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The 5-Part Writing Special: World/ Setting




What would we immediately notice upon stepping into your storyworld? (What would stand out the most?)
No one speaks. Over the last century the capability of speech has been lost, as the gasses of two of the moons allow people to hear each other's thoughts.

But not only have people forgot how to speak, it's also illegal. Unity is important, so why speak when you can be one through thoughts?

Only the government and certain educated are allowed to speak verbally, as they need the skill to run society outside of the twin planets.

You would probably notice the giant insects, especially the giant mosquitoes the government officials have muzzled and use for transportation.


What place in this world (Earth) reminds you most of your world? (Or provide a picture that you think best defines your story world.)
Orsona and Babel are luxurious, alive and productive. Besides that being the same world wide, they are very much like Earth with flat landscapes, rolling textured fields, and deep mountains.


Are there specific foods/dining habits particular to this world?
The culture practices are diverse, same as Earth. In fact in many aspects they world isn't that different than Western society when it comes to basic lifestyles.


Are there biases in your world, and how do they define the people? Is there a class structure and how would it affect the characters?
Everyone that lives on the twin planets believe that unity is of utmost importance. Bias is something they try to not have. But there are those that wish to do things differently, the Rebels.

The class structure is about unity and equality, though there is still a government. They are needed to make sure the world stays at peace, to keep the Rebels from causing havoc.


What belief structures/ worldviews do your characters hold? What are some philosophies of your story?
There are three main worldviews in my story, and all the characters hold to one of the three. The philosophies of these worldviews affect each person to such an extent that they live their life out accordingly to their view of the world.

  • Society and the government: Life is about unity, calm, order. Only a select few may speak verbally. Everything is about maintaining structure and health. There are few factories. No toxic chemicals. People walk almost everywhere. Giant insects are responsible for most of the economy's resources: material, transportation, food. 
  • Rebels: Those that oppose anything and anyone that they feel reject there standard of freedom. They are not interested in learning to speak, but in not being controlled. They live all about, secretly. They say they do not have an organized leader, but there are a select few the Rebels look up to and follow without question. They are working toward replacing the current government through revolution.
  • Believers: Not much is known of this group, in fact not many are aware of them and often they get grouped with the Rebels. It is believed that they are descendants of Stewart Orson, the man that first discovered the rift in the sky that lead mankind to the twin planets. 


Describe the general infrastructure (i.e., cities and what are those like?) What are the main locations in your story? (Bonus points: include a map.)

I'm afraid I don't have a map.
The main locations of my stories are:

  • Babel, the planet where government is located.
  • Orsona, the planet for general population.
  • OUM, Orsona's University of the Mind, where the select are taught to speak and trained for warfare against the Rebels.
  • Small agriculture towns, the life of society.
  • Triple Light, a small town with some big secrets.
  • Wynnville, another small town  where book #2 is set. 
  • Earth. Book #1 is set there, and it is visited in other books.


How is trade carried out through the story world, and how do the cities and nations interact with each other?
People supply needs, working on the small farms scattered throughout the planets. Nations are non existent, the worlds are one. There are small stores where people may trade or sell, currency is silver, gold, jewels, made into coins.



Are there any special or unique traditions or ceremonies that your world is known for?

Everyone keeps their own holidays according to the traditional religions they were apart of on Earth (as long as it doesn't cause disunity among others).

The only world wide holiday all keep is the anniversary of the planets' discovery.


Are there any significant historical events which affected the way your story world is now?

Yes, of course.
There was Stewart Orson finding the planets, then his disappearance.
There was Earth being evacuated. Then the remolding of society on the twin planets.
And the Rebels have always been a threat in one form or another.


What do you love most about your world?
Probably the three moons. White, green, blue. The white moon is believed to be without purpose as it's light is drowned out by the other two moons. And anyone that has ever neared it has never survived, crashing into a mysterious red light.

I love how the other two moons make it possible for this society to be one through thoughts.





And that, people, is the world of A SERIES OF THOUGHTS. Would it be somewhere you would want to live?


Comments

  1. THIS SOUNDS SO DETAILED!!!!! I love it so much. The thing about not being able to speak... O_O KETURAH. Your world sound so complex and detailed and I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!

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    1. Oh, thanks! TBH I'm still working on everything... like this has been on my mind so much! "How exactly does this all work and fit together?" Slowly it's coming together :D

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  2. Your world sounds so weird but epic at the same time! Can't wait to read it one day!! :D

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  3. I really like how you set it up with planets and insects :). This may be the neatest sci-fi I've heard of!

    The communication through thoughts and unity is a really cool concept!

    Catherine
    catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com

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  4. It's super intriguing, the idea of speaking through thoughts is cool.

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  5. Very interested in knowing how the Rebels will behave in this series...

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    Replies
    1. They have been so interesting to write about! They have become so much more than what they started out to be ;)

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  6. Giant mosquitoes... muzzled and ridden?? wow - that's intriguingly creative, Keturah! And no-one talking would certainly be something I'd notice if I visited your storyworld! ;) (That's made me wonder - do they get visiters from talking worlds? and is there flexibility for those people to talk?)
    - Jem Jones

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! Actually there aren't people from other worlds or places. A century before my world starts everyone was relocated to Orsona and Babel (the twin planets). Over time people forgot to how to speak as there was no need... their thoughts escaped first. Certain people of the Rebels and Believers can speak, but of course those are enemies of the government, so they don't have a chance to speak around the people anyways ;p

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  7. The giant insects. I love it!!! Do they have stink bugs? The smooth shell could be quite useful in transporting lots of people or packages around. XD (Once you get over the smell.) But I enjoy stink bugs for some reason...love having them crawl over my hands and watch them climb on stuff. XD Mosquitoes, not so much...

    But I was crossing the street the other day to get to the bank, and thought how useful it would be to be able to share thoughts....then you could thank people who slow down so you can cross the road/merge onto the highway/and such, or tell hesitant drivers to go, and so on.

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    1. Oh, I haven’t thought about stink bugs... but I like that idea 😁 I’ll have to think about it. And yes... there would certainly be some upsides to sharing thoughts 😂

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    2. Which just goes to show that there can be perfectly good things...that are then twisted by evil men for evil purposes...or that too much of a good thing is /not/ good.

      Another question about the insects...you know how certain bugs are found only in certain parts of the world? Would that be the same for your book? Like in some places, some bugs are used, and different ones (and maybe some same ones, like spiders are everywhere, right?) are used in another region?

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    3. Exactly! People have a way of taking something and using it for power/ control.

      No, because the bugs are domesticated. I'm still working on how I want them to become "giant". I'm thinking it will have been a scientific experiment that happened on Earth just shortly before humanity was relocated. So, there aren't any wild insects... they are all contained and used... in the place of factories, basically ;D

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  8. Wow, it sounds like you've done a lot of world building, Keturah! I can't wait to hear more about your story.

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  9. Oh. My. Goodness. Keturah, I am nerding about your story and I haven't even read it yet. Insects? Not allowed to speak? Please please please, give it to me! I can't wait to hear more!

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  10. It sounds like I would like to live there, because I am not much of a talker, but if I saw a giant mosquitoes or any other giant insects I would most likely faint. I do want to read about it though!!! :D

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    Replies
    1. haha, yeah.. not talking isn't really a plus. Imagine someone knowing all your thoughts/ not being able to think freely. I'm glad it sounds interesting to you :)

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