Happy Monday to all! This week on my Worldbuilding Blog Series, I have the privilege of interviewing Cassandra Morgan. My questions are all about building a world and how this particular author did so in her work. Cassandra was generous enough to answer ALL of my grueling twenty questions. (I only ask for ten.) That goes to show how much she loves the craft of building her world. I just finished her debut novel, Prophecy, yesterday, and I must say…this lady does have a knack for the art. Her world seemed logical, but not overwhelming. It was a fun read, so look for my book review coming in a couple of days.
The interview…
Susan:
Especially in worlds based on science, readers are likely a highly educated people. Pick one of your worlds and tell me how you make it logical.
Cassandra:
There has to be at least one element of realism to base any non-realistic elements on. Magic, for example, is widely believed to be science that is not yet understood. Find an element of truth, and build from that. You just have to ensure that the realistic element you choose becomes a rule or law in the creation of your world. You cannot waiver from that. It must always be constant. Like how we can always count on gravity no matter where we are in the world.
Susan:
What is your favorite “What if…” that you have written a story based upon?
Cassandra:
I love all kinds of government conspiracies – mostly to do with aliens and time travel. So many of my stories start with, “What if the government…”
Susan
What is your favorite “What if…” that you have NOT written a story about?
Cassandra:
What if the last vampire on Earth had a regretful conscious?
Susan:
What specific details do you include in your world to make it come to life for the reader.
Cassandra:
Bringing a world to life isn’t about long paragraphs of prose that detail a setting or explain how commerce and currency has changed in the last three centuries. It’s about dotting bits and pieces here and there throughout. When your characters walk into a temple, we don’t need to know the entire history of the religion, but a character can notice a crest above the door that was the personal crest of the third high priest, Shin Sho. We don’t have to mention Shin Sho or the difference between personal crest, individual temple crests and religious crests. Just that little nod and mention makes the reader feel like there’s so much depth. A few details from the world of Chartile would be the governmental structure of the dwarves vs the elves. The elves are a traditional monarchy, whereas the dwarves are more democratic, but run entirely by women. There’s a little piece that Princess Gemari says to our MC’s before attending the pre-banquet. “Accept the gifts, but graciously turn down the wine. Those with a sharper mind accomplish more, especially at Council meetings. Avoid the lamb, unless you like raw meat, and remember to smile and bow.” Most of the things she says make perfect sense, but the mention of raw lamb is different enough to give readers just a smidge of pause, which deepens that world.
Susan:
How do you use your characters’ perceptions to further paint the picture in your story?
Cassandra:
I’m very lucky because I have characters who are both from Chartile and those who are not. I use my characters who are NOT from Chartile to ask the big questions so I can explain important things without creating info dumps. With the characters who ARE from Chartile, I use them to add in the more subtle details. Mostly that they notice little things or mention things as though they are common knowledge, never to return to them again.
Susan:
If you’re a writer of alternate reality, how do you convince readers that everything happening in your story is a realistic possibility for the Earth?
Cassandra:
I created something called the 80/10/10 model. 80% of the world you create – any world: Fantasy, Dystopian, Apocalyptic, Alternate Reality – are things your readers are already familiar with. Gravity, colors, things like using the words House, Water, Hunger, to describe things. If you’re a writer reading this, you probably already do this without even thinking about it. 10% of the world you create is a unique twist on something the reader is already familiar with. Star Trek does this well with the weapons unique to different races they encounter. 10% of the world you create is totally unique to you! Names, societal structures, languages, etc. Readers can suspend their inner critique for 15-20% of a world. If you start to stretch too far beyond that, it begins to feel too fantastical and not real enough to be tangible. We want our worlds, even if they are on a different planet, to feel just barely out of reach of a reader. That, if they lean in just a little more, if only they could see on the other side of the veil, they could really be there.
Susan:
Regarding time frames: What is your favorite era to work with and why?
