1984: Part III; Creating a Cultural Setting Project

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Use the lab this morning to work on your original cultural setting. Your task, again, is to create an unique setting in which to set a story, much in the same manner as George Orwell or other science fiction/fantasy, historical fiction, etc. authors do. Keep your notes, not only for your story, but also to turn in with the completed project. Use your class notes to help you brainstorm ideas.

Your setting will require you to consider key cultural aspects such as traditions, history, art or artifacts, religion, government, economics, cuisine, entertainment, language, and a whole host of other ideas.

Apart from Patricia Wrede's world building questions, take some time in the lab to look for more ideas for world building, take a look at World Building from Television Tropes. For fantasy, this article may help (Creating a Realistic Fantasy World), and advice from writer Victoria Strauss.

If you are having trouble coming up with an idea, try an alternate history. Here's some info about it, some advice about certain challenges you might face as a writer, some ideas for stories, and how to do it:
  • 1. Choose a time period that you find interesting or know something about. 
  • 2. Research some key events in that year. A good place to look for the 20th century is here.
  • 3. Select a country, town, village, geographical area.
  • 4. Brainstorm, freewrite, doodle, etc. a list or chart of all the possible events you care to brainstorm.
  • 5. Begin changing them one at a time and consider (speculate) how the change would affect the culture of you setting.
  • 6. Write notes. Make decisions regarding plot, setting, character.
  • 7. Imagine.
  • 8. Write.
  • 9. Repeat as necessary. 
HOMEWORK: Please complete 1984. There will be a test on this novel either Thursday or Monday, time willing.

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