2023 WorldEmber Prep Homework

Week 1: Choose an area of focus

So there are a few of areas which work for this.   One of them is building out the Peacekeepers, and their background. I've written about them in other areas for a different project, but they and their politics aren't well documented so that would be interesting. I could write more about their history, how they built their empire, and their political structures. Their infrastructure is interesting too and could be a useful thing to have recorded.   Another potential area would be writing about other species in the universe. It would be fun and allow a lot of space for creativity, but I don' t know how useful this would be for the books I want to set in this world. The Peacekeepers would be aware of them, but the focus of at least the first book is on planet Vellikka, so it wouldn't necessarily be referenced there.     A third option would be to build out the Vellikka world atlas. There's a lot of places on this map and a lot of space for more. I've not really written about the geographies or the different areas. Are there different territories with different cultures? I've got a fair amount on the south coast, but I'm not sure why as Abna, where my story starts, is on the north coast of the continent. What else is around there?   A fourth and final option would be to build out the stories from Vellikka. I once heard that "culture is the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves", and as Storytellers are at the heart of at least the first book on this world, building out the world through myths and legends might be a fun way to get back into the world.    

Article Ideas

 

The Peacekeepers

 
  • Peacekeeper - Ethnicity
  • Pachian - Species
  • Peacekeeper Territories - Location
  • The Commonwealth - Organisation
  • Peacekeeper Command - Organisation
  • EOP Standard - Language
  • Micro Rebellion - Conflict
  • The First Peace Agreement - Document
  • Societal Hierarchy - Article
  • P'Ache Solar System - Location
  • The Primary Territories - Location
  • The Victalis System - Location
 

People from Other Planets

  • Race on Macro
  • Race on Victalis planet
  • Race on other P'Ache planets
  • Map of galaxies
 

Other Loose Ends

  • The Shedding - Law
  • Spirit Speaking - Spell
  • Vellich Profession Paths - Article
  • New Seeing - Ritual
  • Path Choosing - Ritual
  • Storyteller's Bracelet - Item
  • The Leaving - Condition
  • Vellikka Calendar - Calendar
  • Peacekeeper Calendar - Calendar
 

Vellikka World Atlas

  • Lanips Mountains - Location
  • Laykan Bay - Location
  • Hedan Basin - Location
  • Akire Mountains - Location
  • Asor - Location
  • Stron - Location
  • Rivers - Location
  • Surplus Home - Landmark
  • Ruler's Tower - Landmark
  • Light House - Landmark
  • Bearer's House - Landmark
  • Gatherer's Holdings - Landmark
 

Myths of Vellikka

  • Flood Myth - Myth
  • The Last of the Dreamspeakers - Myth
  • Founding of Abna - Myth
  • The First Day of Song - Myth
  • Why Colours Flash - Myth
  • Story About Choosing A Path - Myth
  • Afterlife Story - Myth
  • The Primordial Chaos - Myth
 

Week 2: Prepare Your Area of Focus

  Looking at each area of focus, I've created a mini-meta for each one. I haven't made any changes to the organisation structure based on this because I was happy with what I have, but I've started creating stubs in those areas for articles I need to write.  

Mini Metas

Vellikka - Story Telling Tradition

Themes: Oral traditions, word of mouth, importance of passing on morals and ideals, choosing a path, commitment to community   Moods: Vague, moralistic, nature-based, low-tech, low-fantasy, high-belief in the otherworldly   Focus: Stories which build out the culture of Vellikka. Culture is in the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves   Purpose: Give Vellikka a realistic cultural history and a collective storytelling language   Mini-goals:
    At least three stories including:
  • afterlife explanation,
  • fable about choosing a path,
  • a story of the stars/aurora
 

Vellikka - World Atlas

Themes: people and nature in balance, areas of natural beauty untouched by people   Moods: Low-tech, non-fantasy, power of nature   Focus: Areas which demonstrate the beauty and power of Vellikka   Purpose: Set the scene and create a realistic backdrop for the plot   Mini-goals:
    Write at least one article (min 500 words) about each of the following:
  • a river,
  • a mountain range,
  • a settlement,
  • a forest,
  • a coastal region

Peacekeepers - Organisations, History and Culture

  Themes: Hierarchy, greater good, all for one and one for one   Moods: Law and order, high sci-fi, advanced, proud   Focus: Peacekeeper Command and diplomacy, the arms likely to touch Vellikka first   Purpose: Counterpoint for the Vellikkian’s attitude of community. This is an all for one, rather than an all for all attitude.   Mini-goals:
    A complete map of the Peacekeeper hierarchy, including:
  • key decision making positions,
  • key departments
  • At least two historical events
  • A summary of cultural norms for people living in P’Ache Prime
 

