Friday, September 30, 2011

Friday Fricassee

Happy Friday!

I've had another epiphany (if this keeps happening, I'm not going to be recognizable).  Are you ready for this one?

Worldbuilding is fun.

*dies*

Maybe it's because I've already got this novel outlined (a.k.a. beat sheeted).  Or maybe it's because I'm already so in love with the premise of this new story.

But here's what I really think it is:  It struck me how, when I was a wee lass, I spent hours and hours at the kitchen table with pen and paper.  You know those large, eleven-by-eighteen sheets of white drawing paper?  That's what my mom used to buy.  I'd pull a few sheets out of the kitchen cabinet, turn on the light that hung over the kitchen table, and hunker down.

I wasn't writing stories.  I was drawing them.  Sometimes it was just a fantabulous picture of a princess finding her true love.  Often it was comic strip style, the story taking shape in a series of boxes.  And sometimes I was simply creating a world.

Worldbuilding, and I didn't even know it.

The carefree creativeness of childhood is an awesome thing!  And I've just discovered that I can return to that VERY SAME PLACE--and call it work.

So yesterday, I sat at my kitchen table with a pen and a couple sheets of eleven-by-eighteen drawing paper.  (Yeah.  I have that in my closet.)  And started doodling my world.

All I can say is--could this be any more FUN?!

Of course, I love the research, too, which is what I spent time on first.  When I got to the point where I felt like I had a whole lot of good information and was ready to get more specific about my world, I pulled out the pen and paper.  And I'm going to do the same thing today, and probably all weekend.

Just like when I was ten.

It's funny how you can hear ten dozen other writers gush about how they adore worldbuilding--how it's their favorite part of creating a novel--and all you can do is to roll your eyes.  Or shake your head in mute disbelief.

Yeah.  That was me.  Rolling and shaking.  Because this is the sort of thing that has to happen on its own.  And for me, it's just happened.

Yay!

And as if the timing were planned or something, Jodi Meadows has just posted a magnificent series on worldbuilding on her blog.  YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO READ THIS!

Worldbuilding Series, Part 1

Worldbuilding Series, Part 2

Worldbuilding Series, Part 3

Worldbuilding Series, Part 4

Enjoy! Jodi is a master of worldbuilding; I've learned a lot from her over the last couple of years.

And now, I'm off to experience a weekend of Second Childhood.  May your weekend be equally magical!

10 comments:

  1. Hmmm...I'm still in 'rolling and shaking' mode. Maybe I should re-examine my assumptions... :D

    Thanks for inspiration! I'm off to check out Jodi's posts. Have a great weekend!

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  2. Shouldn't we put you on some kind of epiphany limit?

    Yes, world building can be fun... if you're in the right frame of mind.

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  3. Thanks for the links!

    I've been trying to convince my artist hubby to re-draw my crappy worldmap--have not been successful ><

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  4. Now you're talkin, Authoress! That's the ticket. Worldbuilding is creativity at it's finest and the sky's the limit. So glad you found such a great way to think outside the box. You were stifling your creative side with linear thinking in world building... when all you needed all along was big paper and a box of crayons. :)

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  5. I like that idea. I'll just borrow my kids' crayons and scribble pad this weekend. SEriously.

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  6. I wish I could draw to do things like that, luckily my brother reads my work and does the amazing art work for me.

    Have a great weekend.

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  7. Best idea ever! I'm so going to try this. I remember drawing my world map in High school and it was so much FUN. Why haven't I done it in so long?

    *shakes head in wonder*

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