Head When creating a head, think about every last facial feature, as described next, but when describing a species to an audience, it’s often best to comment on the most important features rather than overwhelm with detail. It’s even better Read More …
Category: Volume 1
What Does Your Species Look Like?
Appearance When creating a species, start with physical characteristics; bodies influence the minds that develop. Like it or not, appearance plays a crucial role in life, even if no one’s likely to draw our species or otherwise see it. The Read More …
What is Your Species’ Attitude?
Disposition Is our species good, evil, or more complicated? Our intended use of them will help in subsequent decisions. Something violent, uncivilized, and uneducated may not be welcomed in society. Maybe the idea of them is used to frighten children Read More …
Creating a Habitat for Your Species
Does your species live in settlements with other species or keep to itself? Learn why and when each scenario makes sense. If living in joint settlements, consider the factors affecting their integration, or lack thereof. What sort of terrain and Read More …
Why Create a Fantasy or SF Species?
Creating Something Different Inventing unique species can help our work stand out (hopefully in a good way) and even invigorate love of the genre for both us and our audience. With so many people using public domain species, there’s probably Read More …
Should We Create a Species?
In SF, we may need to create new species, but in fantasy we have the option not to. This section helps you decide on whether to do it or not. In Science Fiction Aside from little green aliens, inventors of Read More …
Species Bio-Diversity and Hierarchy
Bio-Diversity To make a decision, consider how diverse your creations are. If they’re all humanoid, it suggests shared DNA and they are races. Elves, dwarves, hobbits, orcs, humans, and other fantasy tropes have two arms and legs, one head, and Read More …
Creating Species in Fantasy and SF
Chapter 3—Creating a Species Creating a species is one of the most rewarding but challenging aspects of world building. This chapter focuses on ensuring your species is close to the competition (such as elves and dwarves) in quality and depth. Read More …
Creating Gods – Where to Start
The final section of chapter 2, “Creating Gods,” from Creating Life, discusses how to get started with creating gods.
How Do Your Gods Behave?
A god who never does anything might as well not exist from a world building standpoint. For your pantheon, decide what is considered acceptable and unacceptable behavior and whether the gods generally obey this. Each deity will have a different Read More …