My Worldbuilding Journal

The worlds I go to escape, explain and rationalise the real one.

Worldbuilding

While I often sketch and document literally from my observations of the real world I find it very useful at times to enter a pseudo world of my own making - a world in which issues can be overcome - to search for positivity where, at times, it may seem to be lacking.

Worldbuilding in art and literature is an age old mechanism - creating an imaginary place in which you can tell whatever stories you want. BUT the real concept with a worldbuilding journal is that the imaginary is grounded and borne out of elements of reality. You can say what you want about the real world if it is put in the guise of an imaginary one - with the use of metaphor and allegory. It’s a place you can escape to, but only to understand and rationalise the real world, to explore and express your thoughts. Maybe it’s just a way of getting out what you want to say in a non literal way that you would find hard to otherwise.

Don't spend too much time lingering in one place - broaden your outlook. Define what's important and rationalise what doesn't make sense.

Principium - My World

PRINCIPIUM is a coastal area consisting of four towns - OK, so geographically there are some similarities to where I actually live. It is located somewhere (it doesn’t matter where) and in a non specific period of time - the only thing here that I pretty much stick to is a lack of the full effects of the digital, computerised world - that makes it easier for me.

The Towns

Newcomen - An historic fishing port on the northern coast with traditional
values but the site of new warehouses and imported goods - will the old school tie network survive? Exploring the traditional concepts of work, ownership and class.

High Gates - A traditional coastal town being taken over by new money and developments, the soaring prices mean that a lot of the locals have to move out. Very rich people have exploited a strange form of code and the rewards for them seem limitless. Exploring new money and tech advancement.

Articificium - The art and craft and often idealistic and sometimes opinionated world. Most hearts are in the right place and there are both artisan crafts people and fakes side by side.

Southville - Where the former travellers settled, a place of ingenuity, invention and always good at making some money out of seemingly nothing. The role of the practical, self motivated and self employed - the people who can make useful things and make things work.

Influences for my worldbuilding

All of the narrative in Principium is based in some way on my actual experiences or thoughts and views on different subjects. It’s a way a recording things in a form of coded metaphor and done in a way so as not to name the innocent or the guilty.

Internal and External Influences. The different areas reflect both aspects of my own personality, my perceived strengths, weaknesses and aspirations and also my reflections of these characteristics that I observe in other people.

Micro and Macro World. The towns incorporates personal experience of my local environment and day to day, to my thoughts on the wider world in general and the way things are going, or perhaps should or shouldn’t go.

Countering negativity with positivity

A technique I feel is important with the worldbuilding is to counter any negativity that may be creeping in too much - it is possible, as a commentator, to become too cynical about the world. But there are off set balances to be found - the shameless exploiters of situations and other people can be, in turn, exploited themselves with some ingenuity. And to rationalise the issues that beset one town the people in another town can find a way of using these circumstances to their benefit - it’s all a way for me to try and find solutions rather then just document problems.

I hope this brief look at the concept of worldbuilding and my world of Principium makes sense but, I suppose what really matters, is that it does to me.

---

What’s coming?

This Substack is intended to expand upon the ideas of the pen and ink sketch journal, to provide examples, inspiration and ‘how to’ guides. From the simplicity of QUAD (quick and dirty) sketching, to the concept of worldbuilding for positivity, and to getting your thoughts and feelings out onto paper.

Thanks for reading this and coming on the journey with me. Enjoy the journey and the destination can just look after itself.
All the best,
Peter