Writers CORNER Writers CORNER STRANGE WORLDS AND HOW TO POPULATE THEM. GENERATING IDEAS FOR SCI-FI AND FANTASY STORIES

by Rita Maclean

All books will transport a reader to a new, exciting world that differs from reality in small or large ways – a different time or a conveniently altered contemporary world, or a new and strange place for science fiction or fantasy adventuring. Creating a plausible world will draw readers into your story and keep them there. Building strange worlds and conjuring creatures is one of my most enjoyable writing activities. Consider the time the story is taking place. The future, past or even alternative past will allow you to create awesome, story-specific technology like dirigibles and light speed. Or how about the phantasmagoria of powerful magic and creatures? This will paint a vivid picture of the story in the reader’s mind. Technology and magical inventions need rules and limits. The challenges and dangers caused by these rules will help give structure to your story.

One world-building challenge I faced was – how could mermaids talk underwater without air. I invented communication involving a combination of luminous skin signals and psychic messages. Problem solved. let the details and rules you have invented guide what will happen in the next scene. could control time?”

Take time for your world to take shape before you start writing. Note your ideas down as scribbles and drawings. Enjoy travelling in your story world.

Happy writing. Rita.

The more detail the writer knows about things like culture, species, physicality and language, the richer the story will be. No one has gone to your story world yet. Not even you, so you will be captivated and excited to spend time in it, and this will motivate you to build an intricate world.

Though you may not plan to have a map in the front of your book, drawing a rudimentary map of your story world can help you with continuity, and a sense of time and geographical features. Your characters will need to follow the rules and traverse the landscape you have designed. At those times when you get stuck on what will come next in your plot,

Now you need characters and creatures. You might choose a blend of creatures or magic rules that already exist, then put your own twist on it to custom-make exactly what you need. Know the powers and weaknesses of your magical creatures, robots and aliens and use these in a “cause-and-effect” way. Like my mermaids, because they have psychic abilities, it allows them to send controlling thoughts into human minds which helps drive the story forward and gives plausibility to otherwise impossible things.

Play the “What if” game by posing a question and letting your imagination run free. One of my favourite short stories started with, “What if a watch

PS. I write for kids and young adults as Martii Maclean. If you want to know about mermaid mind-control, visit www. martiimaclean.com and look at ‘We of the Between.’