Obviously, a lot of thought goes into creating a new world and characters to inhabit it. First, you have to develop the world, the basis of its existence, its history, its map layout … every aspect you can to make the world come to life not only in your eyes, but in the eyes of those who read your work.
For example, I have spent the last four years developing my upcoming tentatively-titled Wizards and Kings series. I have developed multiple aspects, including some of its ancient history. I probably won’t use a great deal of it, and some of it will get only a mere mention in the series. Still, it makes the entire effort seem more fulfilling as well as consistent.
The problem many new authors have is they don’t take the time to develop the back story. They rush out a rough draft in an effort to get published quickly. The problem is, unless your name is Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, or Piers Anthony, you’re probably not going to get very far.
As an author just beginning to write my new major series now that the development cycle is all but complete, I have had to do a lot to make sure I stand out from the crowd of clutter that the publishers are unfortunately stuck dealing with. Whether my efforts are futile or fruitful remains to be seen, but the development of the first novel and subsequent novels in the series is ongoing. My goal is simple (well, simplistic): to have Wizards and Kings published by mid-year 2012.
Developing new worlds can be a bit tricky at times, but the payoff of taking the time to develop before even starting to write can mean the difference between getting published or getting your manuscript thrown out
Even during the actual writing process, development can be ongoing. Characters can take over and tend to develop their own distinct personalities within yours. It almost seems that in order to be a writer, a certain amount of schizophrenia is required. After all, you do have multiple personalities living and developing inside of you every day.
Here’s hoping they’re all good ones!