Day 0: Quick Six Geography

Big news, everyone!

After months of anticipation and weeks of preparation…

WorldEmber is finally HERE!

As we head into the new week and the new month, I’m going to be suspending the usual format of the newsletter.

Don’t worry! We’ll still have World-Building Wednesday and “Ask the Bard.” Likewise, Fiction Fridays and Quick Six Saturdays. Also, everything will go back to the usual format in January. So no worries, there!

In the meantime, the biggest change is that instead of a weekly topic, there will be a single theme for the entire month of December: writing 50,000 words of original world-building content for Argentii! That’s right, NovelEmber wasn’t enough, I’m diving straight into the fire again with another 50K challenge.

One of the things y’all really love (based on reader stats) is when I really lay out what I’m doing and show you how my brain works when I’m world-building.

Because of that, I’m going to take this opportunity to demonstrate not only the Ocean and River principles in action, but also how to work with each of the core elements of world-building!

Dying to know more? Subscribe for FREE and follow along, step-by-step, on this month-long, 50,000-word, daily world-building adventure!

Quick Six 11/30/24

Did I mention that I’m sponsoring one of the Special Category prizes for this year’s WorldEmber, as well as three of the participation raffle prizes?

That’s right! I’ll be judging the entries for the “Geography” template. To celebrate and inspire you, I’ve put together this list of six geography-themed world-building prompts!

Before You Start…

Pick one of these geographic features in your world as an area of focus for the following prompts: a canyon, a swamp, or a glacier. Then, somewhere in your world describe…

Who:

…a group or organization that places importance on the geographic feature you chose.

This might be a religion that believes the place to be sacred, or a government that values a place for the resources it provides. It could be an important place to a family such as a traditional vacation destination. What about a sport team’s venue, or the den that belongs to a pack of local wolves?

What:

…a natural resource that makes your geographic feature valuable and unique.

Is there a rare hardwood that only grows in the heart of your swamp? Might there be a magical flower or mineral that is exclusive to the bottom of a dangerously narrow canyon, or the remnants of a lost civilization under your world’s thickest glacier?

When:

…a time when your geographic feature was the focus of unwanted attention.

Was there a murder? A manhunt for an escaped criminal? Perhaps there was a monster on the loose or a cryptid sighting? Did someone go missing, or did a hostile alien race make first contact? Might it have been a secret base during a war, or a hiding place for pirates to stash stolen booty?

Where:

…a landmark associated with your geographic feature.

Maybe there’s an especially large tree in the midst of the swamp, or a rock formation in the canyon that is particularly striking or a crevasse in the glacier known for its dangerous beauty. Every place has an identifying landmark — many have more than one. Might there be an important or unique rock, ruin, remnant hiding in plain sight?

Why:

…a reason why people are drawn to — or repelled by — your geographic feature.

Is it known for its stunning beauty? Maybe it has a reputation for being haunted by a malevolent spirit? Is the reason factual or folklore? What do people say about the place?

How:

…the ways that local people and/or animals interact with your geographic feature.

Do people travel to see it? Maybe it’s a place where young people issue dares and challenges. Perhaps it a place that animals know to avoid? If it draws people, is that draw exploited? If it repels people, how — is there an evil aura, a smell, swarming insects, or rodents of unusual size?

Don’t Forget to Share!

I love it when y’all tag me on the things you write! And I especially love knowing when something I’ve written has helped you overcome a challenge in your storytelling.

While you’re in a sharing mood, don’t forget to pass this article along to a friend! Each member of this weird little community of creative radicals is helping to build a stronger foundation for the future of fiction. You can help by sharing my work and subscribing to my newsletter!