World building Archives

A Girl and Her Goggles: Tips for Writing Steampunk

July 7, 2016
Student Contributor
Guest posts, Push Your Imagination, World building, Writing Tips and Tools
7 Comments

By Sarah Noé, Guest Contributor It might sound like I had all the pieces in place, all the gears turning, for a happy steampunk writing career. However, the sub-genre still held some surprises for me—surprises I want to impart to you. I hope by sharing them that steampunk will appear more accessible if you, too, have an interest in writing it.

Cultural Faux Pas in Fiction

May 31, 2016
Tineke Bryson
Culture, Self-editing Tips, World building, Writing Tips and Tools
2 Comments

By Tineke Bryson, Staff Writer There are ways to avoid cultural faux pas—missteps—so you can disarm even readers given to the occasional cultural snobbery. The word "disarm" is the key. Your goal is to send subtle signals to your reader that you know you won't do a perfect job, but you are trying.

Myths: How Do We Use Them in Stories Today?

March 31, 2016
Student Contributor
Culture, Push Your Imagination, World building
0 Comments

By Justin Ferguson, Guest Contributor In my last post, I discussed the role of mythology and the particular power it has in storytelling. Here I would like to examine a couple ways we can incorporate myths into our own stories. Some writers make subtle, brief allusions to myths that are intended to add a “bonus” layer of meaning for those who will notice. But two more significant ways myths can be used are in retellings and original work.

You Weren’t Born in a Vacuum! – Real Characters from Real Worlds

December 9, 2015
Student Contributor
Guest posts, Help with Characters, Push Your Imagination, World building, Writing Tips and Tools
0 Comments

Janae Leeke, Guest Contributor: World building is just backwards sociology, piecing together a culture instead of picking it apart. It asks the same questions. What is important to your people? What do they treasure? What do they believe is right and wrong?

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Veteran Students on Overcoming Writing Weaknesses, Part 2

September 10, 2015
Staff Writer
Giving and Receiving Critique, Guest posts, Help with Characters, Push Your Imagination, Self-editing Tips, Stuck? Discouraged?, The Writing Life, World building, Writing Tips and Tools
0 Comments

Compiled by Staff Last week, we asked eight One Year Adventure Novel (OYAN) students to tell us what their biggest area of weakness is in writing, and what strategies they employ to overcome it. This week, we feature another eight experienced OYANers and their responses. We hope their ideas for self-improvement will be useful to you!