DeathtoTrite
Troubadour
Synopsis, so if you don't want to read it all you can still give me some help-
1) History. How much should I use as inspiration for nations?
2) Names. Real world, cultural specific names. Some changes/taking words from language. yay/nay?
3) detail- how much, how to deliver it?
If you have time, read the long version please. I appreciate the input.
First, sorry if this gets long. Bear with me.
I'm trying to design a world for a book. I love history, so its easy for me to draw bits and pieces from historical examples. Some are obvious (old, weakening empire, intrigue, eunuchs, splendid capital) while some are much more muddled (how many people are going to see the similarities to Suomi tribes?). Any good rules of thumb out there for how much historical inspiration is too much? At a certain point, I figure, a reader will fill in missing details with well known historic ones.
I suppose that's good to an extent, since I'm not inclined to write out a detailed synopsis of its culture, and I don't anyone would want to read that. But, I don't want the reader making wrong conclusions. Also, names. I do NOT want to just create generic "Alyria" names. For one, it risks sounding like LotR, DnD, or any other thoroughly cliched fantasy thing. For another, there would be no cultural consistency (unless I decided to make languages as well) so I'm going with naming groups. One area has Turkic and Mongol names (Arslan is an important character) while another uses Roman and Greek names (the empire).
If you're still with me, thank you. Last question- detail? Now, I'm somewhat odd and will add oodles of detail in my world even if the entire forum comes here to say I shouldn't. Its relaxing and fun to try to work out history, trade, architecture, etc. of the world. My concern though, is for writing. Obviously, a reader doesn't want a history textbook about a made-up world. But they also don't want something vanilla. Again, any rule of thumb for this? Besides well worked in details (eg- woman pulls on veil before leaving house) how much exposition can you take? Is it better when delivered as character thoughts (like ASOIAF), dialogue (two people talk about politics), or lectures from teacher/mentor figure.
1) History. How much should I use as inspiration for nations?
2) Names. Real world, cultural specific names. Some changes/taking words from language. yay/nay?
3) detail- how much, how to deliver it?
If you have time, read the long version please. I appreciate the input.
First, sorry if this gets long. Bear with me.
I'm trying to design a world for a book. I love history, so its easy for me to draw bits and pieces from historical examples. Some are obvious (old, weakening empire, intrigue, eunuchs, splendid capital) while some are much more muddled (how many people are going to see the similarities to Suomi tribes?). Any good rules of thumb out there for how much historical inspiration is too much? At a certain point, I figure, a reader will fill in missing details with well known historic ones.
I suppose that's good to an extent, since I'm not inclined to write out a detailed synopsis of its culture, and I don't anyone would want to read that. But, I don't want the reader making wrong conclusions. Also, names. I do NOT want to just create generic "Alyria" names. For one, it risks sounding like LotR, DnD, or any other thoroughly cliched fantasy thing. For another, there would be no cultural consistency (unless I decided to make languages as well) so I'm going with naming groups. One area has Turkic and Mongol names (Arslan is an important character) while another uses Roman and Greek names (the empire).
If you're still with me, thank you. Last question- detail? Now, I'm somewhat odd and will add oodles of detail in my world even if the entire forum comes here to say I shouldn't. Its relaxing and fun to try to work out history, trade, architecture, etc. of the world. My concern though, is for writing. Obviously, a reader doesn't want a history textbook about a made-up world. But they also don't want something vanilla. Again, any rule of thumb for this? Besides well worked in details (eg- woman pulls on veil before leaving house) how much exposition can you take? Is it better when delivered as character thoughts (like ASOIAF), dialogue (two people talk about politics), or lectures from teacher/mentor figure.