This guide will hopefully help you to create the perfect world to set your story in. I'll be suggesting resources, websites, tips from Pinterest and my own advice to help you through one of the hardest parts of planning!
If you have questions of a...
Hello everyone, and welcome this chapter! If you're on Pinterest (or spend a lot of time in the online writing community in general) you may have seen this infographic on culture. Sorry about the 'search' button there, I can't do much about it.
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We've already looked at 'surface culture' throughout this book, and now it's time for the deep culture! There's not enough I can talk about to give each sub heading its own chapter, so it's all going in here. A lot of these could be classified as 'unwritten rules' in our society.
Communication styles and rules
What does your society think of this? Is it OK to scream in the middle of the city in frustration? Is it acceptable to never make eye contact? Is it social law to great anyone with those cool handshakes people make up?
Notions of...
Do the best leaders carry potatoes in their pockets? What makes the ideal friend - the ones who care about you? Or the ones that 'accidently' stab you with a cactus? What are table manners defined as - eating with a knife and fork, or a spork, spife and knork? Or even a splayd?
Concepts of...
What do children do in the society? What is 'unfair'? How is time measured? Clocks or sundial? Eagles or vegetables?
Attitudes toward...
How are each type of people in the community treated? Are elderlies thought to be the coolest people around?
Approaches to...
Is decision making important? Is it tradition to consult a platypus before deciding what to have for breakfast? Do people solve problems by throwing potatoes at the problem?
I know a lot of these seem stupid, but the stupid examples are the best examples. Think outside the box, and create something memorable!
Next time, on Your Wonderful Guide to World Building - Miscellaneous Tips! We're getting close, but I still have more advice, unluckily for you.
