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From Hogwarts to Hobbiton, there are some fictional worlds we know better than our own neighbourhoods. Nothing captures an audience's imagination – or suspends their disbelief – like an immersive, believable backdrop, with its own people, customs, geography and shared history. And few writers know as much about building and maintaining evocative worlds as Jeff Norton, author of the award-winning MetaWars books.
World-building is a key creative skill in a writer's toolkit. This course will help you develop a rich, fictional reality for your characters to inhabit. Whether you're working on a book or a screenplay, this hands-on masterclass will help you explore the parameters of your setting; define the forces which drive the everyday lives of your world's inhabitants, and raise the stakes of your plot.
This course is for you if...
- You're an author or screenwriter eager to make your fictional world feel real for your intended audience
- You have a great idea for a fictional world but are unsure how to approach fleshing it out in detail
Course description
This practical workshop is led by writer-producer Jeff Norton, who has created worlds for a variety of audiences across books, films and television series. Starting with a basic concept, you'll develop a detailed blueprint of your fictional reality, and establish a consistent internal logic for the geography, history, biology and society of your world. Topics covered include:
- Why world-building matters: immersive worlds in great fiction
- Tapping the five senses
- Internal consistency: ensuring your fictional world feels as real as reality
- Geography: the importance of the natural environment
- Social hierarchy: understanding social order
- Economics: what do people do all day?
- Real world drama and historical drama: special considerations when tethered to reality
- How characters interact with your world
- Using your world as the basis for new stories
Tutor profile
Jeff Norton is an award-winning author and producer. He is the author of the MetaWars books for young adults, and the Memoirs of a Neurotic Zombie for middle-grade readers. He is also the creator of the bestselling Princess Ponies books for young readers and executive producer of the new pre-school TV show Trucktown. Previously, Jeff managed the Enid Blyton literary estate, produced the Choose Your Own Adventure interactive film, and worked in Hollywood in both business and creative capacities. Read more about Jeff on his website.
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Details
Date: Sunday 25 January 2015
Times: 10am-4pm. Check-in begins 30 minutes before the start time.
Location: The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU
Price: £249 (includes VAT, booking fee, lunch and refreshments)
Event capacity: 16
To contact us, click here. Terms and conditions can be found here.
Returns policy
Tickets may be refunded if you contact us at least 14 days before the course start date. Please see our terms and conditions for more information on our refund policy.
