Category: From the Author’s Desk

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From the Author’s Desk: Worldbuilding 101: Diversity in Relationships

An important aspect to consider any time you are creating your world is how the inhabitants there interact with one another. You don’t need to be writing a romance to have relationships between characters, and those parameters should be clear to your readers. 

Here are some questions to consider when building the relationships in your world:

  1. What does the average relationship look like in your world? Describe the typical romantic relationship.
  2. What does an atypical romantic relationship in your world look like? Describe a relationship that exists but would surprise others.
  3. Is gender the deciding factor for one’s role in the relationship? How does gender present in your world? How are genders defined in your world (if gender is the social expectations associated with one’s assumed sex while sex is the biological determination using physical attributes)?
  4. How many sexes exist in your world? Are there same-sex relationships? How does society view same-sex couples? In Prince’s Priest by VC Willis, the scandal is that the relationship is between a vampire prince and a human priest. The fact that they are both men is an expected option in that world.
  5. How do people feel about relationships between classes? What about relationships between races? How does the average person feel about people from different places being in a relationship?
  6. How does a typical relationship progress? Describe the usual steps of a courtship (meeting, wooing, dating, flowers, sex, meeting families, moving in together, proposal, marriage, family, children, etc.).
  7. Do people choose their partners, or are relationships arranged by family members? Are arranged marriages the norm? Are they outdated or outlawed? If they are a thing, how do families determine a fitting suitor?
  8. How do couples introduce prospective partners to their families? Is this an important step in the courtship process or just a casual affair?
  9. Do couples live together (before/after marriage)? How does society feel about those who break this expectation one way or another?
  10. Do couples get married, or does cohabitation mean they are an official relationship? Which relationships are recognized as official by the government? Does marriage matter, or is it just a minor bit of paperwork?
  11. What does a typical wedding ceremony look like? Who attends? Who speaks and what do they say? Does someone need to vouch for the couple or forever hold their peace?
  12. Do couples need permission to marry? From whom? Is there a waiting period, or can people get married right away?
  13. Do people elope to Vegas or run away to be together? How does society feel about this behavior? Is it cute or romantic, juvenile or crazy?
  14. Do people change their name when they get married? Is the new member fully embraced by the partner’s family? (You’re a Jones now!)
  15. Is there a physical sign that shows a person is married (ring, hairstyle, article of clothing, etc.)? Can someone tell at a glance if a person is in a committed relationship or not?
  16. Do couples marry for love? Convenience? A combination of both? Why do most couples pair up?
  17. Can anyone marry anyone, or are there rules? Who establishes these rules? What happens to those who break the rules? Are they ostracized like Anna Karenina or forgiven like Count Vronsky?
  18.  What are the rules regarding marriage? Who established them? Why?
  19.  Is marriage about procreation and children and continuing the family name? How does society feel about childless couples? What is the general view on couples having children?
  20. In terms of children, do couples value one sex over another (boys over girls)? How about twins or triplets, etc.? Are such children a blessing by the gods or a curse?
  21. Consider the maternal mortality rate during childbirth in your world. Is childbirth a dangerous proposition for women in your world? (If only women can give birth.)  
  22. Are relationships limited to two people, or do people support multiple partners in relationships? How does society view thruples/poly-groups? In Signs of Affection by Lynn Chantale, the main character courts a love interest who practices polyamory.
  23. How does the average person define love in your world?
  24. Is love something that happens to a person (over which there is no control)? Do people fall in love like they fall off a cliff? Is love a conscious decision made by a person? Can a person choose to fall in love?
  25. Is love an expectation in relationships? Or is being part of a relationship more commonly a matter of convenience and love is found elsewhere?
  26. How do people view adultery? How do people view emotional affairs? Physical affairs? Where is the line when a relationship has become adulterous (a glance, a stolen kiss, a long hug, sex)?
  27. Are there established punishments for breaking a vow to a partner? How are they enforced? Are they different depending on who has committed the offense (women are killed while men are chastised)?
  28. Is love predetermined by an outside force? By what/whom? Are certain lovers fated to be together in your world?
  29. Is there a deity of love? Who is it? What powers do they have? How do people view this deity? How much control does a love deity have over the inhabitants?
  30. Are there love potions/love spells in your world? How do such things work? How long does a love potion/spell last? What are the long-term effects of a love potion? (Are the children of such unions born unable to love like Voldemort?)
  31. Do people believe in love at first sight? How do people feel about such relationships?
  32. Is love an acceptable excuse for irrational behavior? Do people excuse “crazy” behavior on account of love?
  33. Does love have physical symptoms? Can others see that a person is in love?
  34. Are the majority of the inhabitants romantics or cynics when it comes to love? What do your characters think about this?
  35. What does the average person think about relationships in your world?

