G: A to Z Blogging Challenge

Welcome to another day in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Find the entire list here. My theme this year is world-building. Mostly I’m asking questions that I believe need to be considered whether you creating a medieval fantasy world, a science fiction story or even a contemporary novel. The ideas I present aren’t in a particular order as I had to fit them into the alphabetical order needed. And don’t forget to visit the other blog I’m part of during the A to Z Challenge over at the IWSG. Now onto your world.

Kings, queens, lords and ladies, who is ruling your world? Governments, good, bad, or at war, are always great story plots. Is your futuristic world ruled by committee or is it a dystopian world with no one in charge? Is the government the source of conflict or the answer to it? Do people vote? Are you going to base the government of your world on a modern or historical model?

Rolling hills, cloud touching mountains or surging oceans? What is the geography of your world? Fertile farmland or windswept plains? An isolated island? Active volcanoes and shifting continents? Geography can influence government, ease of travel and the welfare of your characters.

Gender roles? In medieval societies in our world, women usually were second class citizens. Will they be so on your world? Will they be of a more ancient tradition where women ruled the village and made the decisions. Will your women have access to education? Can they inherit? Is it a future world where everything is completely equal? What will the gender roles be like in your story?

Do you have a favorite geographic setting? Have you read any novels with interesting, nontraditional gender roles? Have you read or written about any governments that are better than any current ones?

F: A to Z Blogging Challenge

Welcome to another day in the A to Z BloggingChallenge. Find the entire list here. My theme this year is world-building. Mostly I’m asking questions that I believe need to be considered whether you creating a medieval fantasy world, a science fiction story or even a contemporary novel. The ideas I present aren’t in a particular order as I had to fit them into the alphabetical order needed. And don’t forget to visit the other blog I’m part of during the A to Z Challenge over at the IWSG. Now onto your world.

What are your people eating? Food! Do they grow their own? If a medieval world, how do they preserve it? Is there enough to go around? In medieval societies, few things were more important than food. Most hours of the day revolved around getting enough food. Winters were difficult. How do they cook their food? Open fire? Cast iron stove? Zap it in some kind of futuristic re-hydrator? What utensils did they eat with? Any special manners or rituals involved with eating? Are your characters vegetarians?

If you've invented a world you might also invent your own flora and fauna. Do your people ride horses or dragons? I have fun creating new creatures for my Recon Marine books and my fantasy series. Sometimes its easier to make everything the same as the real world, but even a few little twisted plant-life or animal form can raise your story to the 'unique' realm. The possibilities are near the endless but you have take care that the wonderful things you invent don't distract from the story.

Have you ever invented a plant or animal for a story? Do you have fun with the food in your stories or is it part of the background? Do you know how to cook over an open fire?

E: A to Z Blogging Challenge

Welcome to another day in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Find the entire list here. My theme this year is world-building. Mostly I’m asking questions that I believe need to be considered whether you creating a medieval fantasy world, a science fiction story or even a contemporary novel. The ideas I present aren’t in a particular order as I had to fit them into the alphabetical order needed. And don’t forget to visit the other blog I’m part of during the A to Z Challenge over at the IWSG. Now onto your world.

What is education like in your world? Does everyone receive equal education? Are the peasants literate? Are there traditional schools? Does having an education give a person status? Are certain races or genders denied educational opportunities? What subjects are part of the educational experience? How is education paid for?

Do you characters attend a banquet or stop over in an inn? What is the entertainment like for the times? Musicians? Street players? Singers? Acrobats? Singing around a campfire? Does entertainment involve war games like jousting tournaments? Horse races? What kind of wild games could you create in a futuristic setting? Are entertainers respected and well paid or is their profession less than honorable? How about small games of chance, poker, throwing dice or something else you invent?

Do you think education can play a key plot role? What kind of entertainment can be found in your novel? Ever invent a game by yourself?

D: A to Z Blogging Challenge

Welcome to another day in the A to Z BloggingChallenge. Find the entire list here. My theme this year is world-building. Mostly I’m asking questions that I believe need to be considered whether you creating a medieval fantasy world, a science fiction story or even a contemporary novel. The ideas I present aren’t in a particular order as I had to fit them into the alphabetical order needed. And don’t forget to visit the other blog I’m part of during the A to Z Challenge over at the IWSG. Now onto your world.

