Z: 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.

As you write you tale set in your unique world, you'll make adjustments to all those details you worked out ahead of time. Some you might need to change and others you simply didn't realize you'd need. Even if you don't use all the bits and pieces of world building that you've designed, it will help you feel comfortable and organized in your settings so you can concentrate on characterization instead of the type of tree your people are climbing to escape the six-legged purple elephant sized lions beneath them. That's my last advice. Don't be afraid to add a little zany.

Congratulations to making it to the end of A to Z blogging challenge. I hope it was fun and you made lots of new friends. Though you might feel a bit burnt out right now it will pass. Do something a little zany tonight to celebrate.

Y: 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.

Yucky should be a scientific term. So should Yummy. No matter what world you're building, remember to appeal to all the senses. What smells are repugnant? Does the pot hanging over the fire smell delicious? Why? What is in it? Does your character have to eat something found in a dump to ward off starvation? How does that taste? Is a demon wrought of magic stalking your hero? How does it smell, sound, and move? Use all the senses.

What is the grossest thing you ever ate? What is the worse thing you've ever smelled? What scent makes you happy?

X: 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 your world includes different species and races and perhaps even aliens, you might have to write in some xenophobia. If your characters live in an isolated community they could have serious reactions to interlopers. Make those strangers different in some way and the story is taking off.

XXX. That's cheating but when creating a world, think big. By big I mean lots of unique ideas that belong to only you. Your imagination can take you anywhere.

Did you come up with a good 'X' word? Are you keeping up with only two days left after today?

W: 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 weapons are in your world? Photon torpedoes? Swords of steel? Guns? Spears? Magical weapons? Biological and chemical weapons? Is everyone permitted to have a weapon? Are some weapons only for chosen people? What are the defenses against weapons? Are there weapons for warfare like trebuchets? Is one of your characters a living weapon? So many possibilities.

Few books ever mention it, but how does your society handle waste disposal? Are there sewers beneath the city where people can hide or get up to mischief? Is there a stinky moat surrounding the city? Is there a city dump where orphans and the other destitute grub for survival? Do space travelers dispose of their garbage in the black nothingness?

Do you have a favorite weapon to write about? Do you include waste disposal in your story?

V: 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 kind of vocations do people pursue in your world? Carpenters? Soldiers? Teachers? Are they born into careers? Do they have to be tested or apprenticed to enter a profession? Magicians?

What do your characters consider valuable? Land ownership? Gold? Jewels? The number of men in their army? Something less tangible such as personal freedom or independence? Will your characters change their idea of what is valuable as the story progresses?

What interesting vocation would you pick for your characters? Do you think precious metals and gemstones will always be valuable in human societies?

U: 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.

We know the universe is a big place. Infinite perhaps. But do your characters know that? Is their island kingdom the extent of their known universe? Perhaps their entire lifetime is spent in the same small village and its surrounds. Are they space travelers, off seeing new galaxies each chapter? Are they venturing across an unexplored sea or mountain, expanding their universe? How big is their world?

As you create a world for your characters, remember the possibilities are unlimited. The only thing holding back your world from being unique and engaging are the limits you place on your imagination.

So is the universe infinite or is there an end out there? Have you read or written a novel that takes place in one small area?

T: 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.

Time goes by, but how is it tracked in your world? By minutes? Hours? Are there clocks in your world? Do your characters judge the time by the passing of the sun or the stars? Are there weeks or months in your world? Are the months based on the phases of the moon. Is there a moon?

What kind of technology if found on your world? More advanced than ours or is indoor plumbing the epitome of technological wonders? Is interstellar travel possible or are smoke signals used to communicate? Computer communications or are a quill and bottles of ink needed to write notes?

Do people pay taxes to support the nobility or the government? Are tax collectors evil characters?

Did you pay your outrageous evil taxes last week? Can you judge the time without consulting a watch or your cell phone? Do you find most created worlds use time measurements similar to the real world?

S: 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.

Superstitions are part of life. You see them still in the contemporary world and they were numerous in a medieval setting. Will your characters have lucky charms, lucky weapons or unlucky days of the week? Will there be odd beliefs about old women living alone with multiple cats? With there be rituals to ward off evil?

Are your characters going to be divided among different social classes? Will there be servants and lords and ladies? Will there be a merchant class, the unskilled laborers and perhaps the old money rich? Is there every marriage or friendship between social classes?