Other Species - Races from Across Peacekeeper Territories

Themes: strange and wonderful, peculiarities, everything is individual   Moods: joy in differences   Focus: Species the Vellich might come into contact with through the Peacekeepers   Purpose: Further counterpoints to the Vellich and demonstrate the sheer scope of life in the universe   Mini-goals:
  • Write at least 300 words about 5 different species across the universe which I can use as seeds throughout the story
  • Write at least 900 words about the Asor
  • Write at least 900 words about the Jaku
 

Inspiration

 

Vellikka - Story Telling Tradition

  • Women Talking - film (dir. Sarah Polley, 2022)
  • The Word For World Is Forest - novel (Ursula K. Le Guin, 1972)
  • Yggdrasil - Norse mythology (Link)
 

Vellikka - World Atlas

  • Embrace Scotland - website(Link)
  • Best of Wales - website(Link)
  • Norway - National Geographic - website (Link)
  • Iceland - National Geographic - website (Link)

Peacekeepers - Organisations, History and Culture

  • The Fault Line - podcast (David Dimbleby, Somethin’ Else and Sony Music Entertainment, 2020)
  • Talking To Strangers - book (Malcolm Gladwell, 2019)
  • Starship Troopers - film (dir. Paul Verhoeven, 1997)
  • Gov.uk - website (Link)
 

Other Species - Races from Across Peacekeeper Territories

  • Planet Earth III - TV Series (presenter. David Attenborough, 2023)
  • The Dodo - website (Link)
  • TreeHugger - website (Link)
  • My Green World - website (Link)
  • We Are Teachers - website (Link)
 

Inspiring worlds

     

Week 3: Welcome Your Readers!

  So I've not spent that long thinking about my homepage before, which retrospectively is clearly a mistake. Below are images of before and after the changes I've made.  

Before

After

  I found it a really interesting activity and have added a lot of text, but now I'm a little concerned there may be too much? I would really appreciate some feedback, if anyone has any thoughts on ways I could improve it.  

Week 4: Last Minute Prep

  I had a good think about what I needed to cover here. I've made a list of last minute prep I'm going to do this week:  
  • Tidy my work space - I don't have a desk I use for writing most of the time. I have a desk I use for my day job, but I prefer being creative in comfier places. That being said, I have tidied up my desk incase I find it will make me more productive.
  • Find a writing schedule - I've not tried using a writing schedule, but I'm going to put one together, as I like a bit of structure. I've created a hypothetical one at the bottom of WorldEmber 2023 To Do List which may change as I go. I think what I've created is acheivable, but as I've never tried to write to a schedule before, it'll be a case of try and see.
  • Finish prepping my D&D world - I've realised I have some prep I need to do for my next D&D Campaign (Zakkazana Island) which starts in January, and as I want to focus on Vellikka this WorldEmber, I still have a little bit of tidyup I need to do there.
  • Listen to my inspiration playlists - I'm going to download the two inspiration playlists I've made and try to add to them a bit as well. I find music really useful for getting into the right headspace.

Quick Links

 

Overview

  I've never participated in WorldEmber before, and as a novice, I'm excited to get started. I am pledging to write 10,000 words in this world, and we'll see how we go.   I'll be honest, my inspiration for this world has dried up slightly and I want to use this as an opportunity to breath more life into it. I might be making this more difficult for myself, and it's entirely possible I'll end up regretting it, but I'll only have myself to blame!   To help me keep focus once it starts, I've set up a WorldEmber 2023 To Do List.

Reaction Diary

 

Week 1

  I've identified four rough areas that I could write about. They seem quite broad, and actually doing this exercise has moved me from feeling quite daunted to a little bit inspired. I can't wait to see what Week 2's homework will bring.  

Week 2

  Working on the mini-metas for watch area of focus forced me to review my overall world meta and as a result I'll be adding to it in the coming weeks. I found adding a few words about the purpose each element will serve really helpful and I think it will help me prioritise where to put my energy as some are more fundamental than others.   It has also helped make me even more excited about the main event and has given me more ideas about how I can build out my world.  

Week 3

  I've found reworking the homepage a really interesting exercise. I'm still not 100% happy with it and will probably revisiting this again over the next 6 days. It's also got me thinking about the homepages for my other worlds, specifically Zakkazana Island which I'm setting up for my upcoming D&D campaign.  

Week 4

  I've not put any thought into a writing schedule before. Sometimes inspiration strikes and I write and other times it doesn't so I don't. But that's not going to be the case this December. Honestly, I'm excited to try it out to see if it helps.  
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Comments

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Nov 3, 2023 23:03 by Annie Stein

Welcome to Worldember! I hope you have a great one, and that you can rediscover your inspiration. Do you remember what inspired Vellikka to begin with? When I feel at a loss for ideas, revisiting the things that made me wanna write is often the best way to rediscover that spark for me.

Creator of Solaris -— Come Explore!
Nov 4, 2023 06:41 by Elspeth

Thank you! It was a combination of things around what a gender non-binary world would/could look like and how that would influence societal norms and organisations. Looking forward to rediscovering it!

