TedTest

From the Ted Talk by Kate Messner: How to build a fictional world

Unscramble the Blue Letters

In J.R.R.'s world, gandlaf is one of five wizards sent by the Valar to guide the inhabitants of Middle ertah in their struggles against the dark fcore of Sauron. Gandalf's body was mortal, subject to the physical rules of Middle Earth, but his spirit was immortal, as seen when he died as Gandalf the Grey and resurrected as Gandalf the wtihe. According to the Wachowski's spicrt, an awakened human only has to link up and hack the neon binary code of the Matrix to learn how to fly a helicopter in a matter of sdoencs. Or if you are the One, or one of the Ones, you don't even need a helicopter, you just need a cool pair of saheds. Cheshire cats can jlguge their own heads. iPads are rudimentary. No Quidditch match ends until the gloedn Snitch is caught. And the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything is most certainly 42. Just like real life, fictional worlds operate ctosntniesly within a spectrum of pcashyil and societal rules. That's what makes these intricate worlds biebvallee, comprehensible, and worth exploring. In real life, the Law of Gravity hlods seven book sets of "Harry Potter" to millions of bookshelves around the world. We know this to be true, but we also know that ever since J.K. typed the wrods wizard, wand, and "Wingardium Leviosa," that Law of gvtairy has ceased to exsit on the trillions of pages resting between those bookends. Authors of science fiction and ftanasy literally build worlds. They make rules, maps, lgnaeies, languages, cultures, universes, alternate universes within universes, and from those worlds sprout story, after story, after story. When it's done well, readers can understand fictional worlds and their rules just as well as the ctrearcahs that live in them do and sometimes, just as well or even better than the raeder understands the world outside of the book. But how? How can human-made squiggles on a page reflect lhtgis into our eyes that send signals to our brains that we lgallicoy and emotionally decode as complex narratives that move us to fight, cry, sing, and think, that are strong enough not only to hold up a world that is completely invented by the author, but also to change the reader's perspective on the real world that rsmeeus only when the final squiggle is rheeacd? I'm not sure anyone knows the answer to that question, yet fantastical, fictional worlds are created everyday in our minds, on crmouepts, even on napkins at the restaurant down the street. The truth is your imagination and a willingness to, fageiuvitrly, live in your own world are all you need to get started writing a novel. I didn't dream up Hogwarts or the Star Wars' Cantina, but I have written some science thrillers for kids and young adults. Here are some questions and methods I've used to help build the worlds in which those books take plcae. I srtat with a basic place and time. Whether that's a fantasy world or a futuristic setting in the real world, it's important to know where you are and whether you're working in the past, prnseet, or future. I like to create a timeline showing how the world came to be. What past events have shaped the way it is now? Then I btornisram answers to questions that draw out the details of my fitnaicol world. What reuls are in place here? This covers everything from laws of gravity, or not, to the rules of society and the punishments for individuals who break them. What kind of gmeovenrnt does this world have? Who has power, and who doesn't? What do people believe in here? And what does this society value most? Then it's time to think about day-to-day life. What's the weather like in this world? Where do the iattanhbnis live and work and go to school? What do they eat and how do they play? How do they terat their young and their old? What relationships do they have with the animals and plants of the world? And what do those aaimnls and plants look like? What kind of tneolchogy exists? Transportation? Communication? Access to information? There's so much to think about! So, spend some time living in those tasks and the answers to those questions, and you're well on your way to bduiinlg your own fictional world. Once you know your wrlod as well as you hope your reader will, set your characters free in it and see what happens. And ask yourself, "How does this world you created shape the iudviialdns who live in it? And what kind of ccifolnt is likely to emerge?" awsner those questions, and you have your story. Good luck, future world-builder!

