Worldbuilding: Religions

One of my favorite subjects, besides military history, is theology. I currently have a work-in-progress that takes place in a unique world, and hence I've been engaging in much worldbuilding. Part of this has, of course, involved the religions of this world. 

This led me to ponder a bit on worldbuilding and religion. I decided to write a short post on the subject, to give some advice and suggestions to fellow authors.

Do Research!

Oh no, more work, I can hear some people thinking. Yes, I know it stinks sometimes when you're really eager to get to writing and making the rubber hit the road as far as your storytelling is concern. Nonetheless, if faith or religion is going to have any part in your story, it might be helpful to research the topic a little bit.

I would also highly suggest researching from original sources. I imagine nobody reading this post would learn about Judaism from National Socialist websites - well, treat other faiths with as much respect. Don't research Christianity from New Atheist websites. Don't research Islam from right-wing blogs. If you can find works in English that translate what a certain religion's documents or leaders say or have said, try to rely on that for the most part. If you can find balanced, scholarly works on the subject, and those subjects quote from original sources, by all means rely on that too.

Another good tip: if you have friends or acquaintances that belong to certain faiths, it might help asking them what they suggest. For example, I have a book at home on Shia Islam; I got it because I knew a well-read Shia Muslim, and I actually went and asked him what the best book on the subject of his faith was.

Obviously, everybody's time is limited, and I don't expect anyone reading this blog to go out and get a Theology Doctorate. Nonetheless, just as you would do a little bit of research into other topics related to your work, so too should you consider researching into this topic as well. Who knows - it may not influence your world's religions, but it might also influence other aspects of it.

Be Creative!

A lot of times, I think the default state many will go to is a "copypasta" of Roman Catholicism or Greek mythology. You either have the hierarchical priest church, or you have the plethora of gods for every task or natural occurrence under the sun. Obviously this isn't always a bad thing (I mean let's face it, George R.R. Martin's Faith of the Seven is basically Roman Catholicism revamped, and nobody complains); nonetheless, I think a lot of writers are missing out when they don't attempt to think outside the box.

Contrary to popular belief among many, it's untrue that all religions are basically the same. Some are more philosophical in nature than spiritual (eg., many Eastern "religions"). Some are polytheistic. Some are henotheistic (that is, there are many gods, but only one is worth worshiping). Some are monontheistic. 

Within all these groups, there can be varieties, some major and some minor. For example, Islam is a monotheistic religion, but within Islam you have Sunni, Shia, Ahmadi, etc. Then among the Shia you have Sixers and Twelvers. Within those groups you have even more variety. Keep in mind this doesn't necessarily need to be divisive variety, but individual groups within a larger faith that can be in slight opposition to one another (eg., the Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinians, etc.). Just as it happens in the real world, so too can you can do the same in your world.

Be Detailed!

For a lot of writers, faith and religion seems to take a back seat. This is unfortunate because even tiny details regarding a character's faith can be helpful in influencing their motivations and aspirations. 

One big example of this is eschatology, which is commonly associated with end-times beliefs. The reason for the growth of revival in the 18th and 19th centuries was because many in the early parts of the movement were Postmillennials, who believed there would be a massive revival before the return of Christ. The reason some Founding Fathers opposed war with Britain was because they came from Quaker-based beliefs, which opposed any conflict or violence at all. Within some parts of Islam, there's such a high view of fatalism that something like the car breaking down is shrugged off with "Allah wills it - no need to fix it."

Again, little details like this can help shape your character. Even if it's a subtle nuance, it can still influence and affect your characters.

Be Original!

I can't help but notice, as far as character writing goes, that many times you end up with two cliches, both of them opposite extremes:

The Inquisitor: This is the follower of a religion (whether a cleric or a layman) who thinks everyone who doesn't agree with him is evil and deserves to die. We've probably most seen this character in movies, whether it be the oppressive mother who quotes Bible verses every other second, or the priest who goes insane as zombies attack. Most of the time they just end up being a terrible straw man for organized religion.

The Hippie: This is the guy who may belong to a religion, but hey, who cares about what you believe? Sometimes it can get to the point where the MC could commit ethnic cleansing, and the Hippie would just shrug his shoulders and say, "Who am I to judge?" This person's beliefs amount to a superficial wonder as to why we can't all just get along? Flower power, maaaaaaan!

