for background, i've never written anything in my life before, but i've had all these characters in my mind since i first joined subeta wayyyyy back when. (frig...apparently that was almost 7 years ago whaaaat i'm ooollldd .-. ). i want to create this over-arching, consistent world for them, but...i have no idea what to do, what kind of things to include/cover, or when or how to make things consistent? heck, i barely know how to actually describe all these characters (my pets) besides their physical appearences. i mean, they have personalities but i'm no good at trying to explain them to others...so if anyone has any advice for a new "writer" (i'm not sure written work is even the best format for these stories i wanna tell, but everythings gotta start somewhere, right?) gimme a ping with some tips maybe? :)

I never started with a world as a whole. I start with one or three characters. I plunk them in someplace appropriate to meet. Depending on age defines the location. Adults, I tend to lean to bars. Sometimes Strip clubs. Teenagers, I have an old house or two in the woods past town. Sometimes near a lake. And sometimes I borrow a place from a favorite fandom. From there, I just write dialog, more get to know them, what they look like to each other. It isn't the exact story but more of starting it. It gives me more ideas about where they are from and what cities, and a bigger area around them...

It might not be how you start but it's how I start with characters and no setting right away.

First off, if you're planning to start writing seriously about your characters, don't describe their personalities at all. Reveal them through the characters' behavior throughout the things you write about them. Let your readers get to know them like they're actual people.~

As for worldbuilding, it all depends on where you want to start and what you want to end up with. Do you want a completely new universe with new languages, new cultures, and new species? Or do you want to write about humans living in a preexisting place on Earth and just don't know how to get started writing a setting?

[edit] Typo.

There are two methods of world-building I use... 1.) I figure out my characters... Their personalities, their positions in society, and their physical aspects... Then I build a world that fits them, a world that explains their traits. Depending on the type of character, this may mean just explaining the immediate local area (like with my modern humans, for example) or it may mean I have to explain multiple planets (like with my alien characters)... You are allowed to make yourself a cheat sheet with all this info on it... In fact, I would advise a "cheat sheet" for all your major characters, world included, to help you establish continuity. Doesn't have to be much, just a few notes on their defining characteristics. However, when you actually start writing the story, you'll need to explain the environment using character interactions with it... It's just another character, in many ways, but you can not let it become the main character unless it is a sentient being. Then... Well, then it's a whole 'nother story. XD

2.) I figure out what I want my imaginary world to be like... I always use Earth as a starting point to help maintain a certain amount of realism, but I quickly veer off into the fantasy realm for most of my stories. I decide what I want the world to be like and then I work my characters into it. When I am writing the story, I still let my characters determine how much of my world gets revealed. Not every aspect will make it into the story and that's okay. Your active characters should always be the primary focus... Not the big lump of rock/metal/gas they are living on.

Depending on your characters, the development of an over-arching world may not be necessary though. The more Earth-like and "realistic" it is to the current human condition, the less explaining you'll have to do.

That's a good place to start. Since Subeta has already done a lot of worldbuilding of its own, you have a fun universe to play around with. You could always just start with what's already presented, and develop your own headcanons? For me developing headcanons has always been kind of scary-easy. P: The more invested I am in a universe or the characters in it, the more I think about the details of how everything works - languages, behaviors, fashion, customs. You may not want to get that detailed, but a good starting point for worldbuilding is to really explore everything and figure out what's important and relevant to expand on further.

If you plan on publishing a story based on your characters at any point, then I would tell you that you should steer away from placing them in Subeta's pre-created fictional world. (One word: Copyrights. -nods-) On the other hand, if it's just for fun and for characters that are only going to be represented on here anyway, then I would say go for it. (The staff don't discourage it... In fact, it is pretty common.) You can skip the sometimes stressful process of starting from scratch and just explore possibilities. It is a great way to get practice, much like fan-fiction... And just like drawing or painting or any other art, your writing skills will improve with experience. You will be able to learn the basics, like grammar and story structure, while finding your own style.

If you discover you really enjoy writing and would like to explore it outside of the confines of Subeta, you should have an easier time coming up with your own original ideas.

i have no plans of publishing or trying to profit from any of my writing (i doubt anyone would pay for, let alone want to read anything i do). it's more just a case of wanting to practice and finally get some stuff out of my system i guess XD

LOL The very first stuff I wrote was just me "getting some stuff out of my system" and it was decent... The foundations were there at least... That was -thinks- 16 years ago... (Wow! Long time!) For about 10 years, I wasn't very serious about it and I only wrote once in a while but then when I started in again about 6 years ago, I was inspired and confident that I had something. I've embraced that side of myself ever since, allowing my muse to give me ideas for several more stories. In fact, I was writing almost everyday until July 2012, when my Dad started getting very sick. He passed away in February 2013 and it's taken me a little over a year to recover... not from the grief (he had been in SO much pain) but from the years of fighting with him and for him and for myself. I just needed a break. Now, I'm back at it again, writing a little or a lot every day... Sometimes actual stories, sometimes just background for my characters. And now... I fully believe that if I ever finish a story I could publish it. Whether it would very popular or not... Doesn't particularly matter to me. I think any one of my stories would would be interesting to a few people at least. (I mean, it would be great if my stories were popular, don't get me wrong. But more than anything, I want to write what I like.)

Finding a way to let go of the doubt and just write is probably the hardest and most important lesson for any writer to learn. If you just give yourself over to it though... It can be incredibly fun... It's like playing with dolls, only... more grown up. You can make your characters do anything you want. XD

You don't have to want to get published to write... (Writing for yourself is the best way to write anyway.) But you might find yourself wanting to publish a story or -giggles at self- forty one day.

Like most people, I don't do world building as a whole. It just sort of reveals itself over time. Sometimes though, like with my current novel, I've drawn diagrams of room plans etc. The reason for that is because the characters have only a small area where they meet, stay, etc. It might sound... dull but this one is all about the characters. It completely depends on the story, too. Will they be focused in a small area, or traveling all over? Will you need to know all the details before you've started?

One thing I've realised... Too much planning stops you writing fluidly. I've had so many problems writing my current novel because I just planned too much. I'm having to take a break so I forget some of the plans, because they are clouding my judgement.

I can't work that way. I work so much better with a clear plan and a detailed understanding of my characters. But for some/many people, it can be too much and take over the process entirely. (Mind you, I do work slow, as it pertains to any one story... I manage to bounce from story to story, without really losing my place on any of them... I just don't stay with any story long enough to get very far at a time. I move on when my muse does, basically.)

It is important to find the right balance for you... Whether that's 10 pages of information or just a couple scribbled notes on a piece of scrap paper. -nods-

, i kinda agree, i have a hard time not having a clear, thought out plan of some kind, so that's why i like planning out how the world works and locations are related, etc but then on the other hand, because everything is so planned out for how i want things to start off and end, i then have a hard time writing a...well middle section to any of my stories, haha...

It's not easy, God knows I know it isn't. I'm making one at the moment as I'm writing this and I've found the easiest way to do it is research.

What kind of weather/terrain do you want? Is it a hostile enviroment or civilised? Is it inflicted with some sort of plague/monsters/natural disaster of some kind?

Another way to go about it is to base it off of something that already exists and alter it. :) Take for example Westeros (Game of Thrones): Look at how its structured, how its laid out and take aspects of what you like and edit it until it fits your purpose. :)