McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
World Building vs. Backstory
cenwolfgirl:
i use vew points to exsplain diffrent parts of the world and events going on in it
most of the intresting moden history in mine is related in one way or another to one of my charictors and there back story so they exsplain it
i have two plot lins so far its fun to wright at least ;D
Snowleopard:
To me - Backstory, as said, is what happened - World is where it happened.
I kinda try to weave the world building, if not this one and this time, into and around
my character's story. Using their characteristics/habits/behavior to delineate some part of the world they
live in or vice versa.
Paynesgrey:
--- Quote from: meg_evonne on March 06, 2012, 11:24:02 PM ---OK, call me dense, but I just figured this out. Well, a critique person pointed it out. Your thoughts? Did I jump on her WB vs BS bandwagon too soon?
Back Story can be World Building
World Building can be Back Story
but World Building is not Back Story
and Back Story is not World Building....
Know which is which and when World Building isn't BOTH, cut it and show it in another way. *arghhhh*
Both are essential, but you don't need to show world building as it should be the air your novel lives in, but back story you must include in order to tell your story. Right? or is that poppycock?
i think I'm going back to review my G.R.R. Martin and see if this is all wrong...
--- End quote ---
Too many variables in how your particular story is envisioned. World building would that the air smells of saf flowers and music as the keshni are preparing for their festivals. Backstory is why those things matter and how they came to be. The two concepts hold hands and dance but who's leading is going to depend on whether your imparting facts or feelings of the current environment. One does not equal the other, but either can be used as a tool for building the other. (Personally I love it best when both can be done with the same scene or sentence.)
Does that make any sense?
trboturtle:
Worldbuilding is everything in the world that is; backstory is how it came to be.
Craig
cenwolfgirl:
not necercerily but mostly
back stories can be charictor specific as well
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