whether I should create a new world or use the original world we live in?

[Chaotic_Asura]

I have a story in mind that I want to write, but I don't know whether I should create a complete new world to write it or should I use our current world structure (earth and continents, you know) to use in my story? The reason why I am asking this question is because in the story, I may to show some particular organisation as superior (some will say it as good, but since everybody has there own opinion of good and bad, I won't use that term) and other as inferior ? I don't want to offend any organisation while writing so that is why I am asking.
It may sound a silly question but I am asking it since this is my first time writing. Please tell me what should I do?

 

[Finchbearer]

I think it’s fun when there is a blend of the two. But I do like fantasy worlds too. But they are my preferences. What are yours? What do you prefer to read / watch?

 

[Chaotic_Asura]

I think it’s fun when there is a blend of the two. But I do like fantasy worlds too. But they are my preferences. What are yours? What do you prefer to read / watch?

I prefer reading fantasy genre, and this world that I will build is just needed for the starting arc of the story and I want to use an urban setting to do it. And our world is the best setting to use. Ofc, I also hope to bring fantastical elements to the world as the story unfolds, u know like how they say that beneath the current reality of the world lies an unfamiliar reality, something like that.

 

[pmmg]

It wont matter whether you write in our current world, or one you make up. The offended types will still be offended anyway. So...write what you want, and give the story what it needs. Does it need a made up world?

Sounds like it doesn't. The questions for you is 'is it true?, what you want to write, and do you have the courage to write it?

If you let those who would be offended impede the story that needs to be told, it will never be told.

 

[Finchbearer]

I prefer reading fantasy genre, and this world that I will build is just needed for the starting arc of the story and I want to use an urban setting to do it. And our world is the best setting to use. Ofc, I also hope to bring fantastical elements to the world as the story unfolds, u know like how they say that beneath the current reality of the world lies an unfamiliar reality, something like that.

There’s one story I was working on and has been shelved for now, set in the real world, but with fantastical elements. I found it hard to navigate avoiding racist subtext with the fantasy races I was working with (hobgoblins and fairies) who I devised a range of stereotypes and tensions with humans. It’s hard not to think of the real world when you write about that and I think you do need to tread carefully.

 

[Super Fantasy]

New world is more fun IMO

 

[EmrichNorr]

Depends of the organizations you'll write about Asura.
If they're outright villainous, I'd make sure they don't have many fans.
e.g. Lucas used Nazis (a safe choice).
Dan Brown went with the Catholic Church (More controversial, but didn't hurt his sales).

I can't tackle with our world for other reasons: the technology.
More than once I had to rewrite parts of my stories because I realized everything would have been resolved by sending a text, or recording someone with a phone.

But I was raised before the web, so that may explaining my difficulty in the matter.
That, or I'm not too bright to start with.

 

[Queshire]

Without knowing what organizations you're talking about it's a bit too vague to give an answer to.

 

[ThinkerX]

I have a story in mind that I want to write, but I don't know whether I should create a complete new world to write it or should I use our current world structure (earth and continents, you know) to use in my story? The reason why I am asking this question is because in the story, I may to show some particular organisation as superior (some will say it as good, but since everybody has there own opinion of good and bad, I won't use that term) and other as inferior ? I don't want to offend any organisation while writing so that is why I am asking.
It may sound a silly question but I am asking it since this is my first time writing. Please tell me what should I do?

Skipknox, a author here, has his 'Alt-Earth,' series which is basically an alternate Earth with magic and fantasy races. Kate Elliot did much the same with her 'Crown of Stars' series.

That said, write the story and don't worry about ticking people off.

 

[Jackarandajam]

If you make up a world and the organizations are close enough in form to their real world counterparts, people who are going to get pissed off will see the parallel and get pissed off anyway. Do whatever you want

 

[Finchbearer]

If you make up a world and the organizations are close enough in form to their real world counterparts, people who are going to get pissed off will see the parallel and get pissed off anyway. Do whatever you want

That can sometimes work to great affect. Handmaid’s Tale is a perfect example, although I bet everyone is sick of me mentioning it!