Open Cloze

In J.R.R.'s world, _______ is one of five wizards sent by the Valar to guide the inhabitants of Middle _____ in their struggles against the dark _____ of Sauron. Gandalf's body was mortal, subject to the physical rules of Middle Earth, but his spirit was immortal, as seen when he died as Gandalf the Grey and resurrected as Gandalf the _____. According to the Wachowski's ______, an awakened human only has to link up and hack the neon binary code of the Matrix to learn how to fly a helicopter in a matter of _______. Or if you are the One, or one of the Ones, you don't even need a helicopter, you just need a cool pair of ______. Cheshire cats can ______ their own heads. iPads are rudimentary. No Quidditch match ends until the ______ Snitch is caught. And the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything is most certainly 42. Just like real life, fictional worlds operate ____________ within a spectrum of ________ and societal rules. That's what makes these intricate worlds __________, comprehensible, and worth exploring. In real life, the Law of Gravity _____ seven book sets of "Harry Potter" to millions of bookshelves around the world. We know this to be true, but we also know that ever since J.K. typed the _____ wizard, wand, and "Wingardium Leviosa," that Law of _______ has ceased to _____ on the trillions of pages resting between those bookends. Authors of science fiction and _______ literally build worlds. They make rules, maps, ________, languages, cultures, universes, alternate universes within universes, and from those worlds sprout story, after story, after story. When it's done well, readers can understand fictional worlds and their rules just as well as the __________ that live in them do and sometimes, just as well or even better than the ______ understands the world outside of the book. But how? How can human-made squiggles on a page reflect ______ into our eyes that send signals to our brains that we _________ and emotionally decode as complex narratives that move us to fight, cry, sing, and think, that are strong enough not only to hold up a world that is completely invented by the author, but also to change the reader's perspective on the real world that _______ only when the final squiggle is _______? I'm not sure anyone knows the answer to that question, yet fantastical, fictional worlds are created everyday in our minds, on _________, even on napkins at the restaurant down the street. The truth is your imagination and a willingness to, ____________, live in your own world are all you need to get started writing a novel. I didn't dream up Hogwarts or the Star Wars' Cantina, but I have written some science thrillers for kids and young adults. Here are some questions and methods I've used to help build the worlds in which those books take _____. I _____ with a basic place and time. Whether that's a fantasy world or a futuristic setting in the real world, it's important to know where you are and whether you're working in the past, _______, or future. I like to create a timeline showing how the world came to be. What past events have shaped the way it is now? Then I __________ answers to questions that draw out the details of my _________ world. What _____ are in place here? This covers everything from laws of gravity, or not, to the rules of society and the punishments for individuals who break them. What kind of __________ does this world have? Who has power, and who doesn't? What do people believe in here? And what does this society value most? Then it's time to think about day-to-day life. What's the weather like in this world? Where do the ___________ live and work and go to school? What do they eat and how do they play? How do they _____ their young and their old? What relationships do they have with the animals and plants of the world? And what do those _______ and plants look like? What kind of __________ exists? Transportation? Communication? Access to information? There's so much to think about! So, spend some time living in those tasks and the answers to those questions, and you're well on your way to ________ your own fictional world. Once you know your _____ as well as you hope your reader will, set your characters free in it and see what happens. And ask yourself, "How does this world you created shape the ___________ who live in it? And what kind of ________ is likely to emerge?" ______ those questions, and you have your story. Good luck, future world-builder!

Solution

building
gandalf
logically
start
fantasy
juggle
inhabitants
reached
force
conflict
reader
shades
words
seconds
government
place
gravity
brainstorm
white
earth
figuratively
individuals
animals
rules
resumes
computers
script
treat
technology
holds
world
answer
lights
believable
fictional
lineages
exist
consistently
physical
golden
characters
present

