: Re: Is there such a thing as a "setting sketch" for a science fiction writing? I took a look tonight at the post titled What are the pros and cons of building the setting before the characters

@Turnbaugh521

Vote Up Vote Down

It's worth considering the fact that characters are a product of their world, and their world is a product of key characters:

I work in IT,
working in IT defines a big part of who I am,
IT makes up a huge part of the world I live in,
IT is a product of people like Babbage and Turing.

In short I find World Building is best as a free form exercise and Character Building is as much a part of world building as world building is a part of character building.

I write in LaTeX and use a template with a folder containing a file for plot details, one for world details and one for characters: Write LaTeX Fiction Template

I find that it best to just start chucking down thoughts and as stuff develops I jump files and add things as needed. As an example:

Character:
Kingdom Reynolds – Born the last son of the High Vassal to the king of Hengholm, Kingdom had no hope of ever taking his father’s
prestigious position. Instead he devoted his life to making as much disreputable
use of his tenuous title as possible. A decision he may come to
regret.

I just came up with it, it isn’t much (or very original) but all of a sudden I have a world name, a ruler, a social structure…

Character:
The King – Once a man of grace and power, the King brought peace to the land and hammered the warring nations into the vassalages that now hold the land together in peace. He has not been seen in person for many years, and the High Vassals are often vague on their interactions; it isn't that they're lying, it's more like they can't remember all of their encounter with him.^

Location:
Hengholm – the kingdom of Hengholm is a rigid and war-ridden place. Held together by fragile vassalages the kingdom must use force to hold
its grip on its fractured people.

Politics:
Vassalage – Each region of Hengholm is in fact an independent nation, tied to the kingdom via vassalage. The High Vassal is a role
more important than that of any prince or other ruler of a region,
even if they are merely puppets to the King.

^Look, some plot's beginning to develop!

Characters are a vital part of any story, and the world they are in is a major factor of who they are. Both should be dynamic and both should fit together, so the best way to "sketch out" your characters and plot is to do it as you sketch out your world.

let it all come together.

(0)

Login to post a comment!