World-building: Common Mistakes in Speculative Fiction – Guest Post by, Diana Peach…

Posted on by Chris The Story Reading Ape

World-building is a balancing act between alien complexity and Earth’s familiarity. If authors make characters and settings too alien, they risk confusing readers and interrupting the reading experience. But the other side of the coin – applying Earth qualities, standards, and cultural norms to non-Earth planets and societies – isn’t any better.

We’re so used to Earth and the way we live and behave, our customs, values, and social rules that they become invisible to us. They become the “givens” of human life, and often, we attribute them to other non-Earth worlds and cultures. Our ways of life are rooted in thousands of years of history. Other planets have different historical trajectories that produce alternate ways of life that feel normal to the characters.

Here are seven things to look out for when world-building:

Your society doesn’t “function”

Did you ever read a book where none of the characters work, and yet they always have plenty of cash? Most societies have social structures and economies that keep the place running, that differentiate roles and assign values, establish levels of power and induce friction. If your story takes place on a spaceship, you should have worked out who makes and enforces the rules? What are the checks and balances to those in power? Who may not be happy with their lots in life, and what are the penalties for destabilizing the status quo? You might ask yourself where the crew gets its food and how they manage population growth. These details may not end up in the book but should be part of your world-building.

Missing the inciting event

A story takes place at a point in time, usually a time when the crap is hitting the fan and getting splattered all over the pages. The big question is “Why now?” Why not last year or next year?
The answer is pretty obvious if the inciting event is an alien invasion, but some conflicts build over generations. What happened to cause the action to explode now?

Creating one-dimensional ethnic/racial/alien/social/political/religious groups

Diversity exists in all life forms, especially in sentient ones. In any well-rounded character profile, there will be a diversity of skills, quirks, strengths, flaws, and world views. When designing groups that inhabit the world, unless they’re zombies, avoid making them all act, think, and believe exactly the same way. Create different factions, power structures, opinions, temperaments, skill sets, and interests within each group. This adds underlying tension to your story.

Characters don’t fit the world

Characters who are outcasts and misfits are fine, but characters are also reflections of the worlds they inhabit. To a degree, the way they think, act, and perceive their choices will be colored by the world they grew up in. For example, a character from a pacifistic society would likely feel uncomfortable with violence and wouldn’t be an instant pro with a weapon. A character who can talk to animals would probably not eat meat. A truly egalitarian world wouldn’t be run by men.

Earth-origin cultures haven’t evolved

This applies specifically to futuristic stories with Earthlings. Not only does technology evolve, but attitudes, values, and traditions evolve. Just look at all the changes over the past 300 years and how quickly change is occurring now. What will holidays and celebrations look like in the future? Will some have faded away while new ones are established? Will we still use money? How will gender roles, parenting styles, and family structure have changed? Look at trends, create a few new ones, and most of all, try not to recreate 2017 in 2317.

High tech and magic fail to cross systems

Unless technology or magical power is limited to a band of secretive recluses on top of a mountain, it’s going to have a pervasive effect on the world’s systems. It would ripple through the social structure, education, arts, power hierarchies and values, economies and politics. For example, consider the vast changes that teleporting would have on commerce, tourism, terrorism, security, food, love… You could live in China, work in Brazil, and dine out in Egypt.

A history of high tech or magic hasn’t impacted the present

If trees had the ability to talk, the world would look quite different. We probably wouldn’t use wood products, and we’d have tree friends. Cutting down a tree might be considered murder. Except for well-kept secrets, everything that exists in your imaginary world today has a history that shaped it. What if, in your world, technology had cured death a thousand years ago? Massive changes would have occurred across all the world’s systems. So, what would a normal day look like today?

These seven mistakes are easy to avoid with a little contemplation, and you needn’t include all the backstory and details in your book. Just by going through the exercise you will add to the complexity and, thereby, increase the reality of your world.

Happy World-building!

Diana

Diana Wallace Peach

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86 thoughts on “World-building: Common Mistakes in Speculative Fiction – Guest Post by, Diana Peach…”

    • Thanks so much for stopping by to read, Tina. And great question! 😀 Oooh languages. I love making up languages and for one of my books, I have a made-up language that I can actually speak. The problem is… no one understands it but me. So the key, I think, is to limit its use drastically while also making it clear to the reader what is said – through an interpreter or by reflecting what’s said in thoughts. Readers can’t read or understand it – it’s gibberish – and too much gibberish is a problem. 😀 A made-up language is only useful in establishing a difference in the beings or the world. 😀 Just my thoughts. Have a great day and Happy Writing!