What are the accepted social ethics and moralities of your chosen world? Are people faithful to one person in relationships? Is it acceptable to steal from a neighboring tribe? How are children and servants treated? Is slavery accepted? Do merchants cheat customers?

Do you have a lucky charm? Anything that you feel is unlucky? Do you think our contemporary world still suffers from social class divisions?

R: 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.

Religion often plays a role in fantasy novels. Wars are fought over differences in beliefs and practices. How will you handle religion in your book? In a contemporary novel you might ignore it but in most historical or fantasy novels, the idea will intrude. I've put it at the very center of my latest fantasy novel, First Dragon. Will religious leaders be powerful, rich and possessed of supernatural abilities? Will the religion open opportunities to charlatans or attract true believers? Will sacrifices be required? Will a god walk among men? Will there be numerous gods? Places of worships? Religious tokens? Are men and women equal in the religion? Is there a history behind it?

Will humans be the only race in your story? Will there be aliens, dwarfs, elves, giants, sentient animals or humanoid types of your invention. Will the races be equal and tolerant of each other or will prejudice play a role in the tale? Will the races live together, interbreed, or will they live apart?

Do you often see religion as a source of conflict in novels? Do you like having species other than humans in your tales? Do you realize you're entering the last full week of the challenge? Hang in there.

Q: 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.

Many a great novel or movie starts with a quest. To destroy the ring, find a cure, drive the enemy back or safe the princess or prince. Sometimes a quest is more personal such a proving adulthood or finding one's courage. Two of my Recon Marine novels involved quests, one the quest for vengeance and the other for justice. Quests are great plot starters.

What would a story with some magic in be without some quackery? Someone has to be pretending for financial gain or to grab power. It can also add some human or flesh out a secondary character.

Some authors in all genres start each chapter with quotes. Often they're quite real. I've seen The Art of War quoted in many books. Other authors will completely make up quotes, inventing an author and perhaps a history book the saying came from. I love those. You can impart your own wisdom and give a brief foretelling of what it to come in the chapter.

Ever make up your own quotes or use someone else's in a story? Do you have some amusing ideas to use for a quack? What is your favorite quest adventure?

P: 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.

Can any of us escape politics? Even small towns and villages have their share of politics. Teenage cliques have their share of politics. How will you address them in your story? Will there be people who have the actual job of being a politician as in our societies? How will politicians come into power? Will there be warring factions? How much power will the politicians have over the military and citizens?

Are your characters goings to live in a large city? What will population centers be like? Thirty families in a village? A few million in a city? Thousands settled on a distant planet or a few hundred flying together in a spaceship or riding a wagon train to a new land? Will your world have many population centers or one large city among many smaller settlements?

Do you like city or rural settings? Do you see politics are work in your story setting? Sick of politics at work? Does today's world give us all a tendency to make politicians a bit slimy?

O: 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.

Omens can be useful when your world involves magic or superstition. Animals, celestial events or even the weather might foretell impending disasters or fortune. Will you invent omens or use something that occurs in reality such as eclipses or comets? In setting up the history of your story, you can lay the groundwork for the appearance of an omen.

Will sexual orientation be addressed in your book or will you ignore its existence? Will it be an issue or will all choices be accepted?

Ever see something in nature you took as a sign or omen? How long until the day when sexual orientation isn't thought about as an issue, it just is?

N: 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.

Many worlds, medieval, created or historical, there are different classes of people. From kings down the socio-economic lines to peasants. The nobility uses rank to justify their positions and wealth. How will you use it? Will there be lords and ladies? Dukes and knights? Will you have a world where the privileged classes have an invented title of nobility?

In the modern world and probably every grouping of humans, some degree of nepotism is in evidence. It might be about handing out favorable jobs or passing along seats of power. Family looks out for family. Will that happen on your world? Will it be an accepted practice or a point of conflict.

A daily newspaper? How will news travel on your world? By word of mouth, a town crier or some high tech instantaneous technology? Could one of your characters being highly regarded because he carries letters and news from settlement to settlement? Could government control of news work into your plot?

Do you enjoy novels set among the nobility? See any nepotism happening around you? Think the government is manipulating the news?

M: 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.

Magic! Usually when people think of world building they think of fantasy realms and those usually include magic. How will the magic work? How does one get magic? Born to it? Learn it? What powers the magic? Something internal or external? Is magic used for good or evil? What are the limitations? Are there magical creatures or races?

