The 4-Part Writing Special // Questions on Story World

So today we are focusing on the world within Words of Gold.  Admittedly, worldbuilding is one of my weak points in writing, but I have been trying to fix that lately.  Let's see how good of a job I've done...

Name a unique aspect of your storyworld

I have tigers.  Tigers of all colors; solids, stripes, spots, you name it.  And they vary in size, temperment, and location.  Those in the mountains are quite wild, dangerous, and normally are left alone.  Some grassland tigers are quieter, and can even be tamed and used as pets.  There are smaller ones (cat size) that can be found all over, and are fairly harmless.

I'm not a super tiger person, but for some reason I have really enjoyed putting these felines in the story.

Talk about one of the important animals in the story

A small, sturdy beast is Marywyn's horse.

A number of warriors in the West Band threw in a bit of money and Jaran went to buy Marywyn a horse as a surprise.  She named him Horizon.  He's a very calm and relaxed old horse.  However, as good as he is, Marywyn is still very nervous around him, even after taking lessons.  Overcoming her fear is something she must learn through the story.

A paragraph describing something in your storyworld

The streets of the city were pretty in the daytime. Perhaps a little too rocky for my liking, and the steady uphill climb took my breath away, but the flowers and small trees growing at the steps and above and below almost every window brought color to the white and cream buildings. The more I walked, the more I decided that the city was beautiful, though quite a different beauty from the village. Even the people, while they did not smile as much, wore their hair down more, and their clothes were made from bright and soft silks and cotton, rather than the brown or cream wool that I was used to seeing.

Something dangerous in your storyworld

The shadows.  Not because of something the shadows are capable of, but rather because of who might be lurking in them.  War is almost certain, and spies are everywhere.  Rough characters, or even enemies, might be around any corner, ready to kill you. 

Especially if you are a certain red-haired villager...

Something delightful in your storyworld

The colors.  Everyone in the royal city of Raybir loves to wear brightly-colored clothing.  Skirts, pants, leggings, dresses, shirts, vests, hats, shawls, scarfs, you name it - they love to dress up in it.  In the villages, people mostly wear drab colors, and spend their money on more important things than fine clothing and dyes.  So when our young villager arrives in the city, and sees all the colors, she instantly falls in love and aspires to get nice clothing herself.

A movie soundtrack that would complement the setting

I would say a mix of the following:

Black Beauty (for the light-hearted, merry Old England feel)

The Village (for the mysterious and chilling violin pieces)

The Lord of the Rings (because I absolutely adore Howard Shore's music, and how he gives characters and places their own themes)

How does the geography impact the story?

Not so much in the first book, but definitely more in the other two books, when Marywyn travels more.  Words of Gold mostly takes place in the Royal City.  The castle is built on top of a hill, while the city is scattered around below it.  This way Marywyn is able to watch the battle while in the castle, and survey the armies camped in the fields surrounding the city.

Is there a particular location or time period you had in mind when creating your storyworld?

Not particularly.  The storyworld grows as I write the story, so I tend to take little pieces from all around the world and history as needed (or as I discover them).

What is the climate like, and does it play a role in the story?

Lots of rainbows in the Spring!

In Raybir, the weather is drastic - summers are very hot, and winter brings loads of snow.  But there is lots of rain, and it's perfect for raising crops and animals.  In other lands, the weather differs from this, but since I'm trying to keep this post centered around Words of Gold, I won't speak much of the other lands (which you discover in the rest of the trilogy).

Are there any traditions, and do they have an effect upon the plot?

There are numerous festivals, where Marywyn goes out in the city with her friends and gets to know them, their histories, and learn more about the city. 

The Royals in the castle have balls often, sometimes for special events (like birthdays), and sometimes for no reason at all - and Marywyn also goes to some of those. 

When a warrior wants to become a Captain of a Band, he must challenge the current Captain, and beat him in a duel.  The whole castle often gathered to watch these challenges, and they can often become big events with less important duels and other feats of skill shown off for the enjoyment of all.

So, what do you think?  Sound like an interesting world?  Would you like to visit it?

And again, please check out the other worlds...links will be provided asap!

Faith

Lila

Sarah

Jem

Ivie

Lisa

Evangeline
Carol