Last week’s post looked at worldbuilding in general and why it’s so important to have a well-developed setting as it is the foundation on which the story is built. It’s critical to have well-rounded, convincing characters, and it’s just as critical to have a developed, convincing world. Today’s post is digging in more to take a look at the important aspects and details of worldbuilding that deserve consideration and can tend to get overlooked.
Worldbuilding seems to be either every writer’s bane or boon. Its importance is often underestimated and incorporation of it into a story is sometimes completely abandoned. Yet worldbuilding needs just as much development as your plot and characters do––your story and the people in your story constantly engage with the setting.
Most of the time, the best things take the most time.
As a writer, this statement could not be more true.
So you think you’re pretty decent with words and you enjoy telling stories, and you want to be a writer.
You should think you might want to be a writer. Here’s what you need to know about being one.
(Note: This post is mostly cynical humor as I speak out about the harsh reality of being a writer. Because in reality it’s not all sunshine and rainbows; it’s more like no sun and rainclouds––which can still be pretty cool.)
As of late, writer’s block has decided to show up in all its glorious nonexistence, probably because NaNoWriMo was traumatizing and I didn’t want to touch my book for an entire month afterwards. But I recently got tagged by my friend Addie at The Lion’s Pen with the Most Likely Tag, which basically asks questions about my characters and I get to answer them here. I’m a fan of tags that have to do with one’s WIP because it helps me to think about my story and characters in ways I never have. So, onwards.
Taking breaks is important. As mortal Earthlings, moderation with everything is vital; we can’t handle too much of anything. This is why we sleep at night. This is why we take breaks at work. This is why we take school breaks during the summer and Christmas time. And this is also why we should take breaks from creating.
“The Bourne Ultimatum” is a perfect film for analyzing and applying to writing, because it has many traits that are unique to this film series, one of the reasons it is widely known and well regarded as an action film. The director, Paul Greengrass, skillfully uses camera cuts and omniscient narrator voice to build tension throughout the movie. We will be primarily exploring the opening sequence to show just how these cinematic tools are used. I will also be applying this to writing as well, suggesting how writers can use these techniques in their writing to build tension.