Bonus Questions: 

  1. What kinds of familiar relationships are you featuring in your story? Why did you choose those and not others?
  2. What new types of relationships appear in your story? How are they different from traditional real-world connections?
  3. How much of the relationships depicted in your story are a reflection of your own experiences? What elements did you add to the relationships and why?
  4. How important are relationships in your story? Do they reflect real-world behavior, or are they exaggerated in some way? If so, how and why?
  5. If your story were turned into a film, what category would Netflix put it under: romance, romantic comedy, drama, horror, etc.? How much of the distinction is based on the types of relationships you include in your story?

Thinking more broadly about how relationships work beyond the scope of the story you’re telling allows you to write a story in a well-developed world, something readers will appreciate as they get to know your characters and the world they inhabit. For more Worldbuilding Questions, check out The General Worldbuilding Guide!

The General Worldbuilding Guide (The World Building Guide Book 1)
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From the Author’s Desk: How do you know it’s time to update your covers? 

Covers are a tricky business. I’m a writer, someone who works well with words and characters and dialogue. Graphic design is not my strength in any way, and my art skills peaked with stick figures. I am not the person to ask about cover design, but even with my shortcomings, I still know a few things about covers and marketing. 

You know the drill–your books come out, and you are super excited about those first covers. They nail the genre, convey the feeling of the story, and look cool on your shelf (or behind you during meetings online). Usually, this is the result of your cover designer’s hard work–they researched the market, considered the trends, and created something you are proud to show off atop your baby book. 

However, the crazy (and cool?) thing about books is how often things shift. A bestselling cover ages out, sometimes in a few years–but sometimes over a span of a few months. When you design your covers, think about how long you predict this trend will last. Yes, this often requires a crystal ball and some scrying stones–but there are some people in the industry who have the marketing sense and judgment. Follow them and heed their advice. 

Think about the shifts in these covers for Stephen King’s The Stand over the years:

This is the cover I had when I first read this book in the 80s (a tattered secondhand shop version I hid in my backpack to read at school). Yes, I now know this version is worth money (it was the first edition!), but mine has long been lost to cross-country moves and bookshelf updates. No worries–I now have more copies of this book than I know what to do with, the result of writing my dissertation on it–people keep giving me copies (and I LOVE all of them!).

Here are a few more over the years:

Think about how these have shifted. The fonts have changed, though the name is always at the top. The graphics shift from artwork to abstract to realistic. They each convey a slightly different tone: some focusing on the post-apocalyptic feel while others emphasize the horror undercurrent. 

My own series, Klauden’s Ring Saga, just got re-released with new covers, and it’s only been out five years! Check out the difference between the old covers and the new:

Note the changes: no more people! Less vibrant color shifts! The new covers follow current trends for fantasy romance, symbols buried amid swirls and designs. 

How can you tell when it’s time to update your covers? I’m glad you asked. 

  1. Look at the top 100 bestsellers in your category on Amazon. Scroll the covers–they will probably all be quite similar. Does your book match that vibe? 
  2. Do a google search for your genre + book covers. Does your cover look anything like the images popping up? 
  3. Watch reels about your genre on social media. Does your book resemble the ones you keep seeing?

If the answer to these questions is no, it’s time for a new look. Yes, I know it’s time-consuming and expensive to redo your covers (not to mention the stack of old covers you probably still have to sell!), but keeping up with trends in your genre is a great way to stay relevant and catch the attention of new readers. 

And what to do with old stock? So many options!

  1. Sell them at a discount at shows (“Get the old version on the cheap!”)
  2. Wrap them up and call them “Blind Dates” with a book!
  3. Send them to readers–prizes, free copies, review exchanges, etc. 
  4. Offer them to libraries or local community centers.

Any of these will get your name out there–and get new readers buying the rest of your books! I know we say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but we all do it. Don’t let readers pass you by because of an outdated look. Update your covers!

