The World As Our Characters Know It

One of the really fun parts of starting a new fantasy series as a writer is creating the world the story will take place in.  Some created worlds are so different from ours the world is a story unto itself.  Brandon Sanderson is a good one for creating settings that are more than just background noise for his characters.  In the first three books of his Mistborn series, the world is a gloomy place on the verge of total annihilation.  Only as the reader gets toward the end of the novel, does one come to understand that the reasons behind the harsh conditions of that world and what it will mean to the beloved characters struggling to survive.  Sanderson's novel, The Way of Kings, is another great example of a world very alien to ours and I know as that series progresses, the physical and political aspects introduced in the first novel will slowly start to make sense and become like another character in the books.

As an author of fantasy, there are lots of decisions to make.  A big one is how much different do you want your world to be from ours? Will gold and silver still be precious? What will the political system be? Will the sky be blue and the sun yellow? Are apple trees still apple trees?  It's fun, but also a challenge and that's without getting into how magic will work in the invented world.

In my Futhark series, Beyond the Gate and The Keepers of Sulbreth, some of the creations in the fantasy kingdom of Futhark are demon creatures.  I've pulled them from my imagination but made most of them similar to beasts we often fear as children.  Some are wolf-like but with bigger teeth.  Some run in packs and are like rats with poisonous bites.  Some fly and are similar to pterodactyls but all the demons have a taste for human blood and destruction. They're fun to write about.

Scifi authors have fun things to create too, though I would guess they have to follow some scientific rules.  But since none of us know what other worlds are like or what ships that zip from galaxy to galaxy will use as fuel, they can dig deep into their own imaginations for their stories also.

What author do you think creates exceptional or memorable worlds? Do you enjoy doing it as an author? Have you read a novel where the world differences bothered you?

How Important is Setting?

Entire books have been written about setting. I’ve sat in numerous presentations at writing conferences and listened to successful authors, writing teachers and other professionals share their expertise on setting. Sometimes when I do my little posts about different aspects of novel creation I feel a bit of a fraud. I’m far from expert and am only sharing my feelings on how I create my novels and what things I consider in doing so.

When writing a fantasy novel, setting can be a character all in itself. The author strives to bring a world to life in a way that is believable enough to be possible. At least believable enough for the reader to imagine living in that alien place.
The setting of a novel should add to the mood or tone of the story. Is there a seasonal element? Is the weather as dark and brooding as the main character? Is the world cold and bleak? A few choice details about the weather or the landscape infer a serious, tense plot. Or does the description of the surroundings suggest a light, frivolous tone?
Weather isn’t the only factor to use in designing an intriguing setting. How might the interior of a character’s home lead the reader to understanding the character of the protagonist? Are the furnishings brand new, gleaming with lemon polish, or are they dusty antiques, mismatched and nonfunctional?
Don’t forget to use sensory description and a variety of it in setting. We experience the world through more than sight and hearing. Is there a taste in the air? Perhaps of burning stone and a smell of decay. Touch can evoke many emotions from the reader. Most people cringe when reminded of the sensation of a spider discovered crawling on the back of their hand. And don’t forget to vary the senses used in description.
When I read a book that pulls me into its world, I try and analyze what the author has done with setting to interest me. I carry a journal to jot down a descriptive word or verb I might want to use sometime. I especially like the settings that serve to foreshadow the story’s climax or the building of suspense.
Good writing is not entirely dependent on the setting but every successful novel uses the tool of a finely crafted time and place to complete their book.
How important is setting in your writing? Do you give it equal attention to character development? Has any novel captured your interest because of its clever setting?