A NaNoCRATE

#11 • 3 TIPS TO CREATE A FANTASY WORLD WORTH LIVING IN

Wondering how to create a world that people want to live in and write fanfiction about? Klara Raškaj has got some advice for you!

No matter how many children Hogwarts keeps endangering every year, you'll still find too many people (myself included) who'd rather pack their bags this very moment, and GTA their way to wizard school (like Harry and Ron in Chamber of Secrets).

So, if you're looking to learn more about world-building, here are my tips for creating fantastic worlds that will tempt your readers to leave their jobs and loving families behind:

1. Offer Bachelor's Degrees in Dragonology.
Everyone's familiar with the infamous "midichlorians" from Star Wars. Most of us are able to agree that they are the unwanted explanation of the Force. "Don't try to explain magic with science," they say. And I agree—if you try to combine the two, a lot of times, you won't end up pleasing anyone.

However, fans often try to act like scholars when it comes to their favorite stories. They are so fascinated by the worlds writers provide them with, they want to dabble deeper into the rabbit hole and see what makes them tick.

You don't need science to make your magic credible, nor do you need magic to make your world's science and laws of nature more mysterious and outlandish. Provide the readers with as much, or as little as you wish, but make sure those elements that differ from our reality actually make logical sense, and have some types of rules they abide by.

Limitless possibilities might sound amazing, but they get really dull really fast. Limitations lend themselves to better storytelling, because conflicts and obstacles are what make for interesting stories.

When in doubt, ask yourself: Would you rather read about a guy who could summon anything he wanted to defeat his enemies, or a guy who could only summon self-aware household furniture, and then had to figure out a way to play that to his advantage?

2. Allow readers to join House "Guys-in-Viking-Hats".
Let's take A Song of Ice and Fire, for example. It's nice to imagine living in a medieval-like world with dragons and magic, but belonging to a smaller subgroup of people—or house, in this case—with its own sigil, colors, secrets, and ambitions give the members a sense of purpose. They feel accepted, and part of something greater than themselves.

I mean, why do you think it's so fun to take those "Which Game of Thrones House Are You" quizzes online? It adds more to your identity. You're not just Bob anymore. You're Bob of House Guys-in-Viking-Hats!

People have always had the need to be a part of some collective, and pandering to this need is one unusual way you can make your story's world more inviting to the reader.

If you write a world with opportunities to create some sort of labels (positive or neutral labels, mind you), chances are that the readers will want to associate themselves with one of those labels, making them more immersed in and concerned with the story's world.

And what's a better sign of good world-building than your readers wanting to be a part of that world?

3. Write about the gods among us.
Colossal, extremely powerful, very important, often well-known beings—whether they be adversaries or allies or neither—appeal in fictional stories. "Gods among us" are creatures that make us feel like animals in comparison. Their mere presence makes everything feel much grander and more important than it probably is.

Image a story where two characters are having dinner, and all of a sudden, a couple of random ninjas burst in to trash the place. Intense, right?

Now, imagine a story where two characters are having dinner, and all of a sudden, ninjas burst in... led by Grand Duke Evilstache, Randoville's richest and most handsome (according to People Magazine 2017) leader of organized crime!

Whoa! What could possibly be so important that Grand Duke Evilstache himself has come to wreck this little bistro? This is huge!

Having characters do great things and perform unbelievable tasks is what makes a story amazing, but including important, extremely powerful figures is what makes a story epic.

In short, to create the most fanfic-worthy worlds your readers are sure to adore, write down strict rules for the inner-workings of your world, include elements that make us humans feel like ants, and provide the reader with exclusive clubs to fantasize about joining.

I truly hope you'll find these tips helpful as you venture forth into November! Be bold, be daring, and be shameless! Let's make this year's NaNo novels the craziest ones yet!