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  4. This series of articles are absolute gold for all writers in speculative fiction Diana, especially new writers. Sometimes stories get lost in worlds that are so obviously derivative rehashes of the Roman empire or the Wild West (not Firefly I hasten to add- although I didn’t much care for it- but it was more tongue in cheek). I would love to hear your thoughts on expanding worlds for sequels; so that a series does not end up a number of variations on the first novel. Personally I like the world to be a little bigger in each new book or season.(The TV series Fringe expanded the world each season). Love to know what you think. Best regards Paul

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    • Thanks so much for the comment and question, Paul. I’m no expert, but I’ll share my two cents on the “expanding” world. Geographical expansion is awesome and a great way to introduce new characters/technology/magic/cultures, etc. If the regions didn’t have much contact, then there’s room for lots of new stuff, but there should also be a reason why there’s been so little “overlap.” Not hard to come up with, but that reason has to integrate into each region’s history, culture, and worldview. The degree of overlap will impact the degree of diversity on multiple levels.

      Personally, I think that the entire universe should be mapped out prior to season/book one, even if we only see a fraction of it. This doesn’t mean that new things can’t be introduced later (such as magic amulets, secret machinery, or a whole new planet) but having the whole picture present at the start helps with the integrity of the story. Chekov’s gun can be placed on the mantel so when something new happens it rings a bell with the reader and feels integrated.

      I haven’t watched Fringe (I guess I should), but two shows come to mind when I think about the difference. “The Walking Dead” introduces new geographical areas with each season, inhabited by new people, but the writers often leave hints before we get there. The details of the world are consistent, the zombies act consistently, and the people behave like real human beings. “Z Nation” is another zombie show, and I feel like nothing is consistent. It’s as if a bunch of TV writers are sitting in a room week to week thinking “wouldn’t it be cool if…” The whole thing was jarring. I had to stop watching.

      A long answer and, of course, there are variations and exceptions all over the place. I guess the key to an evolving story with sequels is that the more thought and planning put into it up front, the better the outcome in the long run. 🙂 Thanks again, and I love the conversation. Happy Writing!

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      • Superb Reply Diana. Loved that it was meaty. I totally agree with mapping out the universe at least in your head for Book 1. I am with you, I hate jars. For instance in Jurassic Park (Book) Ian Malcolm dies in then end. In The Lost World he’s back. It’s like Creighton didn’t care about the reader! I haven’t watched Z nation but that would p me off. as a writer I hate to feel writers are making it up as they go along. Come on it is our trade… Don’t insult us! Fringe – Highly recommended and also while singing praises Emerald City (didn’t think I would like it but beautifully constructed in every way… Addictive). Thanks Diana. Paul

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        • Thanks, Paul. I’m always looking for something to grab my attention on TV when my brain is numb from writing. Thanks for the recommendations. We recently graduated to high-speed internet out here in the boondocks, so I can watch Netflix!

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  7. Hi Allie. Thanks for dropping by to read. These pop out to me as a reader, too, especially with magic systems or technology that’s inconsistently applied. I think most readers will accept the world as presented if the characters are invested in their reality… and as long as there aren’t any serious glitches. 😀 Have a great day and Happy Reading!

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  8. A brilliant and well-thought out advice Diana… Speculative fiction has to keep in mind how fast technology is changing the world and imagination has to leap accordingly! It must be quite challenging to create the characters of 2050 🙂 Would they become more compassionate or selfish though real human behavior has not changed for centuries yet there would be some changes.
    Long ago I had read a science fiction, which had speculated that man would set up an observatory at moon and real study of stars would be done there. The main character of this story makes his own spaceship and blasts from his backyard to reach this observatory…too far-fetched? Nothing of the sort seems to have happened…waiting! 🙂

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    • Some people are so good at predicting the future, Balroop, and some are way off, or… maybe the time just hasn’t come yet for homemade spaceships? 😀 Writing on a whole different planet is another matter altogether! What’s important, I think, is that within the story and the details feel authentic.Thanks for visiting and for the thoughtful comment! Happy November, my friend. 🙂

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    • Thanks for checking out the post, Cathleen. 🙂 I think we do a lot of this automatically, but I do have to spend some time thinking about implications. Looking at cultural norms is particularly challenging. I’m writing in a matriarchal world right now and have to challenge myself constantly. Ugh! 🙂 Happy Writing!

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    • Hi Allie. Thanks for dropping by to read. These pop out to me as a reader, too, especially with magic systems or technology that’s inconsistently applied. I think most readers will accept the world as presented if the characters are invested in their reality… and as long as there aren’t any serious glitches. 😀 Have a great day and Happy Reading!

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