McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
What Details about the World are Important to Include.....
Aminar:
Have all the ones you can. Then only use them on occasion. Nothing is necessary, but everything is useful. Money can help define a society. Or you can totally ignore it, just saying the characters paid for something. If the price is relevant compare it to a month's rent or the like. It gives people a sense of scale. Religion is a great tool, but it can easily dominate a story if you use it. And don't worry too much about the realism of your scenario. No given path of events is likely enough to be certain. Just make sure it is plausible and then explain things. If you want the world united then discuss a charasmatic trio of generals that drew together all of the world's remaining military forces or something. Just provide a backstory that seems likely.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: superpsycho on July 31, 2012, 11:44:46 PM ---You only include those details that are important to telling the story, nothing else is important. Why would the details of currency be important? Who cares if it's called a franc, yen or dollar.
--- End quote ---
The history of a world a couple of years from now where a single global currency is a yen and the history of one where it's a franc have to be significantly different, and if your other details don't fit with that history, then many readers will not be able to believe in your world and will throw your book away.
Everything is important. From getting the basic physics right on up.
OZ:
I would say a lot would depend on what you are trying to accomplish with your story. If you are establishing a world setting where you plan to put a lot of stories, it might be important to give a lot of details. On the other hand, if you plan to write a lot of stories there, you don't have to be in a hurry and too many details may create problems with future stories. I think it is important for you to have at least a broad knowledge of what is going on but how much you reveal to the reader depends on the story you are telling. Is it first person? If so then a lot would depend on how much the main character knows and how much he thinks it is necessary to tell the reader. If the story is third person then you might be expected to tell a little bit more. If the story is about the war with the aliens then it will probably be important to tell all about the invasion. If the war with the aliens just forms the background for your story then you might not have to give as many details.
superpsycho:
--- Quote from: the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh on August 01, 2012, 01:20:06 AM ---The history of a world a couple of years from now where a single global currency is a yen and the history of one where it's a franc have to be significantly different, and if your other details don't fit with that history, then many readers will not be able to believe in your world and will throw your book away.
Everything is important. From getting the basic physics right on up.
--- End quote ---
In the case you’ve outlined, it would become central to the story, thus required. If it isn’t relevant to the story, unnecessary information can distract, sidetrack or slow the pace. That doesn’t mean you can’t layout a world. You just have to make it part of the story.
Dresdenus Prime:
The book is in first person, and the main character is a teenager, but he's had things happen to him that throw him into the mix of the "aliens", so he does all he can to learn about them.
As to the war itself, like I mentioned in a previous post the book will pick up roughly a year after the "aliens" invaded and in certain areas there is a cease fire, and certain companies just want the fighting to end, whereas other areas the fighting continues. I'm doing this because I want my character to be able to access certain "alien" areas as he's progressing along.
Currency isn't really something I'm worried about, it was just an example, but I was toying with changing the political structure a bit. Sure one year isn't very long. But at the same time I'm thinking these "aliens" could have leanred that the US have one leader, and they take him out, which drives the government to deciding it may be better to split the presidency into multiple positions, or something like that.
I'm trying to find a good balance of today's culture that people will still be able to relate to, but a sensible change that would take place assuming an invasion of some kind too place. I want to avoid readers HOPEFULLY enjoying their time reading up until they hit some spot I didn't cover well enough, and then say, "wait....that doesn't make any sense!!!"
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