These essential tips for world building that will help you create a realistic and immersive world for your readers!
I’m continuing my series of documenting my writing process as I write my first coming of age novel.
When it comes to writing a successfully written novel, one of the most crucial elements is crafting a believable and engaging world. This is especially important for coming of age fiction (my novel is set in the mid 90’s to present day) where capturing the mood and vibe of the time period is essential to connecting with readers.
To get started on creating your world, research is key. Familiarize yourself with the technology, fashion, and cultural norms of the time period, and consider what makes it unique. This will help you craft a setting that is not only accurate, but also resonates with readers.
I use Pinterest for this as well as printing out actual photos or copying them from era magazines and placing them on an actual bulletin board on my desk. I pull quotes that sound like something the characters would pin. This helps me develop their personalities and when I get stuck in writing, I go back to build my Pinterest board with more ideas.
I pull quotes that sound like something the characters would pin.
Once you have a solid understanding of the time period, it’s time to focus on building out the world of your story. Begin by creating a strong sense of place – think about where your story takes place, the landmarks, and the people who inhabit it. This will help ground your story in reality, making it feel more authentic and relatable.
Next, focus on creating realistic and well-rounded characters. Create a character profile. I like to create a mock interview with each character to brainstorm ideas for their personalities. Consider what makes them unique, their interests and goals, and how they interact with each other and the world around them.
I watch youtube videos of celebrity interviews from the era to get inspiration for questions for my characters as well.
Remember everyone has an internal conflict (goal vs. fear) so identify theirs. This will help readers connect with and care about your characters, making them invested in the story.
Finally, pay attention to the small details that make your world come alive. From music to slang and colloquialisms, these details help paint a picture of the time period and create an immersive experience for readers.
For each book I’ve written I’ve created a soundtrack to help inform the book. This is the first novel I’ve written so I picked out a couple of songs for each chapter to keep me focused on the story and feel of the outline. I’ve rearranged the order of this playlist multiple times as the story has evolved.
Take a listen to see if you can figure out any clues about my story.
Incorporating these tips into your world building process will help you create a captivating and authentic world for your coming of age novel set in whatever era you decide to write. If you’re a reader and not a writer I hope this post gives you a little behind the scenes of how authors do what they do to create your favorite beach reads!
Happy writing or reading,
Emily
Writing Update:
Writing Update: The first draft is telling the story to yourself. (I took finding a writing grade and encouraging words from my teacher from 10th grade as a sign to keep going 😄)
I haven’t met my daily word count goal this Summer (I’ve written 12,000 so far), but I have been reading fiction widely and jogging my memory on lots of 90’s and early 2000s nostalgia (all of this inspiring content for the chapters that live in notebooks and in my mind). I keep telling the story to myself and adding to it.
I’ve taken time to go through boxes that I put away in heartbreak at 17 and have cried healing tears at 42.
This fictional story won’t leave me and is inspired by the people and places I loved in my coming of age years. It’s written about a time in history that we’ll never be able to visit again except in our memories. Conveying that nostalgic feeling is what I’m after!
Yet…if nobody ever reads this first attempt at a novel, exploring this story, revisiting the 90s in my mind, and developing these characters has been good for my soul.
Now, back to the page…and sharpening my skills of writing dialogue. 😬✏️
Create Everyday 