Concept
Starting at the very beginning.
Begin by gathering ideas about your world. Keep a journal. Write down a list of ideas or statments that came to mind when you begin to visualize your fictional world in your minds eye. If you have problems coming up with ideas, try meditating or day dreaming.
Day Dream about on your world
Day dreaming is a useful tool for growing and exploring your fictional world. It can provide you with ideas and images that you can later visualise through words or images.
Writing Games
Make a list of words that come to mind as you think about your world.
Write a short description of your world. Or draw it. What does it look like? If you viewed it from space or afar, what do you see?
Hypothesise. Write down a list of true statements about your world.
Write down short dot points about your world:
- Cosmology
- World compounds (minerals, chemicals and geographical science)
- Environment
- Land formations
- Sentient life forms
- Resources
Brainstorm your ideas. This technique is also useful for a group of world builders. Sit down with a piece of paper and for a ten minutes write down short ideas about your world. The don't have to be in any order or even be complete thoughts. They could be images that come mind, phrases or single words. Write freely, without judging your own ideas. Quality of content and discussion of ideas can come later.
Ponder
What's the present age of your world?
If it's not newly born, what ages have come before?
What's a major world event right now?
What do you see happening in your world in the future?
What is the world like in its Prime?
Inspiration
If you are feeling a bit lost and struggling to imagine your world or you'd like to view some visual stimulous to get ideas then you may find the following external links useful:
Nasa
Nasa Images
Cern
Deviant Art
Star Gazing is great place to start looking for your world. If youre an enthusiastic star gazer go out and explore! Find a solar system for your world to live in. If youre using this method to start your idea, you may want to find out all you can on the solar system that you have chosen for your world. NASA is useful resource for star gazers and world builders
Writing
Write a short story of how your world came together. If you're having problems starting take an idea from the Christian Bible and start your story with In the beginning.....
Fun Hands on Stuff
Create a model of the core shape of your world. You could use paper mache, modling clay, coolite or dough.
There are plenty of more ideas on model making.
Output
There are many ways to communicate your world. You may decide to write about it, express it through pictures, make a movie about it or create a model. Not all Geofictions are created for role-play games or books. A geofiction can be created through a combination or an anthropology of artistic expressions.
Writing is a popular method of expression. Whether your fictional world is expressed through the form of a novel or a set of technical papers, the written language is a powerful tool for expression. Writing, researching and dreaming about your world should be fun. If you want your world to be enjoyed by others, consider your audience and develop a style of writing that will attract the readers you desire.
Visual art is a useful tool for expressing many themes, as is Role-play. Text role-play can often be the catalyst and development studio for new fictional worlds which unfold through players' contributions.
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