TECH: Keep It Real
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writercisesOriginal posting 7 April 2008
Keep It Real by Lynn Flewelling in Writers Digest Nov. 2004, pg. 56-57.
"Make your readers believe that the fantasy world you've created actually exists by researching your setting."
You might not think of realism as an ingredient in fantasy, or in general fiction, but Lynn argues that a good setting helps readers suspend their disbelief and dive in. So to engage and entrance readers with an alternate world of dazzling wonders, you start by convincing them with a plausible, lively, internally consistent backdrop.
"Setting is the bedrock of your story." So get the facts right. Now if you are making up a world from whole cloth, you need to have at least a nodding acquaintance with weather basics, towns, trade routes, cultures, etc. Or you could model it on the one world we know well, but then you're back to checking out details in reality.
In either case, "the real world is the fantasy writer's scrapbook." [and I venture to say for any fiction writer!] Real history, geography customs and religions are great sources for guidance and inspiration. Do your homework -- go places, use the internet and other tools to dig, or use your locale, since you know it well. Even there, take a good hard look, and you may surprise people with the raccoon that lives in the local park. And when you can, add to the sensory palate with some experience. Try a little bit here and there. Pick up and swing that maul that the plumber uses. Try out some foods. Scribble or jot notes about it, too, so you can remember what that red ant tasted like, or what looking in a lion's mouth makes you feel. (Did it really smell like that?)
Some cautions. Beware anachronisms and inaccuracies. The historical setting crumbles when dialogue uses modern slang, or horses, guns, and so forth just keep going and going. Also, while you as writer need to know all the background details, most of that should not show up on your page. No info dumps -- long dissertations on how something works. Think of details as the spice of the story, not the meat and potatoes. Watch for emphasis -- if you spend a total time describing something the reader expects it will be important to the story. Make sure to use the antique mallet that you lovingly described, or the reader will hit you with it
Finally, especially in fantasy, beware the "oh, wow" details. These glaringly unusual elements are usually added hoping to get readers to think that the setting is exotic. However, the usual response to pink trees or other oddities that aren't integral parts of the setting is to throw the reader out of the story because they're trying to figure out how that could work.
So, when you're working on your setting, you need to get the facts. Do the research. And watch for inconsistencies such as anachronisms and inaccuracies. Avoid dumping loads of information, strive for the finely selected detail rather than the raw quantity. Anything you spend time on needs to play an active role in the story. And don't tease the readers with exotic frills unless they are a legitimate part of the setting. Glued on scenery falls off too easily.
'saright?
When we write, we let others imagine.
Keep It Real by Lynn Flewelling in Writers Digest Nov. 2004, pg. 56-57.
"Make your readers believe that the fantasy world you've created actually exists by researching your setting."
You might not think of realism as an ingredient in fantasy, or in general fiction, but Lynn argues that a good setting helps readers suspend their disbelief and dive in. So to engage and entrance readers with an alternate world of dazzling wonders, you start by convincing them with a plausible, lively, internally consistent backdrop.
"Setting is the bedrock of your story." So get the facts right. Now if you are making up a world from whole cloth, you need to have at least a nodding acquaintance with weather basics, towns, trade routes, cultures, etc. Or you could model it on the one world we know well, but then you're back to checking out details in reality.
In either case, "the real world is the fantasy writer's scrapbook." [and I venture to say for any fiction writer!] Real history, geography customs and religions are great sources for guidance and inspiration. Do your homework -- go places, use the internet and other tools to dig, or use your locale, since you know it well. Even there, take a good hard look, and you may surprise people with the raccoon that lives in the local park. And when you can, add to the sensory palate with some experience. Try a little bit here and there. Pick up and swing that maul that the plumber uses. Try out some foods. Scribble or jot notes about it, too, so you can remember what that red ant tasted like, or what looking in a lion's mouth makes you feel. (Did it really smell like that?)
Some cautions. Beware anachronisms and inaccuracies. The historical setting crumbles when dialogue uses modern slang, or horses, guns, and so forth just keep going and going. Also, while you as writer need to know all the background details, most of that should not show up on your page. No info dumps -- long dissertations on how something works. Think of details as the spice of the story, not the meat and potatoes. Watch for emphasis -- if you spend a total time describing something the reader expects it will be important to the story. Make sure to use the antique mallet that you lovingly described, or the reader will hit you with it
Finally, especially in fantasy, beware the "oh, wow" details. These glaringly unusual elements are usually added hoping to get readers to think that the setting is exotic. However, the usual response to pink trees or other oddities that aren't integral parts of the setting is to throw the reader out of the story because they're trying to figure out how that could work.
So, when you're working on your setting, you need to get the facts. Do the research. And watch for inconsistencies such as anachronisms and inaccuracies. Avoid dumping loads of information, strive for the finely selected detail rather than the raw quantity. Anything you spend time on needs to play an active role in the story. And don't tease the readers with exotic frills unless they are a legitimate part of the setting. Glued on scenery falls off too easily.
'saright?
When we write, we let others imagine.
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