 

[pmmg]

Personally, I don't mind if you want to mention the book. Its obviously an important work to you. It did not reach me in the same way. Maybe if I had different experiences, it would have. However, if Mrs Atwood sat around waiting to see if she could write it and not upset some groups of people, it would never have been written.

I dont know that I would put her in the most daring aspect of writing controversial stuff, but I reject the attitude that stuff must be avoided because it might be controversial. I dont know what the OP'er has in mind, but I bet the fear is the same cancel stuff that goes on all around the internet.

Mrs. Atwood dared. Others could learn from that.

 

[JBCrowson]

Personally, I don't mind if you want to mention the book. Its obviously an important work to you. It did not reach me in the same way. Maybe if I had different experiences, it would have. However, if Mrs Atwood sat around waiting to see if she could write it and not upset some groups of people, it would never have been written.

I dont know that I would put her in the most daring aspect of writing controversial stuff, but I reject the attitude that stuff must be avoided because it might be controversial. I dont know what the OP'er has in mind, but I bet the fear is the same cancel stuff that goes on all around the internet.

Mrs. Atwood dared. Others could learn from that.

The thing about Handmaids Tale and its reception I find most disturbing is that some people seem to regard it as a handbook rather than a dire warning.

 

[pmmg]

I will let you remain vigilant to that, and say that there are other aspects that I find concerning or prescient about that tale. I would call it neither.

I do agree with Finch that it is a good example of something with a fictional world meant to have parallels to our own, and had a large degree of success.

 

[Finchbearer]

The thing about Handmaids Tale and its reception I find most disturbing is that some people seem to regard it as a handbook rather than a dire warning.

Many great works get used like that and I won’t say anything more on that subject! Atwood always said that she was inspired by real life events, and wrote nothing that hasn’t happened in real life.

 

[Prince of Spires]

The questions is a false dichotomy. There aren't only 2 choices here. It's not either write in our world (and thus keep it exactly as it is) or write in an alternate world and nothing carries over. You can have Xavier's school for gifted children in our world, and you can have coca cola in an alternate world and any and all variations in between.

There are plenty of stories set in our world that use made up cities or organizations while keeping most other things the same. Batman has Arkam City, Superman has the Daily Bugle, and James Bond has Spectre (and MI6). So you can just set the story in our world and add the organizations you need without referencing real world organizations. Or you can just make up a parallel world and change whatever you need. Or you can make up a completely different world.

It's about what you enjoy writing about and what the story needs.

One small caution I would use: If you do go with a real world setting, don't use an existing company as the antagonist. They tend not to like that. And while in some cases you might legally be allowed to do so, are you willing to fight Disney (or whoever) in court over it? Just make up a name. And feel free to make it obvious which company you use. Just change their name.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I write Urban Fantasy.

 

[JBCrowson]

I would argue that no fiction is set in Our World. As soon as we invent a person / place / organisation / event that doesn't actually exist (i.e. any of the stuff we do to write fiction) then that world is no longer Our World. This is an extension of the same idea as the butterfly effect. One tiny difference alters things in ever expanding circles to encompass anything and everything. In a way fantasy writing is only one end (arguably the most honest end) of a spectrum of the degree to which the unreality of setting is acknowledged openly. The other end of that spectrum recently saw netflicks sued for a series (Baby Reindeer) that declared itself to be autobiography, but added small fictional / artistic elements that may be viewed as defamatory to real people.

To be clear, I don't think it alters the value or the writing at all how similar to Our World a setting is. As many others have said more elegantly, what matters is whether the author makes it feel like it could be real.

 

[Gurkhal]

Pick what the story benefits most from. A world of your own gives me freedom while our world gives recognition.

You could always write up what the story needs from the world and see which alternative would seem to work best for you?