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30 exercises to help you outline the setting for your novel |
Exercise 1 : Outlining Write out the headline notes and inspirations for your setting. You don't need to get into details yet, but make a note of any specific ideas you already have. This should include: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() There are no wrong answers. There are no ideal answers. Just put down on the page a rough description of what you think you're going to do. Exercise 2 : Local Geography Outline the physical environment and how it might influence the people who live in the region. This should include: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Exercise 3 : Hometown Now that you know the unique advantages and difficulties of the area, you can start to think about what your people do there. Work on the main industries and the key facilities your 'world' (city, village, high school, etc) offers the people living in it. Things to consider: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Exercise 4 : Market Trade is a necessity in any society. It would be impractical, if not impossible, for a single household to provide for all its needs from production to consumption. A market is a place for people to trade for what they need, either through barter or using currency, although there are a lot of different kinds of markets too. Think about a market or exchange that might exist in your setting -- this might also include websites or forms of e-trading. Things to consider: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Exercise 5 : Venn Diagram As an expansion to the exercises so far, work on identifying the main social groups you expect to touch on in your story. Things to consider: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Exercise 6 : Key Tensions I often use the phrase 'politics is people'. People have different values, different priorities, different struggles and different fears, and ultimately they can't all have what they want. Somewhere along the line, conflicting interests mean someone has to be denied in order to satisfy someone else. Think about what the main problems facing your society/faction might be. Is it access to a natural resource? Is it a threat to their place in a wider society? Is it their physical safety? Is it something they want for success or a better life? You might have some ideas from exercise 1. Things to consider: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Exercise 7 : Review Day Go back over your notes from the past week. Do any further research, add to your notes, and make any adjustments or corrections. If you have any other ideas that you want to get down at this point, submit those too. |