Believe it or not, it's possible to have a happy middle ground here. You can have a character who holds firmly to his faith, but doesn't want everyone who disagrees with him burned at the stake. You can have a character who seems welcoming and accepting, but is in fact a dangerous cult member, or close-minded in other, more significant ways. Just as it's better to come up with a multilayered, try to come up with a character that's a little more than a caricature of either intolerance or tolerance.

I can give an example from my own work. Edmund, the Magi from Gods on the Mountain, is firmly established in his faith in the Almighty, the monotheistic god for much of Calambria; he believes there is no other correct religion, except the worship of the Almighty. At the same time, when he hangs out with dwarfs who worship the dragons of old, he doesn't contradict everything they say or do, or start foaming at the mouth and ranting against them Westboro Baptist Church-style. I had beta readers tell me that they appreciated that fact about him.

Don't be afraid of truth!

What is the truth in your world? Is there a right religion? Is there a wrong religion? Is one religion based on nonsense, but another is based on fact? I think many times when people are worldbuilding, they don't think about this, or consider it firmly enough. A lot of times there almost seem to be a plethora of pantheons in a world, each one vying for each other. Other times things are just left vague. Vagueness can be okay, but don't be afraid to have a "true" faith that maybe truly does have power over others, or can assist its members better. It can certainly add credibility to someone's quest or motivation.

With the rise of postmodern thought, it's easy to trigger people by saying one thing's right and one thing's wrong. This is the glorious thing about worldbuilding: this is your own world you are creating. You can say there's a right and wrong and not trigger people. (Well, within reason.) If you want to say one religion is right and all the others are wrong, have at it!

Why I got into horror

I currently have a fantasy novel out in print and Kindle format. A lot of people have followed me because of my fantasy book, as well as my comments regarding fantasy. I started writing because of my love for fantasy. Most people probably still think of me as a "fantasy author."

Why, then, did I start to dabble in horror? Why have I published a horror novelette, and why do I have a horror novella on the way? A while ago I saw a graph showing the popularity of various book genres. Amazingly enough, horror was listed near the bottom, while fantasy was near the top. The horror niche, while popular, isn't considered popular enough in terms of marketing. Certainly a lot more people have bought Gods on the Mountain than they have Raw Head, even though the latter is cheaper than the former. Clearly, if I want to make money, I should probably push more into the fantasy genre than horror.

The truth is, the reason I got into horror was I wanted to explore ideas and concepts I couldn't with fantasy. I wanted to explore supernatural and perilous elements that would be harder (though not impossible) to do with fantasy. It likewise permits me to explore stories set in our own world. Plus (if I may be excused for using a ten-year old's argument), I just felt like writing in horror.

The wonderful about being an author (especially an indie author) is that you can adapt your writing focus. You're not bound to write this or that. Granted, this can be seen within reason: if your fans want you to write a sequel to a popular book, it might be good to write said sequel; if you're seen as a Christian author, writing violent erotica might shock your fanbase and loose you readers. However, for the most you are completely free to explore and develop your style however you see fit.

And, frankly, authors should be permitted to do so, so long as they do it without looking down on their fanbase or forsaking those who supported and loved them during the early days.

Work in Progress Update

I recently finished writing the first draft of my Work in Progress. At the moment it's over 150,000 words, and is currently being edited by my wife - a self-professed "Grammar Nazi" who volunteered for the job. She's hoping to be done with it by this week, after which I'll  go through and double check it myself.

Here is a basic summary of the plot:

In the mountains of Calambria, the dwarf tribes have disappeared, and merchants have been expelled. Two are assigned to investigate this mystery: Edmund, a human from the Order of Magi, who are gifted with the ability to utilize the elements; and Diane, an elf from the Sisterhood of Dagger Maidens, who excel in close combat. As they attempt to uncover what has happened, they discover betrayal and secrets not only from outside the continent, but from within as well. Soon they uncover a plot with dangers that will go well beyond the mountains.

After I get done with the editing, I intend to follow the next guideline:

1. Come up with a title for the dang thing (currently working on this while the editing is going on).
2. Send the polished draft to beta readers for further opinions and changes.
3. Design the cover art for Kindle and print.
4. Publish!

My goal is to publish within the beginning of March.

I hope to discuss and explain this further in future blog posts. Please let me know in the comment section if you have any other questions or comments.

Using a Writer's Journal

"I have about five or six random doodles right here."

Do you use a writer's journal or notebook when you're planning a book or a series? Or even just for random ideas?

