8 Worldbuilding Tips Not for Sci-Fi Writers Only
This blog post first appeared at Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's.
It can be argued that the setting in a sci-fi novel is even more crucial than it is for other types of novels that don’t rely on otherworldly details to spin a great story. While there are all kinds of science fiction novels out there—those that take place on Earth versus those that take place on other heavenly bodies or in space itself—the setting must be clear in the reader’s mind. And it’s best when it comes across in an organic manner, like a foundation upon which the story can stand.
My Jovian Universe series takes place on Earth, but it’s not the same Earth humans occupy today. One critical detail makes it very different: humans do not realize that beings from Jupiter have been influencing what happens on Earth for many years, and they have big plans for the planet’s future. In the first book, these otherworldly beings conduct their business mostly in the background and the setting is not greatly affected, but by Book Three, Bright Blue Planet, the reader clearly sees just how different the planet has become due to their supernatural presence.
Whatever the environment you’re creating, the writer must weave the details of the fictional world into the forward-moving action. Hint at the ways in which this setting is not the same as the Earth modern-day humans live in at the present time. Things are not the same as they are in the real world (whether it’s only a little different or greatly different), which means the rules are different, the opportunities and dangers are different, and the way things are done are different.
People in general don’t like change, so the setting may cause some tension, and that’s not a bad thing. Tension in fiction is always good. On the other hand, readers love to consider futuristic possibilities and the special talents outer-space creatures possess, not to mention the ways in which technology might enhance human lives down the road. Be sure to pour all of this sci-fi magic into your worldbuilding, and your setting will bring readers back for more.
Questions to Ask
Before you get started with a new book or series, you must establish several things about the world you are creating. Here are a few considerations to make:
+ What year is it?
+ Who lives in this setting? What special talents do they have, if any?
+ What kind of technology is prevalent? Are the inhabitants ahead or behind present-day real life?
+ What is the physical environment like? Hot and dusty? Cold and icy? Rocky or filled with vegetation? How do the environmental details affect daily life?
+ What is the history of this place and how much influence does it have on the present day?
+ Is this a peaceful place? Who has the power? What are the rules, and who are the rulers?
+ How free are the beings who live here? What are the main struggles?
+ Will your book include hard scientific details, or soft?
No matter how you answer these questions, be consistent with your details. Abide by the rules you have established.
When you start writing your novel, tell the story as if all of these things already exist, and be confident that your readers will catch on without much explaining. Simply drop details here and there, and hint at the state of the world they are just starting to know. Of course you’ll have to supply enough information for them to understand what they need to know “right now” (in the present moment in the book), but that’s all. Just as you reveal details about a character in a gradual way in order for the reader to get to know them in a natural way, you’ll weave in the details of the setting on a need-to-know basis.
The surprises readers learn as the story unfolds will be as thrilling to them as any plot twists.