Cassandra:
I have always loved medieval history. I studied mythologies as a young child, and participated in historical reenactment organization for several years as an adult. So, I already had a very good foundation of understanding things like economy, commerce, government, currency, religion, etc. This is where I feel comfortable, so this is generally where I tend to gravitate toward.
Susan:
Real locations: How do you create a sense of location for the reader if they have never visited the location?
Cassandra:
Since I write fantasy, I go back to my 80/10/10 rule. I don’t drop everything about a location in one sitting. I’ll sprinkle things throughout, but creating location means making it feel real. That’s where the 80/10/10 rule can really help bring that to life.
Susan:
Do you believe this statement to be accurate: “The World Serves The Story, The Story Does Not Serve The World”? Why or why not?
Cassandra:
If you look at this question from a 10 thousand foot view, it simply means, “don’t allow yourself to fall victim to creating plot lines simply for the sake of showing off your world.” While Plot and Setting go hand in hand to creating a story, your plot should only be dependent on the setting by the confines of the unique laws and rules you created for your world.
Susan:
Small details are just as important as big ones. What small details have you included in your fictional works that serve as proof that the world you’ve built is real?
Cassandra:
World building is more than creating a pretty setting. It has to function. Seasons will affect things like travel, the kinds of food that are available, traditions and rituals. Traveling was a big pet peeve of mine in many books. It seemed that all the places the characters I read about had to go to were only a few hours or a day away at the most. And if they had to travel, they always conveniently had bedrolls and were able to create boiling stews. That is not always a possibility, and I wanted to portray that in a realistic way. Another was combat training. Nothing is more eye-rolling than a character who has never wielded a sword in their life, suddenly knows how to defeat the most powerful warrior in the realm with only a couple of fighting lessons. Let them train! Let them suck! Tell the reader about those bruises and sore muscles. Even someone who possesses the soul of an ancient warrior, and who seems to have some sort of instinct and muscle memory would still be sore if they had never USED those muscles in that way. We want our characters to be relatable, not set on a pedestal. We don’t want our characters to feel too out of reach and too impossible to our readers.
Susan:
Give me an example of where your characters’ interactions further develop your world.
Cassandra:
Pearl wine is something I developed for my word, inspired by the story of Cleopatra. It is incredibly strong, and our characters get drunk and hung over. I also want my characters to work for their goal. Even if they are destined to fulfill a prophecy and defeat Taraniz, I can’t just hand that to them. They have to train. They have to go through multiple Try-Fail cycles, both physically and emotionally. Otherwise, the readers won’t feel any kind of pay-off in the end. It won’t have the same kind of emotional impact.
Susan:
Specific to one of your stories, how did you make it come alive?
I’m always concerned about how my readers not only interpret my world, but also how they sense it. I strive with sensory here–touch, taste, smell, feel, see–but it’s also possible to feel abstract things like a sense of family or a sense of unrest politically. This is true across genre, and I’d love hear any examples as well as little tricks or tips you might have.
Cassandra:
I again come back to my 80/10/10 rule. I can describe things using the five senses, but I need to put in a dash of something that makes it unique – like how the Belirian trees are incredibly tall, bigger than sequoias. In regards to relationships, the 80/10/10 rule still applies. People understand what the word family is, but in my world, a single female dwarf take several husbands. I change the name of Husband to “Hasana” and introduce the concept of a Head Husband, or “Harasan.” But people still understand that sense of structure. It’s all about balancing the familiar with the unique.
Susan:
“Shut up! It’s cool!” Every writer does it. Provide an example of one of your “It’s cool” moments that maybe we’ll never see within one of your works.
Cassandra:
A very long time ago, I wrote a series about four friends with a structure similar to The Babysitter’s Club where each book focused mainly on one character. They were simple stories. One was about whether one of the characters, who was very smart, was going to advance a grade and leave her friends behind. Another was about one character who wasn’t good in school, but she had to pass a test in order to remain in band. What was unique is that all of the characters were animals (kind of like the TV show Arthur.) Our four characters were Honey Bear, Arctic Penguin, Roverna Laborador, and Puddles Duck III (who was a foreign exchange student from France.). Even as I type this, I’m smiling at the memories of writing those stories. Two decades ago, middle graders probably would have loved stories like that. But kids are much more advanced these days, and I just don’t think there’s any kind of market for it today, no matter how “cool” I might think it is.
