Writing & Character Design: Create the cultures your story needs!

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

It was freaking hot! 86 F (30 C). Anyway What norms do you use to drive your story?

[@GergelyGyurics]

Thank you. I was stuck in my current world building project and this video made my problem clear. While I have a supreme antagonist, that antagonist is actually born of society's current needs and he's the proper answer for the world's problem. My main character was supposed to go against him, but through her journey, she finds out that the antagonist is the lesser evil compared to the world's indifference. Closing the story with a fight against the antagonist would have gone against everything the main character learns in her story arc. Now I realized that she can start as a rebel but grow into a completely different - even opposing - role, opening up a whole lot of creative alternatives.

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

You are very welcome!

[@rhanak4115]

An excellent video, and a good reminder to keep worldbuilding focused on serving the narrative and not lost in endless details for their own sake.

[@bluejayblaze1180]

The theme of my current project is the definition and cost of immortality. The Drakalfar are a culture with a strong focus on memory, storytelling, and the idea that immortality comes from being remembered and having your story told by future generations. The main antagonist doesn't believe this is enough and, fearing death, pursues any path available that might offer *physical* immortality, no matter who he has to hurt or what he has to destroy to achieve it. Even before the antagonist's identity is revealed, his attitude shows in his casual disregard for important symbols and traditions of his own culture---tying up his Aevitaufr (which hides the beads that tell his life story) because he thinks they get in the way, acting dismissively towards his dragon, studying necromancy (considered evil due to bring the hijacking of a dead person's story), etc.

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

I've got some videos on immortality coming out in a few weeks. I hope they'll help you on your journey.

[@damonhawkes2057]

Another great worldbuilding/writing discussion! Now I want to go back to my old pen & paper RPG and rework the cultures.

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

[@elgordo107able]

Gracias a este vídeo aprendí que mis personajes no existen en un vacío, sino en una cultura. Y, también, gracias a este vídeo aprendí que no debo tomar todo de una sola cultura, sino las partes que son vitales para la historia.

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

You are very welcome :)

[@nicolocorbellani9807]

lovely video, it shows your mastery of worldbuilding and storytelling

[@unripetheberrby6283]

Thank you so much :') I knew about some of these ideas in my story but, I didn't really know how to ask them, so I could think on it and double-check things... Will definitely subscribe, and watch some more. You seem like a good teacher Miss! and it was an enjoyable video too, steady to listen to and interesting examples to understand God bless you~

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

Welcome to my little corner of KZbin 😁

[@Petal-Lavelle]

Ahh I spy the kitty who meowed in the last video. Very cute. Thanks again for your wonderful content

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

They make occasional appearance on camera 😁

[@johnnyritenbaugh1214]

I love your videos. Always insightful!

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

Thanks :)

[@kMegalonyx]

Is the heroism of the common man the theme of (Catholic, monarchist) Tolkien? Doesnt Aragorn undermine that idea?

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

The hobbits represent the common man. They are not great, or famous or powerful warriors, only good people doing what they need to do. Yes, Tolkien had monarchy and catholic based views, but the books were written from the perspective of a man who fought in WWI. He witnessed firsthand the heroism of normal men who have dire situations thrust upon them. Yes, Aragorn was “born a hero” born of the line of kings and what not. And maybe for you that destroys the theme of Sam and Frodo and their heroism, but for me it underscores their heroism because despite these born heroes existing, the most dangerous and heroic quest fell to small hands to do.

[@kMegalonyx]

@@JustInTimeWorldbuilding thanks for the response! Im not sure Tolkien gets credit for that narrative but it can certainly be found! Im pretty slow to give it credit given the overwhelming embrace of the works by ethnonationalists, but Im certainly not the one to say when the baby aint worth the bathwater.

[@MerkhVision]

A single work can have multiple themes.

[@brettsteinbook5370]

I feel like the real world is much more layered. Personally, I feel like I am influenced by many subcultures. My country has a culture, my state has a culture, my city has a culture, my workplace has a culture, my friend group has a culture and my religion (as not just a belief system or faith but also an ethnic group) not being the one that the country supports has a different culture. How do you convey that level of living real life complexity in a story without confusing the reader? I am drawn to stories of organized crime and the stories of spies where the work culture is so different from the civilian culture around it. World building where everything is grey and everyone does right and wrong. So, I don't really feel like Tolkien where the author has clear ideas about who is right and who is wrong, is the best place to get examples from for me. Thanks for the video. Your videos on cultures have really helped me think about my characters differently. Would love to hear your thoughts on creating subcultures if you feel there are any different things I should consider than cultures in general. Thanks.