I asked this question on Twitter some time ago, and pinned it on my page to see if I could garner some responses. Some people said they just kept everything in their head. Others said that they definitely did, and filled it with various ideas that came to mind. I was originally the former, since I was pretty good at remembering things. Usually I would make a single document with a list of characters, important places, and a synopsis of where my story was going. I didn't start writing until the synopsis was all figured out, though I permitted myself improvisation or adding things to the story as characters and plot elements developed.

Over time, I began to wonder if there would be some benefit in a writer's journal. Finally, I stopped by CVS Pharmacy on the way home from work and bought a $4 pocket journal (because there was no way I was spending $50 on one of Barnes & Nobles' journals). I started jotting down world building ideas, and facts about my current fantasy Work-in-Progress (still unnamed at the time of this writing). I was just collecting ideas, but soon I found that I was enjoying this. I started doodling animals and creatures in my world, and creating maps to help better plan where my characters would go, and what cities or peoples they would encounter. I started sharing them on Twitter, and had people faving, retweeting, and commenting on them. I shared my doodles and notes with my wife, and received feedback from her regarding them.

What I found was my writer's journal became a nice little database to collect ideas that popped in my head or quotes I heard. It also became a pocket sized reference source that I could turn to in my story if I needed to remember a place name or the name of someone important in my world's history. It likewise encouraged me to think more on my world and how it functioned, and what it's history was like. If I had time before work, or I was sitting somewhere bored, I took out my journal and began to jot down any ideas that came to my mind. It got to the point where my journal joined my wallet, keys, and cell phone in the prestigious "I feel naked leaving the house without this" group. It has become a part of my writing which makes it fun and engaging.

Don't worry - I'm in no way saying you aren't a "real writer" unless you use a writer's journal. If you're like some of the people who replied to tweet and you like to just keep things in your head, that's absolutely fine. To paraphrase a Reese's commercial: there's no wrong way to plan your story.

World Building: Uniqueness in Mind

As some who follow me on Twitter know, I've been working on a fantasy novel for the past two months. (It is currently without a title - a slight source of frustration for me.) Part of planning the story is, of course, constructing the world around the characters and its history. I've begun taking notes in my journal and organizing religions, cultures, ways of keeping time, important historical events, and many other aspects of a fully functioning world. The best fantasy books I've come across were the ones which could make it feel like you were diving headfirst into a world which operated as such a world would. That is what I am hoping to capture in my WIP.

One thing constantly on my mind as I slowly form this world bit by bit is that I want to break from the usual mold of fantasy tropes. We've all seen the same formulas over and over again in mainstream presentations: humans live in generic medieval settings; elves are magical and in tune with nature; dwarfs are rough and tumble; etc. Obviously you don't want to go so far from the accepted canon that you might as well invent a whole new race (ie., writing about vampires that glitter in the sun), but you also want to avoid another Tolkien clone, or another D&D clone.

When I was in college, I was introduced to the computer game Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (which is available on GOG.com). It was set in a world with fantasy staples such as humans, elves, orcs, dwarfs, halflings, etc. At the same time, it had some differences...namely, it mixed fantasy with elements of steampunk. You could choose to be an advanced magic user, but you could also learn how to combine various parts to form a machine or contraption to assist you. Your decision often led to in-game results, most notably the fact that if you became too high a magic user, you couldn't use the train, least the magic interfere with the gears. Likewise, the game introduced elements such as societal prejudice (half-orcs are looked down upon in the same way many minorities have been in various situations) or class warfare (ogres and orcs are used in poor working conditions akin to Victorian England, and in one scenario you can convince them to rise up in revolt). Yes, other worlds like Azeroth had goblins with their machines and gadgets, but Arcanum went a step further, and gave us a world that might exist in any fantasy setting, should technological and civil advancements be considered.

Point is, what I loved about Arcanum is that it took various fantasy tropes and reinterpreted them with a twist, and it did so quite successfully. For me, it's an inspiration on how to work with what people are used to and tweaking it into something new. It's an example of how that can work. Whether you end up loving the game or not (I happened to end up loving it), just the concept alone makes one stop and think, "Huh...OK, I might have to check that out." And when you see the opening cinematic with orcs and goblins flying aircraft around and shooting down zeppelins, you know you're in for something different the rest of the game.

The great thing about world building is that you don't need to play by a set of rules made up by some random person on the internet: you can design it the way you want. You can be creative. You're the creator of this world - just have fun creating it!