Susan:
Research: What research have you done that helped to build a specific world in your writing?
Cassandra:
Because of my knowledge of ancient cultures and my connections of medieval historians, I already came to the table with a lot of knowledge of medieval life that many writers don’t have. And if I didn’t know the answer, I literally had friends whom I saw every week who could help me. If you’re interested, the organization is called The Society for Creative Anachronism. They have groups all over the world.
Susan:
How does worldbuilding NOT equate to storytelling?
Cassandra:
When I break down a story, I look at 5 specific elements: Theme, Setting, Character, Plot and Conflict. All of these elements work together, and there is going to be a lot of cross over (example: a kid who grew up in the country their whole life, probably wouldn’t understand how to use a subway on their own if they had never experienced one before.). World building is about creating a Setting that the Character interacts in, and in which the Plot and Conflict take place. Storytelling is understanding how all of those five elements fit together to create a cohesive piece of entertainment for the reader. No matter how unique we want to be (even if you want to step outside my 80/10/10 rule), stories need to follow a specific structure. Storytelling is understanding how to put together your 5 elements within the confines of accepted story structure for maximum reader impact, and maximum marketability.
Susan:
Have you created a map? Is there a picture of the map I can include in my writing about your work?
Cassandra:
The incredible Jessica Khoury is currently working on a map for me right now! You can find it in the updated edition of Prophecy due out late winter to early spring 2019
Susan:
Do you set goals for your worlds?
Cassandra:
I don’t have goals for my worlds. I don’t say to myself, “I want this world to have six different types of fish. How am I going to do that?” The only goals I have are the goals set forth in my story structure. My world, and the rules I create for my world, are part of what help guide my plot and characters on that journey.
Susan:
Give me an example of one of your worlds and the self-imposed limits you included?
Cassandra:
In my world, magic has been outlawed, and those who do possess the gift are few and far between. So I had to figure out a unique way for my characters to learn how to wield their magic to use during that climactic moment of the story. Magic being outlawed also set up a story line for the next book in the series.
Susan:
Society, rituals, and symbolism: Have you included any unique elements like this in your world?
Cassandra:
In Chartile, the Dwarves are a matriarchal society. Around the age of 4-5 years old, some girls are chosen to be trained as Princesses. When a position as Princess becomes available (either because the current Princess took over for the Queen, or a Princess passed away), the Council of Elders will choose one of these girls who has trained for many years to take on that role. It is entirely possible to train as a Princess your entire life, and never be chosen for the job. The roles of Princesses, Queens and Empress are appointed by a council, not awarded because of birthright. Each quarter within the Dwarvik settlements, selects a representative to sit on the Council. It’s rather democratic.
Susan:
Cause and effect: Give me an example of one of the laws of your world and how it applies and impacts your characters within the story.
Cassandra:
Our main characters have a limited amount of time to learn how to use both physical weapons and their magic in order to defeat the evil. And even though they have the memories and instincts of the ancients kings within them, their muscles have never done any of those moves before. My characters spend a good bit of time griping about being in pain from weapons practice, or being exhausted from magic practice since magic depletes one’s energy.
Check out Cassandra’s book Prophecy
About Cassandra
Cassandra Morgan was born in a small town in Ohio. She comes from a family of both writers and English majors from both sides of her family. The idea for Chartile came when she was 13 years old. It is loosely based on some of the games she and her friends would play.
Cassandra is a frequent guest at conventions and writing conferences in the Midwest area. She is a writing coach, a foster for orphaned kittens, and participates with The International Cat Association.
You can also find Cassandra on her website and on social media: