If you are like me and writing science fiction and fantasy, take a gander at  the link at the end of this post about world-building.

I am not a huge world-builder.  I mean, I have thoughts on what is going on in the "worlds" in which I write, and I see places in my mind that I, in turn, describe somewhat organically as my characters live and operate within them, but I'm more of a character-builder.

My worlds are not too foreign or different than this one.  In fact, in my first novel, The Time Minders, it is our world - just a bit into the future and not as dark as the one to the right.  The not-too-distant future, by the way, is fascinating to write:  to write what is so familiar with just a touch of the foreign, just a breath of the next step(s) in technology and social mores.  In my fantasy novel, Kingdoms of Blood & Magic,  the kingdoms are what I call medievalesque, and they have issues and similarities to many such stories.  I put my own spin on the kingdoms' religion(s) and politics, however, and I show the personalities of the settings, like they are characters themselves.  But I haven't drawn any maps or keep whole separate journals on towns, villages, roads, taverns, etc.  (I don't know, maybe I should? Hmm.)

So let me know what you think about world-building:

Thoughts on Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy, by Michael Offutt

Thanks!