And if you're asking yourself, yes, I have an absolutely inhumane amount of free time that I spend antagonizing you all. Today's lesson segment isn't as much a lecture as it is a stunning little tips of the trade seminar.

As you've probably noticed (the title might have something to do with it), this little seminar will revolve around building a story world, but doing so, in the slyest way possible. Now, some of you may be asking yourselves "what are you talking about?" And others might be asking "umm, Mr. I? I think you should get some sleep man." NONSENSE! I'LL DO WHAT I DAMN WELL PLEASE!

Ahem, sorry about that. Where were we? Oh! Right. Story wording.

To create a truly immersive story world, you must detail it exquisitely. This ranges from how ponies look to what the random couple down the street is eating to the architecture, be it Gothic, Roman, Stone Masonry, Christian, Mayan, what have you. But to truly create a world.

You must let go. You must let the reader assume what they want about your story, and then promote their assumption because no two readers will get the exact same world within their heads. This means that you must write a story in which the world has its own eco-system. A story that won't stop just because you stopped writing. Sound familiar?

This is what video game designers do. They create worlds, whole systems that revolve around each other.

Now, since this takes an ENORMOUS amount of skill to pull off, it's usually outside the reaches of new and beginning authors, hell it's even outside the writing capabilities of some regulars. But here's an interesting thing that I found, and it's quite the useful exploit.

This may sound completely arbitrary, but do any of you know about the Fallout series? Most of you do, so I'll just give the remainder a basic run down. It's a series of games revolving around the notion of the Cold War and what would have happened if Russia HAD chosen to nuke us. And many, MANY people remember it for ONE major reason.

Pip-boy. You know, that lovable little blue covered stark white remainder of old 1970's cartoons? Yeah him. And the strange thing is, he has absolutely nothing to do with the plot. Now, some of you are scratching your heads in sudden realization, others of you are furiously typing and searching up pictures of the grassy knoll during the Kennedy Assassination (and if you are, then you are a cold-war conspiracy nut, might wanna get that checked out.)

He's everywhere, reminding you of you're addiction certain in game drugs, popping up when you discover new locations. Sometimes popping up in different costumes like Lady Vegas and the Mysterious stranger to guide you. And during that time, he essentially became the face of Fallout. The face of the wastelands. But it's not only that! It's all the old war, warning adds you see everywhere, it's the billboards advertising an outdated Nuka-cola (coca-cola) and all the futuristic seeming gadgets. It's THIS that builds the world, this that sticks to the player/reader. And THIS that they'll take away once all is said and done.

So now we come back to my little spiel. Some of you are by now asking "great! So it's about all the arbitrary things. All the things that matter, yet don't matter in all the little ways right?"

Well, yes and no, and here's how to do it.

Leave little niggling notes. That the reader comes across in story. Where a character is at a bar they're overhearing a conversation between two employees as the two talk about Stocks, jobs, rival businesses. It might even be as simple as the main character telling his younger siblings (if he/she has any) ghost stories. These are only a couple out of the numerous examples you could use. And ever iconic idea is to it's own story. For example, say you're writing a cyber-punk fic. Maybe you'll have gun companies everywhere, constantly shoving advertisements and endorsements down the main character's throat and or into the reader's face. If you're writing a horror fic, then you could write in how someone was watching the news and describing how there was going to be rain. And how that rain will affect the crops. And later, you could have your main character trapped in a house with the rain pouring down in sheets outside the window.

It really changes from story to story, and it's THIS that truly makes your story unique. So just remember: all those arbitrary things that you don't want to write? Well you should, because it'll make your fic that much better.

-Now if you'll excuse me, I need try and get some sleep, however hard it may come.

*Raises hand*

Mr I. This is actually my weakest point in writing. I have always been a fan of picturing the settings in my mind, yet i have been criticized for overdoing my detail on landscape and side characters (Nothing like the five pages of the "book" tWiLiGt but enough for people to say something about it.

Now I'm more in trouble with under selling said background and not giving enough detail.

My question is: What would you recommend in terms of NOT killing with over detail; while still maintaining a fair amount of practical description.

Thanks.

This makes my brain hurt

This will be certainly useful. Subtle, but almost a necessity for any inspiring writer.

Isn't it China and not Russia... and the timeline splits after WWII and the Cold War doesn't happen, China becomes a Super Power, and decades later, invades Alaska for diminishing resources which starts off the nuclear apocalypse... and why am I pointing this out... I need some sleep as well.

344896 This doesn't have anything to do with character building actually. Nor landscape building. It's more feeling building. Giving your reader a look into whatever story-world you've crafted.

Also, about the whole over-sell/under-sell, that's something you as a writer has to figure out. But my guess would be you're not getting into the spirit of things (a.k.a the writing groove) (a.k.a did I really just say groove?)

Pip-Boy is the device the main character wears on their wrist. The iconic figure is Vault-Boy.

Fallout nerd checking out

God damnit, you are the worst best terrible mind-bendingly amazing soul-crushing teacher ever.
And you're also my favorite.

349181 You just made my day. And, thank you.

344881 I got a questio how would this help me in writting adventure/mystery/little of supernatural type of story Mr. I?

3906044 Offhand comments about the ship/planets/factions for starters.

349028

Both are true, both are called that.

Not-even-a-fallout-fan-in-fact-i-kind-of-hate-the-series-after-2 out.

....ok, back in.

344896

It's not about over- or under-describing things, it's about describing the right things. The interesting things that will make someone get sucked into the world. That makes it a real place.

Description fatigue is real. There's no need to describe every blade of grass, but you might want to mention if the grass is long or short, freshly cut, pungent in odor, wilted, covered in bees, blue, on fire, actively avoiding touching you by swaying out of the way, etc... etc...