What kind of money is used in your world? Gold, silver, gems, paper money? Some kind of techno source of credit? No money but bartering? How is the wealth distributed? Where do people keep their money? Banks? Beneath their mattresses?

Who is in the military? Does everyone have to serve, men and women, rich and poor? What kind of weapons do they have? Do they travel by foot, on horseback, in tanks or jets? Are there a million people in the military or a hundred? How does one become an officer?

Do your characters ever walk a country mile? What measurements will you use? Inches, feet, meters? How far is it from one town to the next? Will you measure it in miles or days of travel? Will it be easier to stay with measurements known to your readers instead of making them up?

Any cool ideas on how magic might work in your story? Will you have the military appear in your story? Do you know you're half way through A to Z?

L: 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.

Are you going to follow JRR Tolkien and make up you own language? Will people in your story speak different languages? Will you just ignore the language issue? Or will you make up just a few words, used in magical spells? Perhaps you'll make up words for a new technology. Perhaps you'll incorporate some foreign words into your story.

Will there be laws in your world? Who makes the laws? Are they fair? Who enforces the laws and makes judgments? What are the punishments? Banishment? Death? Loss of limb? Loss of assets? Are the laws connected to religion or magic? Besides man made laws are the laws of nature the same? Probably not if magic exists in your world. More about Magic in tomorrow's post.

Ever thought of creating your own language? Have you discovered how fun it is to make up all the laws and their punishments?

K: 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.

Relatives often provide all the drama needed for a great story plot. Kinship can be complicated in many ways. A great example is the TV show Once Upon a Time where it seems like a family connection is revealed every week. And many of the family members are life long enemies. Devising a family tree to keep track of familial relationships from generations ago can help build your world's history and expose opportunities for story complexities.

Have you read a book with unique family connections? Do you like books with family-enemies, frenemies, at the center of the conflict? Know some fictional families that would have really terrible family gatherings?

J: 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.

Do your characters wear any jewelry? Is it a sign of wealth, a magical tool, a keepsake of a lost loved one? Is it made of precious metals and filled with rare gemstones? Are you going to invent gems and precious metals?

Are your characters going to use words that have meaning to them or their contemporaries? Is there a special jargon that will give your characters a unique voice? Will different species or regional groups use identifying jargon to distinguish them from others?

Have you read a book where jewelry or gemstones were used as magical focus or storage props? Have you read books where the unique jargon stuck with you or perhaps even frustrated you? Are you keeping up with A to Z?

I: 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.

Is there industry in your world? In a medieval world it could be simple manufacturing like weaving, woodcutting, or something more organized like furniture making. Will there be guilds involving training and apprenticeships? Will the workers be paid fairly or is it what we might call a sweatshop? Is there an art to it like pottery making or baking? If you're writing a futuristic world, what kind of technology will be used in industry? If your world is contemporary how can you make the industry unique and interesting?

Earlier I mentioned architecture but what about the interior design of buildings? What is used as flooring and ceiling material. Wood? Stone? How is the home heated? Fireplaces? Magic? Are there lanterns or candles fixed to the walls? Are the rafters open? Ladders or stairs to upper floors? Windows or oil cloth? Rag rugs or woven wool? Feather mattresses or hard benches?

What industry do you think makes an interesting setting or occupation in a story? Can you imagine heating your home with a fireplace in a winter like we just had? Ever make a rag rug or read by candle light?

H: 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. And before you get to my post, please visit In Time where Michael Di Gesu has honored me with one of his superb introductions for The Heir of Futhark, the final book in my first epic fantasy series. Thank you, Michael.

What is the history of your world? Was there once a great cataclysm? Is an ancient war still influencing the current situation? Is there more personal history, a betrayal in the past, that haunts your characters? The history could be a driving factor in your plot. Figure it out.

On a lighter note, what are the hairstyles like? Do women wear their hair long? Braided? How about the men? Do hairstyles vary by social class or race? What do they have in the way of brushes and combs? Hair ties?

Are there holidays in your world? What do they celebrate? How do they celebrate? With certain foods? Gifts? Sacrifices? Will you include real world holidays in your story or just have the entire plot take place between traditional celebrations?

Do you ever include holidays in your writing? Do you enjoy creating the history for your stories? Did you ever wonder how a character got the tangles out of their long hair after riding with it streaming behind them on a horse?

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?