Maybe each level of ascent up a mountain triggers a diff uncontrollable emotion. Maybe there are rocks that sing when you step on them. Maybe fire can’t ignite on found wood, only harvested wood, but harvesting it causes trees to swing at you in self defense.

Maybe the jungle smells like chocolate. Maybe the trees scream if you peel off the bark. Maybe there are lizards who try to climb under your toenails. Maybe there is grass so soft it’s tempting to rub on your skin, but is highly toxic and must be avoided at all costs.

Maybe there are trees that only bear leaves for a day&the rest of the year you’re walking on a maddening crunch of crispy dry leaves. Maybe there's no such thing as trees. Maybe your MC has never encountered a bird b4. Maybe sand melts into glass if you stand on it too long.

But few worlds have just one landscape. And you don’t have to choose between standard Minecraft biomes when developing these. Maybe there’s a biome that’s all rivers and cliffs. Maybe there’s a desert with spires of crystal for shelter.

Whatever landscape you choose, think about what entering this landscape does to the mental state of your characters. Again, use 5 senses, and attach emotions to each – and each character may process these things differently. This is immersion and authenticity.

If a space station: What is currency here? Any permits needed? Fuel? Food? Temptations? Someone in charge? What’s the floor made of? Is there a floor? Is there a ceiling? What is in the air? How do these things challenge your MC?

If a forest: Cool. How thick is the canopy? Is it green? Are there leaves, or feathers or needles or…? How does the clothing interact with this landscape? Is it suitable or do they need to improvise? What noises are constant here?

If a mountain: How tall? Shape? What surrounds it? What is it made of? What creatures lurk on the sides? Is there a path? Why or why not? What can you see from afar in the different stages of ascent?

If a city: How do the buildings look? Are there streets? Tunnels? What materials are common – glass, stone, brick, sand, etc? What is energy here? How do families dwell? Are there families? Use 5 senses to develop a list to draw from later when writing or revising.

Start with broad location. On Earth? Not on Earth? Space station? What kind of age? Does your story require a city? A mountain? A forest? A river? A tower? A volcano? A cave? Okay, cool. So take your required familiar element and see what you can do to make it different.

SFF worldbuilding has as many layers as the characters w/in it. You can’t sacrifice one for the other. It’s easy to duplicate a world that’s familiar in landscape &society, but coming up w/something original&immersive is another art altogether.

I was supposed to have a meeting this morning and tech issues are preventing that, so I thought I’d do a fun little #worldbuilding #thread on SCI FI FANTASY WORLD BUILDING, as inspired by @RaeLoverde Tweet about rivers!
#amwriting #querytip #writetip #askagent

Some #WednesdayWisdom from our agenting team: 'when submitting your work, use a clear and readable front to make your idea as accessible as possibe' (P.S. Arial and Times New Roman preferred) #WriteTip #MSWL #QueryTip #NationalWritingDay

It is very helpful to mention in a new query that you have queried that agent in the past. And it doesn’t count against you if the previous time wasn’t a match. NOT mentioning it is just weird...and we usually end up figuring it out anyways. #querytip

The elements that pushed me to request these 5 were: setting, magical realism element, pop culture references that resonated with me. #querytip #amagenting

A clue that it is summertime: Emails arrive every day from aspiring writers/illustrators who did not take the time to follow @AndreaBrownLit submission guidelines. Which are so easy to find! In fact, here you go: andreabrownlit.com/how-to-submit1… #querytip

I sometimes even suggest you consider rewriting the book to match the query. #querytip #amwriting

If you are having a difficult time writing a strong and cohesive query with a hook that makes it stand out and sound different, then maybe it's not the query, but the book itself. #querytip

IMHO the query should be seen as an extension of the manuscript revision process. #querytip #amwriting

How I Pitched Laura Bradford's Portrait of a Sister #querytip #amquerying bookendsliterary.com/2018/06/26/how…