Hot writing take: world building is intellectual masturbation. If you don't have a plot and compelling characters no amount of "in Atherblandia they wear the colour green in commemoration of the fall of the terrible mage Clavderon" is going to save your lack of story #WriteSky #writingcommunity - ThreadSky

kythkyn.bsky.social • 13 days ago

Hot writing take: world building is intellectual masturbation. If you don't have a plot and compelling characters no amount of "in Atherblandia they wear the colour green in commemoration of the fall of the terrible mage Clavderon" is going to save your lack of story

#WriteSky #writingcommunity

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rrookstudio.bsky.social•13 days ago

Was floundering around trying to find some record of M. John Harrison's 2007 (omg... OLD) essay against worldbuilding.

https://web.archive.org/web/20080410181840/http://uzwi.wordpress.com/2007/01/27/very-afraid/

kythkyn.bsky.social•13 days ago

Thanks for sharing!

farmergadda.bsky.social•13 days ago

In the world lore file straight up jorkin it

kythkyn.bsky.social•13 days ago

Brain jorkin' all day 😹

theramblerouser.bsky.social•13 days ago

And that is why I am not a very good writer, as it turns out.

kythkyn.bsky.social•13 days ago

I have suggestions to help break that, if in fact you would like some

theramblerouser.bsky.social•13 days ago

My issue is I can do the research, build systems, and seed developed world building into otherwise insignificant set dressing. I'm also pretty good at big plot stuff. But the second I'm tasked with fleshing out how humans behave in a scene, I just short circuit.

theramblerouser.bsky.social•13 days ago

That's why when I did have serious intention of writing a novel, I had a partner to help me work that stuff out. That situation, however, is well and truly dead.

aryxymaraki.itch.io•13 days ago

Worldbuilding is a tool for the author to use. It's prep work that, when used properly, makes the rest of the writing easier.

It's not a replacement for good character work or plot, but it's good and useful as long as you know what you're doing with it.

kythkyn.bsky.social•13 days ago

Don't get me wrong, I love worldbuilding. Hell, I've done so many worldbuilding projects for just the intellectual masturbation. It's less a call-out and more a unsubtle reminder 😸

aryxymaraki.itch.io•13 days ago

When worldbuilding's lost its fun you're fuckin' lazy, after all.

oblivioncubed.bsky.social•13 days ago

I love worldbuilding, and I'm okay at plots I guess, but compelling characters I couldn't write for my life. Hence why I build settings and plots for ttrpgs... I set the stage and everyone else brings the compelling characters 🤣

kythkyn.bsky.social•13 days ago

Oh I love worldbuilding too. It's fun as fuck!

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