Building Better Worlds
Writer’s Digest|July - August 2023
Tips for making your story concrete.
By Moriah Richard
Building Better Worlds

Clothing

What your characters are wearing might seem like a small consideration in the grand scheme of your story-and you may very well be correct. But there are many books where fashion is integral to the world-building. One of my favorite examples of this is how the difference in clothing between the districts and the capital in The Hunger Games series is a tangible way to show the corruption of their government and differences in social status.

But like with all world-building, you don't want to get trapped into hours and hours of designing clothing for your characters and not actually writing their story. To avoid this, it might be helpful to focus on the following details.

FABRIC

This will largely be determined by where your characters are located. If they live in a very hot, sunny, arid climate, they'll probably be wearing something light-weight and breathable, with longer lengths to protect their skin from burning. Or if they live somewhere colder and rainier, they'll have thicker, less absorbent materials to keep them warm but won't get saturated by the elements.

Bu hikaye Writer’s Digest dergisinin July - August 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Writer’s Digest dergisinin July - August 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

WRITER’S DIGEST DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Writing for a Warming World - Imagining the overwhelming, the ubiquitous, the world-shattering.
Writer’s Digest

Writing for a Warming World - Imagining the overwhelming, the ubiquitous, the world-shattering.

Climate change is one of those topics that can throw novelists—and everyone else—into a fearful and cowering silence. When the earth is losing its familiar shapes and consolations, changing drastically and in unpredictable ways beneath our feet, how can we summon our creative resources to engage in the imaginative world-building required to write a novel that takes on these threats in compelling ways? And how to avoid writing fiction that addresses irreversible climate change without letting our prose get too preachy, overly prescriptive, saturated with despair?

time-read
8 dak  |
July - August 2024
Kids' Author Meg Medina Inspires Readers
Writer’s Digest

Kids' Author Meg Medina Inspires Readers

WD chats with the National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature.

time-read
6 dak  |
September - October 2024
The Horrors of Grief
Writer’s Digest

The Horrors of Grief

Whether hot off the presses or on the shelves for years, a good book is worth talking about.

time-read
3 dak  |
September - October 2024
The Mystery of Growing Up
Writer’s Digest

The Mystery of Growing Up

New York Times-bestselling author Jasmine Warga tackles a new genre with her signature blend of empathy for her readers, agency for her characters, and the belief that art is the great connector.

time-read
5 dak  |
September - October 2024
Education
Writer’s Digest

Education

Even if it's not your thing, you're probably familiar with the term dark academia.

time-read
4 dak  |
September - October 2024
A Do-Over Romance
Writer’s Digest

A Do-Over Romance

Karin Patton, the first-place winner of the 24th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Awards, shares a funny story about secondchance love and a brief Q&A.

time-read
7 dak  |
September - October 2024
Everyday Wonder
Writer’s Digest

Everyday Wonder

How to mine awe from the mundane

time-read
8 dak  |
September - October 2024
From Ordinary to Extraordinary
Writer’s Digest

From Ordinary to Extraordinary

Unveil the hidden beauty in the facts and transform your nonfiction with the power of wonder.

time-read
6 dak  |
September - October 2024
Childhood: Our Touchstone for Wonder
Writer’s Digest

Childhood: Our Touchstone for Wonder

How to get in touch with Little You and create big new work for today.

time-read
8 dak  |
September - October 2024
Agent Roundup
Writer’s Digest

Agent Roundup

22 agents share details, about what kind of writing will pique their interest and offer tips for querying writers...

time-read
6 dak  |
September - October 2024