I suspect working the id is the most fun part of the writing for the author. Making up languages was the fun for Tolkien. Making up absurd Guide entries was the fun for Adams. Why: you can tell they’ve overdone it relative to supporting plot/character or portraying the world.
-
-
Big mood? Generator? Flywheel? Root chakra? Idiopathy? Principle needs a clear statement too: “every successful genre story has an unnecessarily overbuilt world id-element.”
Show this thread -
The Rick and Morty example suggests an aspect. Every instance of the id-element suggests the gestalt of entire universe. All other world-elements have to vibe with that gestalt. You can get at this by asking: what is a nominally correct non-element if the set of id-elements?
Show this thread -
What’s a ship-name that does NOT fit the Culture universe? Maybe USS Enterprise? What’s a language that does NOT fit Middle Earth? Minion language What’s a universe that does NOT fit R&M multiverse? A non-satirical universe maybe? This one is hard
Show this thread -
The flywheel aspect is important. One instance of the set should catalyze more instances. It should snowball into a gun game readers want to join in even if they lack the skill. Like ship names. Everybody has fun making up their own. Compound interest. Narrative network effect.
Show this thread -
The collectible cards test. Yep. Or can it spawn a fanpedia.https://twitter.com/araskin/status/1331723171087618049 …
Show this thread -
Based on fiction I’ve written so far and enjoyed writing, I think my thing is “philosophy gadgets” — devices that embody an abstraction. Like my strategometer: a watch that indicates when you’re thinking strategically. I have such things in all my stories.
Show this thread -
More examples: Psych: 80s references Monk: OCD behaviors Burn Notice: “When you’re a spy...” tips
Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
-
-
I think it's about the world having a coherent existence apart from the story being told. For LOTR, it's not just languages, but an entire world history and cosmology. See e.g. the Silmarillion.
-
This is why I believe Game of Thrones (the show) kicked ass, and why it completely fell apart in the final two seasons (internal consistency of the setting fell apart).
End of conversation
New conversation -
-
-
Animating force works. That which animates the plot and characters. Tolkien's was an extravagant investment in imagined peoples with histories, lineages, geographies and languages. His research was so thorough, the plot was almost overdetermined.
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.
This is a narrower animating thing.