The Natural World
Does your world have flora and fauna? Any similarities to that found on earth or are they different due to the nature of the world they’re in? What are the prey/predator creatures? Does magic pollute non-magical creatures? A lot of the issues affecting earth could be adapted to produce stories for your world.
The Politicial World
Is the government of your world accountable? Based on an earth system or is it unique to its situation? What happens to those who question it, rebel against it or do both, as in Eileen’s case? Do the people or other species of choice able to vote? Are certain species barred from voting? Why? What happens when your world faces external threats? Is there the equivalent of a UN or NATO? Does your world have traitors and who do they seek to betray and why?
The Historical World
Grudges cast long shadows. Things from the past affecting today form the basis of many a great story. Anything you can use here? And bear in mind that a character’s development takes time. Eileen has become awkward because she has become fed up with being “used”. The Witch wants to take the Kingdom to avenge slights, real and imagined, on her family by the fairy royals. The Witch “forgets” her own family attacked the royals, naturally the royals were going to fight back. Does your setting have a history, which may well affect your characters? The Fairy Kingdom has a history of wars between witches, wizards and fairies, leading to barren areas, which in turn is leading to overpopulation in certain parts of the realm. This led to Eileen suggesting the more responsible magical beings living, in disguise, on other worlds. She got shouted down yet she knows this issue won’t just go away no matter how much the Queen and Council try to ignore it. Has your world got issues it needs to face? What is its system of government? If your world seems real to you, it should seem real to your readers. And every world has to be run by someone - someone with a past, character traits that can benefit the realm/cause it great problems. There’s got to be some great stories in that!
The Personal World
Have your characters got enough to play for? Their ambition has got to be strong enough. It’s no good just wishing for something to happen. Have they the means, or the ability to find the means, to achieve t hem? What will they do to achieve them? Have they got limits? Can they see to the end of the road? Do they know where they want to end up?
Does your world have flora and fauna? Any similarities to that found on earth or are they different due to the nature of the world they’re in? What are the prey/predator creatures? Does magic pollute non-magical creatures? A lot of the issues affecting earth could be adapted to produce stories for your world.
The Politicial World
Is the government of your world accountable? Based on an earth system or is it unique to its situation? What happens to those who question it, rebel against it or do both, as in Eileen’s case? Do the people or other species of choice able to vote? Are certain species barred from voting? Why? What happens when your world faces external threats? Is there the equivalent of a UN or NATO? Does your world have traitors and who do they seek to betray and why?
The Historical World
Grudges cast long shadows. Things from the past affecting today form the basis of many a great story. Anything you can use here? And bear in mind that a character’s development takes time. Eileen has become awkward because she has become fed up with being “used”. The Witch wants to take the Kingdom to avenge slights, real and imagined, on her family by the fairy royals. The Witch “forgets” her own family attacked the royals, naturally the royals were going to fight back. Does your setting have a history, which may well affect your characters? The Fairy Kingdom has a history of wars between witches, wizards and fairies, leading to barren areas, which in turn is leading to overpopulation in certain parts of the realm. This led to Eileen suggesting the more responsible magical beings living, in disguise, on other worlds. She got shouted down yet she knows this issue won’t just go away no matter how much the Queen and Council try to ignore it. Has your world got issues it needs to face? What is its system of government? If your world seems real to you, it should seem real to your readers. And every world has to be run by someone - someone with a past, character traits that can benefit the realm/cause it great problems. There’s got to be some great stories in that!
The Personal World
Have your characters got enough to play for? Their ambition has got to be strong enough. It’s no good just wishing for something to happen. Have they the means, or the ability to find the means, to achieve t hem? What will they do to achieve them? Have they got limits? Can they see to the end of the road? Do they know where they want to end up?
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