"Creating" your "world" questions for ya'll

Hmm, well, there's always glowing mushrooms for light underground. Or perhaps the world isn't necessarily underground but flipped, like digging through to China? That could be a fun idea. Or perhaps the doorway is under her farm, but the land itself is elsewhere hidden in the world. Does she know for sure that she's still somewhere on her property once she enters this tiny world?

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Umm. Something witty.

NaNo 2007 - Guardian's Favor (tentative title) - WON
NaNo 2008 - ??

what about skylights like worm holes or something?
saw a movie once where the light underground was glow worm poop in big puddles like glowing pools. Gross, I know, but it's an idea.
maybe they steal electricity and run it underground cause they are little geniuses? That could be fun. What else do they borrow from us? Maybe they even have cable tv, you know?
Let us know what you decide.

Yeah, the first thing I thought of were the luminescent mushrooms. This world sounds neat so far :)

In addition to glowing mushrooms, there are glow worms.

Deep in the ocean, because it is so dark, many creatures are capable of bioluminence (spelling?). In a completely dark environment it is also common for many creatures to be blind because they have no need for sight. They work by touch, hearing and smell only. (ex: worms, moles, certain species of snakes, etc.)

I live in my own little world, but it's okay....they know me there.

I watched "Journey to the Center of the Earth" not too long ago, and the civilization they found underground was lit by a bioluminescent gas or something in the air. It gave a yellowish coloring to everything, but it's something to play with. For reasons unexplained, it even went dark every 36 hours or so. Maybe a kind of glowing moss or something? I'm running out of ideas, since these people have named most of what I'd have been able to think of.

Some random thoughts...

Maybe spend some time just describing your world; let the plot go on hold and throw a few thousand words at description, just to get it in your head. I also personally adore sketching out maps (though I don't think I've ever done one for a totally underground world).

Things to think about... what "style" of space are you going for? Great galleries? Cramped crevices? (relative to the inhabitants, of course). Is it dug out of earth or cut through stone? What kind of stone? (limestone caves are freakily fabulous). Are the caverns natural or fabricated by your critters, or both? Do your people have livestock/domestic animals, and if so, are they related to real animals (eg. domestic moles for digging new tunnels; earthworms for eating, glowworms for light (as someone else suggested) or are they completely made up---or both. What kind of technological level do you see your underground people living at? How organized are they---do they have one great ruler or many warring tribes? Are they democratic or autocratic, egalitarian or socially stratified? Do they spend their entire existance underground or do they venture to the surface to forage/obtain resources? Do they have legends about the surface world? (A line from one of my favourite cartoons as a kid... "Never dig up. Up is Hell." I loved that inversion.)

Anyway, try making yourself a list of these kinds of questions (and any others that come to mind) and the answers, and play around until you've got a picture of this new world in your head.

"like a diamond in the sky" - the world is lit by twinkling diamonds.

follow Chris Baty's NaNo inspiration: What does each of your characters WANT MOST in the world?

"To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it." - Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922-2007)

2006 - Famine: A Novel - failed
2007 - A Midsummer Night's Dream...IN SPACE! - on hold

I knew I should have asked you guys sooner. I'm going to incorporate lots of your ideas I think. I like the idea of 'foraging' from the 'big people' to a degree. My MC is essential to them (I"m not sure why yet) but functions as an 'ambassador' of sorts. I'm pretty sure she's related and I need to work in a disappearing ancestor story somewhere. But if she's providing them with things... hmmm.

I like the idea of describing for several thousand words. I think I'm going to do that tonight. Forget the storyline and just describe the world. Great idea. Thank you all so much!

If you have questions that you don't know how to answer about world building, you have to check out this site. It digs deep into the facts of it all from geography to fashion to social order.

http://www.sfwa.org/writing/worldbuilding1.htm

The site is called Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions, and it covers everthing from the world, physical and historical features, magic and magicians, people and customs, social organization, commerce trade and public life, daily life. If your are wondering about it, it is probably there. This is perfect for anyone who is building a world for sf/f.

You are born to die, but not before fulfilling your destiny.
It's not who you are, but what you do that defines you.

Blood Forsaken ISBN: 1434898962 at www.stardavies.com

You know, if she _magically_ shrinks in size to go there (since such a thing is scientifically impossible), there's clearly _some_ sort of "magic", even if it's not the "cast a fireball" kind, but the more subtle kind.

Best line so far:
"So, what are we going to do with the pink elephant?"