem in the character's exterior world. It could be a problem within the characters themselves. For example, you could do an exploration of the internal conflicts at the heart of their worldviews (or perhaps as a result of them), and then do a change arc with each character where they change for the better or worse as a result of the story events. And you could have these arcs happen in parallel, where they're both going through similar arcs for different reasons, or they can be opposing, where they still end up in opposite places.

By making sure your story has a conflict, you can ensure that there's a purpose to the story, and that purpose gives your characters purpose and gives your story a foundation to build upon. :)

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I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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Siempre me ha gustado Maná, quizá sea la versatilidad de los sonidos al combinarse con las acústicas, lo cual producen un ritmo original fuera de clichés musicales. Un buen programa musical empezaría con ellos, a la par de trabajar entrevistas de por medio