Worldbuilding. One of my favorite topics. As fiction writers, we get to make up our own world (setting). We even get to make up our own rules for this world, especially if we write fantasy and science fiction.
In social settings, we're admonished not to talk about religion and politics. Not so in our "world." In fact, those two topics can lead to great plot points. Both could lead to war, not just in fiction but real life, too. But let's stick to fiction.
Just think about the books already written where religion played a huge part of the plot. Did it keep the protagonists apart? Draw them together?
I'm often amazed when I read stories that include a feminine deity. Veronica Scott's Badari Warrior series comes to mind. Considering I grew up with a male deity, no wonder I was surprised. (Side note: in the services I currently attend, our deity is non-gender, referred to as Holy One.)
Whether male, female, or non-gender, a deity can play a minor or major role in our fiction. Even a small part such as an expression: by the Matriarch; Sweet Divinity. Or such a large role that religion could be considered a character.
In my Outer Rim series, the characters come from different planets. It makes sense that each planet would have its own government, customs, and religions. That shows up in little ways, like their expressions. I haven't used religion as a stumbling block to a relationship. Yet.
Could religion play a part in your story?
20 comments:
Thought provoking post, Di! A very unused vehicle for enriching plot and character.
Religion can be a tough spot. I include small references to the Creator of All but have stayed out of the nitty gritty. Thank you for sharing. D.
Great post, Diane! I do enjoy information about various religions in the stories I read, whether for good, evil, or simply part of the world building. I tend to not make it a huge part of any of my sci-fi stories though. My characters are usually thankful to the universe rather than any specific deity.
Super blog
Thanks, Nancy. Always looking for something unusual.
Good idea, D.V. Staying out of specifics is probably better.
Good point, Jess. Being thankful to the universe works. One writer I know uses "Lords of Space". I like that.
Thanks, Rajani.
Great post! I rarely touch on religion in my books, but I can see how it could play a big part in building the story.
Interesting post, gives one pause for thought. I rarely, if ever touch on religion in my books. However, I do see how it could play a big part in world building or rule building. Thanks for sharing.
I agree with how you include some basics of religion in your stories with folks from different alien cultures. I have a tendency to make my deities feminine, but I like how you nudge to a non-specific gender. I'm going to keep that in mind when I create my new series next year. Thanks, Diane!
Good post! Thanks for the mention. I felt that the tragedy of the way my genetically engineered soldiers the Badari were created by alien scientists and then mistreated was made even more poignant by the fact they have a strong belief in The Great Mother, handed down via ancestral memory from the humanoids who make up part of their DNA. And she certainly does intercede on occasion!As you point out, worldbuilding is such an important part of the plot for a successful book or series.
Thanks for the comments, Maureen and Tena. I usually don't even talk about religion, let alone include it in my stories. But I can see possibilities for conflict based on how religion is treated in our own world, esp. in the past.
Kiri, I like the concept of a female deity. Too often, our deity is male. I like to think of a Supreme Being as being non-gender. I hope you new series goes well.
Thanks for stopping by, Veronica. I made the assumption that because of the atrocities committed mainly by the mean on the Badari, that having a female deity made a lot of sense. I love your series with the Badrai warriors. I also enjoyed your series with the Egyptian deities. I'm not as familiar with them as I am with the Roman/Greek myths. Always enjoy learning more.
I always enjoy your posts, Di!
I think a background in planetary religion rounds out a character, but doesn't need to be front and center. That is just my opinion.
Many of us read and write paranormal romance to get away from the politics and religious pressures of our daily lives. I have certainly read (mostly scifi) where religion played a huge part. Stranger in a as Strange Land comes to mind. So I know that paranormal can strongly feature a religion and still be a first class escape read.
Good post! It got me thinking and debating sides in my own mind. LOL!
I agree about reading to get away from the "real" world with politics and religious fervor. Like a world building, a light hand is needed, whether it's government, geological features, or religion. I think it adds richness to our stories without rubbing our faces in it. I hope that made sense. Thanks for commenting.
How I love Penric and Desdemona, the fantasy series by Lois McMaster Bujold. It is set on her world of the Five Gods: the Mother, Father, Son, Daughter, and Bastard, each presiding over their specialties. Penric is a holy man for the Bastard, and Desdemona, being a demon, is the Bastard's creation. Though a god of chaos and the unexpected, the Bastard (on the rare occasion when he makes an appearance) is shown to be caring and just. In the later books (I'll have to reread the Chalion series to see if they mentioned this) we discover that the Bastard is the youngest child of the Mother, not the Father. There are nations on this world in which it is sacrilege to believe in the Bastard. All so interesting! Pen sometimes gets in a religious mood and begins to talk about how humans relate to their gods, and vice versa.
Sounds interesting, Carol. Thanks for sharing.
Post a Comment