World Builder #2

World building can refer to a number of things. In small scale, it can mean coming up with a fictional town, city, or other setting for the story to inhabit. Slightly larger is conceiving a kingdom, country, city-state, collective, et cetera. Then we can zoom out to the idea of populating a planet or plane, and bigger still, a collective of planets, dimensions, planes, solar systems. It's a hefty task, and sometimes it's easy to get overwhelmed. Take it one step at a time. This week, we'll focus on societal issues. Your results may vary- after all, your setting might be a small town in contemporary America, so the larger social norms may still be at play, or you might be designing a galaxy with several dozen societies to make up. 

What is the core concept of your world's (setting's) value system(s)? 

It's a big question. Star Trek's Klingons, for example, prize honor above all else. In Lord of the Rings, the elves hold intellect and grace near and dear, while the dwarves prefer familiarity and fearlessness in battle and hobbits cherish the home. In Star Wars, the Jedi rally around a religion which emphasizes letting go of emotion while the Empire values subservience and conformity. And evil, I suppose. These are huge fantastical settings, but even the smallest town has its own politics and values. It's a Wonderful Life's Bedford Falls comes down on the side of loyalty, friendship and family. 

Stretch outside the limits of what you already know. For a really out there setting, consider something outrageous. Say you have a society of hedonists, and even their greetings and farewells are about food. Or a group of angsty individuals whose adherence to Nietzsche's philosophies drive their whole society. Likely dreary and impractical, but it's an idea. Reach outside of the comfort zone. Even Anytown, USA can become interesting when its inhabitants' whole outlook is built on the idea that you don't gossip, or eschew money in favor of giving, or that you shouldn't be allowed to have anything that you didn't make, hunt, gather, or steal yourself. 

And remember- cliches are cliches for a reason. If you find yourself reaching for a society that sounds a little too Klingon-esque, ask yourself why. Is it because your characters are all warriors? What other values do warriors carry that can become secondary motivators? 

The fun part comes next- do you have a character who moves with the flow of these values or against? We'll get into that one tomorrow. Until then, start a list of concepts and get to building some town, national, global, or galactic values. 

All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be republished without the permission of the author.