Thread: The World I'm creating is creating itself?!

Okay, I'm really confused right now, so here's the story. I began a project, lazily, with no plans of finishing it. The setting was poorly constructed, so I set to work on that, before I began setting out the finer details of the plot.

The worlds complexity is blossoming (not out of control...but maybe approaching that stage), and I've created things I had no intention of. While this is good for the story, I feel that the story isn't what I originally planned it to be. It kind of bugs me, but I want an opinion. Should I just run with it, or should I be worried? And if I should run with it, any advice on how to keep creating this world? Maps, creatures, organizations?

So as far as I'm seeing it, you wrote a story with scenario A, but then it seems you tend to go writing A then B then C then D. That's fine. Your muse is just hyperactive in writing, and this is actually good, don't you think?

All writing is really about this: it's organic. Very few ideas ever stay the same - they morph, change, experiment and grow as you're working on them, and that's absolutely a good thing. For example, I've had several more fleshed out story ideas come from just one initial idea/concept. I'd advise you to follow your story, see where it leads, let the flow take you with it. It's what makes writing so entertaining. (:
As for tips on world design... Well, it's a bit hard, since we don't know much about your world, but some areas to work on are: relationships between groups/races/nations, world history (wars, changes in relationships, historical figures) and the visual aspects of the world.

I like what mephet is saying here, and I'd second that advice. If you feel like you're no longer writing something you want, however, you should be prepared to rein things in a bit.

sounds positive to me!

better to have too many ideas than not enough.

I third mephet...

Go with it, and when you've reached something that looks like done, get out your red pen and get to work on editing and rewriting. Good luck!

I feel ya, dude. My brain has the tendency to mull over projects somewhere in the back, even when I'm not working on them. Then, when I go back to continue writing I find that I've rewoven the entire story, added minute details that I then have to go back and add in for posterity. I can't extol enough the virtues of this stream of consciousness style of writing. At least, for me, it improves my writing immensely from day to day. It makes my first read-through of a completed piece a mess, because I often go back and shove in a paragraph of detail to validate future references. After the rewrite, though, everything is fleshed out and edited for rhythm and lucidity, and it's awesome.

I think our imaginations as writers are very complex, and often know, better than we do consciously, what is going to improve our writing the most, appeal most to readers, and facilitate the best overarching story. Trust it as you trust your conscious intuition.

I guess that makes sense. It's pretty awesome...

Originally Posted by AaronTP

Okay, I'm really confused right now, so here's the story. I began a project, lazily, with no plans of finishing it. The setting was poorly constructed, so I set to work on that, before I began setting out the finer details of the plot.

The worlds complexity is blossoming (not out of control...but maybe approaching that stage), and I've created things I had no intention of. While this is good for the story, I feel that the story isn't what I originally planned it to be. It kind of bugs me, but I want an opinion. Should I just run with it, or should I be worried? And if I should run with it, any advice on how to keep creating this world? Maps, creatures, organizations?

In my experience, the writing really takes off when the characters/story pulls the author rather than when the author pushes.

As to how to keep creating this world, just keep doing what you're doing. During the editing process you'll likely know if you've got too much or too little.

And keep in mind that reading it out loud often helps in so many ways.

Good luck.