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

My approach with subcultures is to use that same circle model from the livestream, but mark some things as "parent culture" and make sure I understand how the subcultures and the parents interact. For example, laws often are mostly parent culture. Expression is almost always subculture driven with influence from the parent culture. When I do a full video on the model, I'll include some thoughts on sub culture. About Tolkien, he's not the best for shades of gray no haha. But Blue Eye Samurai could work as an example for you. Or my own work, my characters are all pretty gray (my main character is an a$$assin. Great to hear that the videos helped you!

[@quinnsmusings]

If you don't mind queer fantasy, might I recommend Megan Derr's The High King's Golden Tongue. There's a number of books in the series and I'm blown away by the culture and worldbuilding, which you might like

[@juliagustafsson2895]

really enjoy your videos. just thought i’d stand up for our boy pippin. he is actually the son of the thane of the shire (who lives in tookburough) so he if any would recognice heraldry. I think his culture arc is more that because he comes from the strand of hobbits that are more ”adventures” he allways blames himself when he feels afraid or when they are captured, or when merry fuqs people up and he doesent. (and merry has a simular arc of feeling like bagadge for everybody else, probebly because he had such a leader position in the hobbis group befoure all the big people started showing up. and ofc merry being a piece of luggage stabs the witchking and becomes a hero🎉🎉🎉) pippin saves faramir which is probebly his arcs highpoint. but for good messure he does also kill an orc captian at the black gate. so hero status acheaved. and also they are taler the brandobast took. so thats the real W

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

IMO, there are in Tolkien's works always multiple arcs and ways to read the text :) Certainly the heroic arc is one. For me, looking at it through the lens of culture, it was marked how much of a rebel Pippin (and Merry) started out as and how much they grew on their journey.

[@iurk0_streaming]

This is amazing stuff, I'm loving your channel

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

Thanks ☺️

[@oneukum]

The problem with the initial statement is that cultures compete. Just to give an example: A culture living at the coast and having taboos against seafaring and eating fish will not last, because other cultures without those taboos will have too great an economic advantage. Now this is a rather extreme example. If you want a hunter/gatherer culture to survive alongside farmer cultures you will have to find a special reason. Yet with agricultural come norms, like not eating the seed grain.

[@StarlasAiko]

There would be conflict if the agriculturals start claiming more land causing the prey animals for the hunter/gatherers to become scarce, but it is possible. Real world mythology is full of wars between agricultural farmers and pastural farmers for control over the lands, and while sometimes the story ends in an aliance between the two, quite commonly one defeats and erradicates the other.

[@ronecotex]

What do you think about a Romeo and Juliet story but it ends well for that tragic for everyone else

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

So the lovers live and maybe run away and the families go to war? Uff, I'd say that there's a dire message in there. It could seem like the author is saying two people's happiness isn't worth the damage to society. That could then be extrapolated out to mean: non traditional marriage isn't worth the damage to society. (Which to be clear, is not a message I agree with on a personal level). A different theme (and how I would set it up if I were writing such a story) is that the tragedy was never a result of the kids marrying, if their families hadn't gone to war over them, it would have been some other reason. And if you do it that way, you can show a message of hate will find a reason, even if that reason is love. Either way, pretty dark story.

[@1GoodWoman]

Love this approach. Joined.

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

Welcome to my corner of KZbin.

[@ronecotex]

A good way to have culture and conflict is if you have two tribes One Tribe worships the red wolf another tribe worships the Blue Jays the wolf eats a blue jay they they tried to take the wolf's life subscription they fail at it and then you have a blood Feud for life

[@redcapetimetraveler7688]

so what would be the most heroical : - to fight fanaticaly / loyaly whatever it takes to the bitter end ? - to negociate reconciliation despite what honor asks from all ?

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

Great questions for the writer to answer :D

[@2yaff]

Instantly subscribed. Brilliant content

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

Thanks and welcome to my corner of KZbin.

[@MoondogMadness]

💖💖💖

[@absolutelycitron1580]

Welcom to Just in Time Worlds with your- (bird noisyness intensifies) Me: brain deleted

[@IamHattman]

I always prefer my steak philosophical.

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

Said the vampire to the professor?

[@Nathouuuutheone]

May I inquire about the causes of repetitive phrases in your videos? I don't want to dramatize, but I genuinely feel distress when it happens, as if I have to consult for memory issues or hallucinations.

[@JustInTimeWorldbuilding]

Thank you for your concern. I work from a script so I have repetitive phrases, it's the emphasize a point.