Original Text

In J.R.R.'s world, Gandalf is one of five wizards sent by the Valar to guide the inhabitants of Middle Earth in their struggles against the dark force of Sauron. Gandalf's body was mortal, subject to the physical rules of Middle Earth, but his spirit was immortal, as seen when he died as Gandalf the Grey and resurrected as Gandalf the White. According to the Wachowski's script, an awakened human only has to link up and hack the neon binary code of the Matrix to learn how to fly a helicopter in a matter of seconds. Or if you are the One, or one of the Ones, you don't even need a helicopter, you just need a cool pair of shades. Cheshire cats can juggle their own heads. iPads are rudimentary. No Quidditch match ends until the Golden Snitch is caught. And the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything is most certainly 42. Just like real life, fictional worlds operate consistently within a spectrum of physical and societal rules. That's what makes these intricate worlds believable, comprehensible, and worth exploring. In real life, the Law of Gravity holds seven book sets of "Harry Potter" to millions of bookshelves around the world. We know this to be true, but we also know that ever since J.K. typed the words wizard, wand, and "Wingardium Leviosa," that Law of Gravity has ceased to exist on the trillions of pages resting between those bookends. Authors of science fiction and fantasy literally build worlds. They make rules, maps, lineages, languages, cultures, universes, alternate universes within universes, and from those worlds sprout story, after story, after story. When it's done well, readers can understand fictional worlds and their rules just as well as the characters that live in them do and sometimes, just as well or even better than the reader understands the world outside of the book. But how? How can human-made squiggles on a page reflect lights into our eyes that send signals to our brains that we logically and emotionally decode as complex narratives that move us to fight, cry, sing, and think, that are strong enough not only to hold up a world that is completely invented by the author, but also to change the reader's perspective on the real world that resumes only when the final squiggle is reached? I'm not sure anyone knows the answer to that question, yet fantastical, fictional worlds are created everyday in our minds, on computers, even on napkins at the restaurant down the street. The truth is your imagination and a willingness to, figuratively, live in your own world are all you need to get started writing a novel. I didn't dream up Hogwarts or the Star Wars' Cantina, but I have written some science thrillers for kids and young adults. Here are some questions and methods I've used to help build the worlds in which those books take place. I start with a basic place and time. Whether that's a fantasy world or a futuristic setting in the real world, it's important to know where you are and whether you're working in the past, present, or future. I like to create a timeline showing how the world came to be. What past events have shaped the way it is now? Then I brainstorm answers to questions that draw out the details of my fictional world. What rules are in place here? This covers everything from laws of gravity, or not, to the rules of society and the punishments for individuals who break them. What kind of government does this world have? Who has power, and who doesn't? What do people believe in here? And what does this society value most? Then it's time to think about day-to-day life. What's the weather like in this world? Where do the inhabitants live and work and go to school? What do they eat and how do they play? How do they treat their young and their old? What relationships do they have with the animals and plants of the world? And what do those animals and plants look like? What kind of technology exists? Transportation? Communication? Access to information? There's so much to think about! So, spend some time living in those tasks and the answers to those questions, and you're well on your way to building your own fictional world. Once you know your world as well as you hope your reader will, set your characters free in it and see what happens. And ask yourself, "How does this world you created shape the individuals who live in it? And what kind of conflict is likely to emerge?" Answer those questions, and you have your story. Good luck, future world-builder!

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations

ngrams of length 2

collocation	frequency
fictional worlds	3
fictional world	2

Important Words

access
adults
alternate
animals
answer
answers
author
authors
awakened
basic
believable
binary
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book
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bookshelves
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comprehensible
computers
conflict
consistently
cool
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create
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cry
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dark
decode
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draw
dream
earth
eat
emerge
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events
everyday
exist
exists
exploring
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fantasy
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fictional
fight
figuratively
final
fly
force
free
future
futuristic
gandalf
golden
good
government
gravity
grey
guide
hack
heads
helicopter
hogwarts
hold
holds
hope
human
imagination
immortal
important
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ipads
juggle
kids
kind
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law
laws
learn
leviosa
life
lights
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link
literally
live
living
logically
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match
matrix
matter
methods
middle
millions
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mortal
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page
pages
pair
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question
questions
quidditch
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real
reflect
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restaurant
resting
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resurrected
rudimentary
rules
sauron
school
science
script
seconds
send
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shape
shaped
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signals
sing
snitch
societal
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spectrum
spend
spirit
sprout
squiggle
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star
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street
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technology
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treat
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ultimate
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white
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wizard
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world
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worth
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written
young