Secret fact about fantasy writers

[pbray]

The reason why we write sequels is the sheer number of things that have to be named when you're starting a story set in a new world. Character names are bad enough, but everything has to be named--countries, cities, rivers, mountains, seas, monetary systems, religions, governing organizations and political factions, the lists are endless.

Mystery writers have it easy. :-D

Comments

[susanjett.livejournal.com]

Yep! When you see a skinny fantasy book, it's either left out so much as to be boring, or it's set in a world AWFULLY close to our own!

[vespican.livejournal.com]

How true, even when the world one creats is a near parallel of earth, and one in which individuals travel between that world and this one. Parallel lands, countries, peoples, etc. need unique names that are still familiar and somewhat similar.

While I consider myself to primarily write Naval Adventure/Age of Sail, I find that I do a lot of world building... including naming.
Dave

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

So that means you have to write a book of lists just to write your first SFF book, right? ;-)

[jjschwabach.livejournal.com]

There's just so much to say... to little time to say it... and some worlds are so fun to make, and so fun to create so many different cultures...

[rsgarcia.livejournal.com]

LOL. True. The real world is a lot easier to work with. Unless, of course, you have a reason to put part of Chicago on the East Coast, then you'll hear the screams from the ocean lol.