A DOZEN HINTS ON SETTING UP YOUR FICTIONAL WORLD

1. Does your world have flora and fauna?  Any similarities to that found on earth or are they different due to the nature of the world they’re in? What are the prey/predator creatures? 
   
2. Does magic pollute  non-magical creatures?  A lot of the issues affecting earth could be adapted to produce stories for your world.
   
3. Is the government of your world accountable?  Based on an earth system or is it unique to its situation? 
   
4. What happens to those who question it, rebel against it or do both, as in Eileen’s case? 
   
5. Do the people or other species of choice able to vote?  Are certain species barred from voting?  Why? 
   
6. What happens when your world faces external threats?  Is there the equivalent of a UN or NATO?
   
7. Does your world have traitors and who do they seek to betray and why?
   
8. Cherry trees, to name one example, play an important part in my books but for your tale, have you enough description of the physical place in which you set your tale to make it real to your reader? Drip-feed information into your tale so it doesn’t distract. People are put off by solid blocks of narrative. 
   
9. If you’re creating a new world, have you shown how it works?  This does not mean necessarily going into all its physical laws but you need enough to convince your reader this place could exist. 
   
10. Your characters and world seems real to you, great.  But have you given enough detail to convince your reader?  Consider getting an independent reader in to spot the things you’ve taken for granted.  I’ve used the Hilary Johnson Advisory Service twice and paid for this as it has the advantage of being truly independent nor do you unwittingly put pressure on friends to come up with what they think you want them to tell you.  You genuinely want to know if you haven’t explained everything and only an independent eye can show this up.
    
11. In a fantasy/sci-fi world, how do your characters communicate?  I’ve got the Kingdom “borrowing” ideas from earth and adapting them for their use. 
    
12. Could everyday items we take for granted be misused on another world or even be a threat?  Could these items be turned and used against us?