World Building in literature and other media is one of the most important things and or aspects of such literature or media because without a world to exist inside of, obviously, a story cannot take place or even begin to be written. While the person building said world has ultimate power in that they can choose anything and any form that they wish for their world to take: there are still things that must be done for the world to be able to have a good story.
The first thing that must be done is that, no matter how fantastical or off the walls crazy the world is, it needs rules. This rule even counts in a story in which the world said story takes place in seem to have no rules; the one rule being that there are no rules. Without rules, nothing that happens in a story makes sense or needs to. This presents a problem since the logic of the world and why things are they way they are in the world will be reasonless. Without rules for events in a story to take place by, there is no reason that such events in a story need to be that way and also therefore: no reason for those events to have taken place.
Another thing that must be done is that a story must have conflict. The creator of the story is free to choose whatever happens in said story, including the conflict so it does not matter if the conflict be something small like a day to day personal conflict, or something large like a war. Without conflict a story cannot begin to happen, anyone who experiences the media made without conflict in the story would get quickly bored with said story at which point, they will quit. Most worlds have several conflicts at a time.
American Gods:
Within the world of American Gods, there are several rules. The main rule that exists, however, is that the world in which the story takes place in our world except more than one deity exists. Other rules that occur in this world include the fact that these gods are tied to how people think about them and how often people think about or worship them. A rule connected with this previous rule is that if the gods are not worshipped or thought about enough: they will cease to exist and will die. Also a rule is that the gods in this story can die. Another rule is that gods are created all the time, even when people don't mean to worship or create gods. This rule is most visibly seen in the form of the new gods.
There are two chief conflicts in American Gods: 1. The Old gods and New Gods are at odds and the old gods are in danger of disappearing. and 2. The main character just lost everything haing to do with his old life except his name in has been unceremoniously thrust into the one thing that makes this story different from the real world. The second half of the latter rule is one that occurs for most characters in most stories if you think about it.
Within the world of American Gods, there are several rules. The main rule that exists, however, is that the world in which the story takes place in our world except more than one deity exists. Other rules that occur in this world include the fact that these gods are tied to how people think about them and how often people think about or worship them. A rule connected with this previous rule is that if the gods are not worshipped or thought about enough: they will cease to exist and will die. Also a rule is that the gods in this story can die. Another rule is that gods are created all the time, even when people don't mean to worship or create gods. This rule is most visibly seen in the form of the new gods.
There are two chief conflicts in American Gods: 1. The Old gods and New Gods are at odds and the old gods are in danger of disappearing. and 2. The main character just lost everything haing to do with his old life except his name in has been unceremoniously thrust into the one thing that makes this story different from the real world. The second half of the latter rule is one that occurs for most characters in most stories if you think about it.
This blog post highlights, in my opinion, one of the most important aspects of creating a good story. Creating a world that is recognizable or at least imaginable by the reader generates more interest all together for those involved. I, for one, have difficulty understanding and visualizing places when they are not described in detail and therefore don’t get as much out of the reading as I should. The idea of world building is vitally important to the comprehension and overall understanding of the story line, which in American Gods is very prominent. The setting and “world” that Shadow occupies seems similar to that of what we experience in normal society, obviously with some magical and psychedelic twists involving the realm of the Gods, new and old. The collaboration of a real and relatable society along with that of a mythical realm makes the book all the more interesting. This can be seen in popular series such as Harry Potter and the Percy Jackson Series. Those books and American Gods use a similar technique of relating a “made up” fantasy land with the real world and tie in all the conflicts and rules as needed, making them all very interesting to the reader.
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