: How to turn the world "alive"? I'm writing a novel with a fictional world in it. I've already planned many events and the history of its nations, but I feel that there is missing something

I'm writing a novel with a fictional world in it. I've already planned many events and the history of its nations, but I feel that there is missing something for it as I write the chapters.

In my vision, the way we turn the world more active and alive is by making impact over the character's psychology. Their beliefs, their morals, their opinions and how they act upon that. The world builds the character and the character builds the world.

If you guys have know a way of how could I enhance this weight of the world in the characters and their actions and/or if you guys have an alternate view of how to turn the world more alive, I would like to hear it.

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@Margaret427

I am not a fan of fantasy nor do I have any world-building skills, however, I've an understanding of storytelling techniques and have witnessed the errors of many fantasy writers.

You want to build your world with detailed description, relying heavily on vision.

The majority of people do not enjoy being lectured to for endless hours - which is what you may doing. Think of the best teachers and lecturers, they involve their audience.

The key to bringing a novel alive is through empathy, dragging the reader inside the story, and letting them do some of the work. The story comes more alive when the reader supplements your text with their own experiences.

Two different ways of conveying the same information.

The little girl hung her head as her father screamed at her in front of the entire village. Eventually she burst into tears. I rushed to step in but her father punched me. I fell to the ground - unconscious.
The little girl hung her head as her father screamed at her. With the entire village watching she tried to be brave but eventually the bottom lip began to quiver. "This has gone far enough," I insisted, rushing to her aid. My advance was halted by loud thud, followed by a white light, followed by a sound reminiscent of a Jew's Harp . . .

The second version throws a couple of hooks to bring the reader into the scene.

"she tried to be brave but eventually the bottom lip began to quiver." (Ha-ha, my little brother used to do that too before turning purple and bursting into tears).
"My advance was halted by loud thud, followed by a white light, followed by a sound reminiscent of a Jew's Harp . . ." (I remember that. Jimmy Smith accidentally hit me with baseball bat in 5th grade - I was out cold).

This is more exciting for the reader. You are forcing him to live the events by revisiting past experiences. Obviously, not every reader will bite at every hook.

Good luck.

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: How to turn the world "alive"? I'm writing a novel with a fictional world in it. I've already planned many events and the history of its nations, but I feel that there is missing something

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