Worldbuilding Wednesday: Prompt 3
Let your world give your words a push!
With just a little over a week left in Nanowrimo 2023, now is the time when participants can see the end of the tunnel… or can feel like they’re still flailing in the middle of a maelstrom!
So, with no further ado, here’s Worldbuilding Wednesday Prompt #3:
A new building goes up near your character’s house. What is it? Who built it? Does it fit in or stick out? Why is it there, now?
Architecture is, I think, often an under-utilized component of worldbuilding. Fantasy worlds tend to get a visual gloss based on a general aesthetic — and a lot of the time, that’s Generic European Medieval Aesthetic. You can picture it, I’m sure. Thatched roofs. Muddy streets. A walled town. A stone castle. A color palette full of greys, browns, and greens.
Even outside of those strictures, though, when authors are making different choices about their world’s overall vibes, settings tend to have a kind of sameness in their buildings. When that’s true in real life, there’s usually a reason for it! So… if all the buildings look the same in your world, does your world have HOAs?
I kid, a little, but it’s a good thing to interrogate! Because most places that develop and expand naturally will show a variety of architectural trends, based on when each building was constructed. The choices made for each building reflect the trends and needs of the time — which, in turn, say a lot about the society, what they value, and how they’re changing over time.
And then there’s the upkeep! How well are the buildings in your world maintained? And is it, as is likely, better in some places than in others? Who does the work to keep them in shape? Or, whose fault is their neglect?
Introducing a character to a new building can be a fun way to explore these ideas. Maybe it’s an eyesore of a McMansion in the middle of what had been a charming village. Maybe it’s a much-desired public bath in an overcrowded urban district. Maybe it’s a mysterious obsidian edifice that seems to have no windows or doors. Maybe it’s just a new takeaway shop!
As with all these prompts, this building might end up being a plot-driving device, or it might be a minor detail as your character moves through life — but either way, I hope it helps you find some words!