Crafting Immersive Worlds In Your Writing

Your world is literally at your finger tips!

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An immersive world isn’t just background scenery to put your characters in. The setting shapes your characters, influences the plot and pulls your readers into the story. When done well, your setting can feel like another character, with it’s own history and secrets!

So how do we write a world that has plenty of depth to suck readers in? By focusing on a few ground rules.

• Establish the History and Rules of your Fiction World

• Use Sensory Details

• Blend your World with your Characters and Story

Let’s begin!

1.Laying the Ground Rules and History

For any world-building, you’ll have to come up with the foundation. And that is defining the key events in history, and the laws defining a society. Anyone can write a scenic background into a story but to explain and define the world’s history in depth, is another thing entirely. To help brainstorm some unique ideas, ask yourself some questions like:

• If there are laws in the world, what are they?

• Were there any revolutions or world wars?

• How advanced is the technology?

• What beliefs, religions, cultures, values etc…that influences the world?

Why does creating an immersive setting matter, especially when it comes to rules and history? First off, rules like laws and societal norms, create tension, stakes and limitations. Without them, there would be chaos! Unless you want your world that way. A well-defined ‘system’ prevents plot holes and keep the world believable. Think about it: if magic were limitless, it removes struggle. If technology had no restrictions, then conflict loses its stakes.

Second, rules shape and influence how your character(s) interact with the world. Your protagonist has to move through this world in order to achieve their goals. And a great story introduces struggle along their journey (think 1984 by George Orwell). You don’t have to look too far to realize how rules shape and influence us. Think about your religious beliefs and values.

History has it’s place in world-building by giving your setting depth and realism. History provides context for your world’s current state. It explains why things are the way they are (think about the World Wars and how it shaped society today), why traditions and cultures exist, even explaining some religions.

History and rules gives more immersion to your setting. It anchors your characters in that world, giving them a place to interact with. Now that we got a foundation, it’s time for the next immersive writing tactic: sensory details.

2. Explain The Senses

Readers need to feel like they’re in your story. They want to visualize and imagine being there, exploring the world alongside your characters. By putting in the effort into the details, you set the mood of the setting. Depending on the context, you could evoke excitement or fear. But readers can’t feel any of that if you give them lackluster descriptions like:

• The forest was beautiful.

• The alley smelled bad.

• The venue was noisy.

• The air tasted good.

• The tire felt smooth.

To effectively pull the readers in, you’ll have to ‘Show, not tell’. The classic writing rule emphasizes expanding and engaging the senses. Write vivid descriptions but not too much that it slows the pace down. Pro tip: mix and match the senses to really drive the setting home.

• The market was a an exciting kaleidoscope of shouting merchants, the scent of spices in the are and the vibrant rainbows of varied produce.

• The forest was dead silent. With only the soft whisper of a flowing creak and the air thick with the scent of pine, it was eerily beautiful.

• The restaurant air had me salivate. My eyes locked on the bustling kitchen, watching the master chef as he carefully laid the steak onto the pan. It sizzled and hissed, releasing its savory scent throughout the establishment. My gut grumbled, wanting the slab of meat immediately.

Remember, too many details can overwhelm the reader while too few can leave them bored. With mixing senses, you craft a well-rounded experience for the reader!

3. Engage the World with your Characters and Story

This is a short topic but often overlooked.

Think about how your characters' histories are shaped by the world they live in. How does the cultural, political, or environmental aspects of your world influence their motivations and actions? You could explore how a character's upbringing in a war-torn region impacts their worldview. Think of the constant protests, revolutions and civil unrest in a region where your character lives in, shaped their behavior.

Religious and cultural norms affect your characters as well. What traditions and values do they uphold? To add depth to this, do your characters struggle against these norms because of their values?

Depending on the genre, the setting can drive the plot forward. Think about those ‘end of the world’ movies. Highlight how disastrous events (outside your characters control) can evolve in ways where your character has no option but to go along with the events that are happening (think zombie movies).

So what next?

As you embark on your writing journey, remember to engage your world with your characters’ stories. Dive deep into their backstories and let their experiences shape their paths. Your world comes alive only if you put the necessary effort into making it come alive. So grab your pen or keyboard an let your imagination fly!

Another great vid by Jerry Jenkins!

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