: Re: Does it make sense to (partially) create a conlang that you don't intend to actually use in the story? The story that I'm currently working on is in a very far future. Clearly, people will

@Karen856

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To me, the answer is more about you and your writing process than about constructed languages.

I am not constructing a language but I've done lots of worldbuilding that will never be visible to my readers. I feel more grounded having done it. And when I write new chapters, I never know which characters might pop up or where they are wandering. Knowing that I already have all that more or less set up gives me the confidence to allow my story the space it needs to grow.

Ask yourself, what answers are you hoping to hear? Think about how taking the time to do this will affect your work.

Will creating your language be fun for you? Or tedious?
Is working on your language a way to get into the mindset of your world? Or is it a form of procrastination?
Do you find it easier to write dialogue (or even narrative) knowing the constraints of your world? Or would you rather write as you please then create the structure of the setting (including language) after you know how it's come out?

In my case, I'd answer yes to the first question in every pair (with a dab of procrastination). But I don't know you or how you work.

If you go ahead and create the language, you'll probably find places to sneak it in here and there. It also might make for terrific supplemental materials after the book is published, either in appendices or on a blog. It won't be wasted time.

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