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From the Author’s Desk: Worldbuilding 101: Mythmaking

One thing to consider when creating the world for your story is the stories the people in your world tell one another about creation. How did your world come to be? What do the people in your world commonly believe about the beginning of it all? Generally, this kind of worldbuilding can be divided into two categories: the truth about creation and the myths about creation. Let’s start with the first part–what actually happened?

To start developing the truth of your world, consider the following questions:

How did your world come into being? Was it formed out of the Void, the result of some cosmic Boom, the plaything of a godlike being? Tolkien’s Middle Earth began as a song of the Ainur, a vision in music that the Valar had to then build based on their understanding and memories of that experience. 

Is there just one world/planet? Is it a free-floating ball in space or a disc with an edge that people can fall off? Terry Pratchett’s Discworld is literally a disc on top of four elephants on top of a turtle that swims through space.

Is the world part of a larger galaxy/universe? Is there a larger cosmos with other solar systems in the galaxy or just the lone world floating in the void by itself? Think about the night sky your inhabitants would see—are those lights in the sky other stars or something else (Shrek’s ogre ancestors, for instance)?

What does the rest of the galaxy/universe look like? Solar systems with planets and suns or black holes or dwarf stars? Titan AE explores a universe where the earth is a tiny piece of a huge tapestry of galaxies.

How big is the universe? Are other worlds nearby or far away? Can people see it or travel to it? How is this done? Get a general sense—if light speed is 186, 282.397 miles per second, how far away is everything from everything else? For example, the sun is 91.4 million miles from Earth while the moon is only 238,900 miles away.

For the people in your world, are there visible stars in the sky? Other planets that can be seen? Do people create constellations from the patterns? What meaning is attributed to these lights in the sky? Is astrology a thing in your world?

Has anyone seen the planet from beyond the surface? Do people travel to space to get that perspective, or do they think the world is flat or ends beyond the mountain range in the distance?

Has the world always looked like this or has it changed over time? Was there an age of dinosaurs and prehistoric plant life or a world covered in oceans, or has it always been as it is now? (This relates to the “how old is your world” question too!).

If it has changed, why? What happened to make it look different? Was this change a result of some natural catastrophe (meteor strike, volcano eruption, ice age, etc.) or the result of the people who live in the world? What did the people do that caused such dramatic shifts in the world? Even earth has had some dramatic environmental shifts over time (*cough* dinosaurs *cough*).

How old is the world? Does the world have an expiration date—like will the sun explode at some point or the gravitational pull let it drift away into the void, or will the world always be there?

If your world is loosely based on the real world, how is it different from the known universe? What world-features are your characters familiar with that readers will recognize? What distinct world-features have you added to distinguish your world from the real one? Do things in the universe have the same name that the scientific community uses (Big Bang, quarks, Jupiter, Io, etc.)?

Bonus Question for Earth-Variants: Is Pluto a planet or a planetoid in your world? How do people argue about this distinction?

Now, think about the second part: What stories do people tell about creation in your world?

How do people explain the creation of the world?Are there competing theories about how it all began? Which ideas will your characters embrace? Which will they deny?

Are there immortals who remember the beginning? How accurate is that recollection (and do they share that knowledge with others)? Will those beings be around for the end of the world, like the robots in AI?

Has the truth of creation been altered in some ways? How? Why? By whom? How does this difference affect the story you will tell in that world?

How much is known by the average person in the world about the creation of the world? Is this knowledge protected or is it shared? How do people share this information (Giver-style or oral culture or what)?

Where would someone go to find creation stories? Are they written down and stored in a library or shared freely among the people? Who is permitted to learn the truth and who is not? Why?

Mythmaking will be the foundation of your world, but it doesn’t need to be the first thing you decide. Let your creative inspiration wander from topic to topic as you wish! Don’t box yourself into getting all of this information carved in stone from the start. One of the great things about being an author is the ability to shift things as you need–creation stories can change as your story develops. You don’t need to know everything from the start. That said, you should have some inkling of these answers somewhere in the back of your mind. Stories that take place in worlds with solid backgrounds, even if those details aren’t known by readers, tend to satisfy in a way that others do not. Readers can sense a solid foundation beneath the plot, details available should the need arise to start digging. 

Shameless Self-Promotion Time: Did you enjoy these kinds of questions? Check out more in The General Worldbuilding Guide, available wherever books are sold!

The General Worldbuilding Guide (The World Building Guide Book 1)