Every world has them. Disease can play a big role in a novel. A disease could have destroyed society or nearly so. How does your society fight disease? High tech treatments? Old fashioned herbs. Magic or witchcraft? Is it a futuristic world where all disease has been eliminated? Do all people have equal access to treatments? Are you inventing diseases or using one already known to mankind? Is treating disease the responsibility of certain groups?

Along the same lines, are drugs a part of your world? Alcohol is found in medieval societies in various forms but how about tobacco? More potent drugs? Are the drugs being used for medicinal reasons or being abused? Do they play into the plot?

How long is each day on your world? Earth days? In my Recon Marine series, the novels take place on various planets. Not all planets will have days of twenty-four hours or even regular periods of dark and light. What will the days be like?

Can you name a disease a novel used as part of the plot? Have you read a fantasy or historical novel that used magic or herbal cures for illnesses? Have you read a novel with odd length days?

C: A to Z Blogging Challenge

Welcome to another day in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Find the entire list here. My theme this year is world-building. Mostly I’m asking questions that I believe need to be considered whether you creating a medieval fantasy world, a science fiction story or even a contemporary novel. The ideas I present aren’t in a particular order as I had to fit them into the alphabetical order needed. And don’t forget to visit the other blog I’m part of during the A to Z Challenge over at the IWSG. Now onto your world.

Does it get cold in your world? What is the climate like? Will there be seasons? Is it dry, rainy or tropical? Are your characters going to have to camp out? Does the wind blow all the time? Snow? Will a sunny, moderate climate be boring?

Going along with the climate, what clothing are your characters sporting? Start with the material. Wool? Cotton? Hides? Synthetics? Are social classes distinguishable by their clothing? Hand-stitched? What are they using for needles and thread? Are they wearing hose? What about undergarments? Belts or suspenders? Buttons or zippers? Hats or helmets? Will you spend many of your words on clothing at all?

Can you see how climate could play a role in your book? Do you find clothing an essential part of your book or something forgotten in the background?

B: A to Z Blogging Challenge, ISWG

Welcome to another day in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Find the entire list here. My theme this year is world-building. Mostly I’m asking questions that I believe need to be considered whether you creating a medieval fantasy world, a science fiction story or even a contemporary novel. The ideas I present aren’t in a particular order as I had to fit them into the alphabetical order needed. And don’t forget to visit the other blog I’m part of during the A to Z Challenge over at the IWSG. Now onto your world.

Are there books in your world? Books like ours or are all writings on scrolls? Are books copied by hand? Are they precious and rare or perhaps considered magical? Can even poor people possess books? Is it the future and all writings are on a computer like device?

Blacksmiths in medieval societies are important. They're needed to make weapons, plows, tools and often jewelry and tableware. They keep shoes on horses and make buckles for harnesses, shoes and clothing. Do they work with bronze, steel, silver, gold or some metal unique to your world? Don't forget the smiths.

Any books in your novel? (Ignore the pun) Any of your characters smiths of one sort or another? Any swords or weapons being made? Who does it?

Don't forget to share in your insecurities for this month. Thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh for starting this monthly group. Check out the entire group of participants on the IWSG blog. My theme for A to Z, world building, is actually my insecurity for this month. There are so many wonderful books, websites and classes on world building, I feel exposed putting myself out there by sharing some of my thoughts on it. Who am I among these experts and famous published authors? But I went for it anyway because I like world building and felt comfortable talking about. What is your insecurity this month?

A: A to Z Blogging Challenge

Welcome to another day in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Find the entire list here. My theme this year is world-building. Mostly I’m asking questions that I believe need to be considered whether you creating a medieval fantasy world, a science fiction story or even a contemporary novel. The ideas I present aren’t in a particular order as I had to fit them into the alphabetical order needed. And don’t forget to visit the other blog I’m part of during the A to Z Challenge over at the IWSG. Now onto your world.

If you have a town or a city in your novel, there will be buildings. What will the architecture be like? Castles or stone or wood? Hovels? Wooden dwellings? Clay bricks? Two story buildings? Formal salons? Will there be walls will guard towers? Do the windows have glass?

Is there art in your world? Paintings? Sculptures? Tapestries? Will they play into the story by depicting history or as symbols of wealth?

Any world lives or dies on its food supplies. What is agriculture like in your world? Horse or oxen pulling plows? Or are your people hunters and gatherers? Do your characters live in a city or castle where they don't know or care where their food comes from? In a medieval society the majority of the population might have to be farmers to provide enough food for everyone.

Do you include any artwork or references to art in your stories? Do you do any research on the type of architecture in your novels? Is agriculture mentioned or does food just appear?