So many worlds to choose from...
Nov 4, 2023 08:49 by Annie Stein

Ooh that is one very interesting premise!

Creator of Solaris -— Come Explore!
Nov 10, 2023 17:07 by Nimin N

That's a lot of nice ideas and glad to hear that the homework exercise did some good. Looking forward to read more from you. I hope you can keep and grow that spark of inspiration, and have lots of fun during your first World Ember!

Nov 11, 2023 21:12 by Elspeth

Thank you! I really appreciate that. Yeah, it’s interesting but last week’s homework really reignited something. Now to keep the fires stoked until WorldEmber! :)

So many worlds to choose from...
Nov 12, 2023 13:59 by Nova Plaire

Have a great Worldember! I love how you really already outlined all your article ideas, seems like a good plan I might have to adapt for myself. Hope you are successful in getting the spark back, and have a lovely time in Norway ;)

Oz, creator of From Our Darkest Desires.
Nov 12, 2023 20:47 by Elspeth

Thank you! Yes, I am definitely getting the spark back and Norway is definitely helping with that! :)

So many worlds to choose from...
Nov 19, 2023 00:25 by Jacqueline Taylor

I hadn't spent much time with the home page on my previous world and I am really feeling the difference with having started out with a really well fleshed out home page. I never thought about it previously! I'm glad that it wasn't just me. I think I will also be revisiting my home page as the world develops more. I hope everything goes well with your first Ember!

Piggie
Nov 19, 2023 09:05 by Elspeth

Nope, wasn't just you! :D It's making me go back and look at my other worlds, just to make them easier for my players to use! :) Thank you.

So many worlds to choose from...
Nov 21, 2023 01:00 by Chaewon Choi

Hello,   Your organization and details in this article are fascinating. You already have so many ideas for myths and stories, which is so cool! I bid you a good WorldEmber on this upcoming adventure.

Thank You, Choi Chaewon.
Aonani Expert. Multiverse Walker.  

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Nov 21, 2023 08:38 by Elspeth

Thank you! Yeah, I spent some time looking into stories which are told in multiple cultures and thinking about how to adapt them for my world. :) Have a great WorldEmber!

So many worlds to choose from...
Nov 21, 2023 15:11 by Brian Nicholson

Holy organization, Batman! These projects all seem exciting, and the way you present your information is stellar!

Nov 21, 2023 18:30 by Elspeth

Thank you so much! :D Can you tell I love a list? XD

So many worlds to choose from...
Nov 21, 2023 19:24 by Chris Noonan

Your formatting skills are an inspiration! Looking forward to delving into Vellikka, and learning all about it.

Nov 21, 2023 19:37 by Elspeth

Thank you! That's so kind. I need to stop myself from fiddling because the temptation to tweak is high and can make things worse! XD

So many worlds to choose from...
Nov 24, 2023 15:20

Good luck with your first Worldember! You've got a well defined set of goals and list of articles to tackle which will help massively with the inspiration (also can I just say, I love your CSS! <3). I'm looking forward to reading more about Vellikka!   The before and after pictures of the homepage are awesome - personally I don't think it's too long or too much. The text feels well balanced, the layout is well thought out, overall I feel like you've done a really good job!

~ write what you love
Amalgia | Ma'rune | Osiron | Summer Camp 2024
Nov 24, 2023 18:10 by Elspeth

Thank you so much for the kind words and for the feedback. That's really kind, and good to hear that you like the homepage. It's difficult to have an objective perspective on these things some times! XD

So many worlds to choose from...
Nov 25, 2023 15:38

Good luck for WorldEmber! Also, I absolutely love your world theme and article layout: It's gorgeous!

I can hear the stars, they are singing to me...
For more mystery and magic, check out the world of Starsong
Nov 25, 2023 16:54 by Elspeth

Thank you so much! That's so kind! :) Good luck to you too. I hope you have a fun one.

So many worlds to choose from...
Nov 28, 2023 08:15

Whoah, you've made great strides with the homework, especially with the homepage! And I also love the ambitious article list, sounds like you have plenty things to choose from this WorldEmber. Best of Luck, and have loads of fun! :D

Nov 28, 2023 08:31 by Elspeth

Thank you! I do love a list although I think I'll need the luck too! XD I hope you have a great WorldEmber too and lots of fun! :)

So many worlds to choose from...
Dec 1, 2023 00:45

Wow, this is a very well organized pledge article (and your expanded homepage got me to stick around). I am interested to see where you end up with this. Good luck!   Also, thanks for the shoutout to my world Carin Sector (and thanks for the follow)!

Dec 1, 2023 08:11 by Elspeth

Thank you! That's so kind! I'm interested to see where I end up with this as well! :D Have a great WorldEmber.

So many worlds to choose from...