Need advice, worldbuilding

Recently I have been writing a work I would categorize as contemporary fantasy, and the worldbuilding has been a major concern for me. Most contemporary fantasy novels I have read take place on Earth, but mine in set in another world. There is no possible way this could be set on Earth without major plot changes. I already have the mythology and culture of the world worked out. I'm just worried about the technology.

Since the story takes place on a world equivalent to modern Earth, should the technology have developed in different ways? I've already taken this into consideration when formulating the "Screen", which is a combination of a computer, a phone, and a television, but I'm a bit nervous about things like cars, the DJ at a nightclub, music, etc. Am I being overly paranoid, or should I put more thought into my world before moving on? If the latter, does anyone have suggestions?

EDIT: I spelled the title "wordbuilding" instead of "worldbuilding". Silly me.

I wouldn't get too caught up in EVERY detail of your world. But you probably should find equivalents for everyday things that will be used often. It doesn't even have to be very different. One thing that comes to mind is His Dark Materials, where Anbaric lights are used instead of Electric, since Amber and Electrum are the same thing in different languages. It's just an alternate etymology (which is a common trick). Sometimes the name is all that matters.

And just out of curiosity: Will there be airships?

~Annie

I think believability would be the most important thing to take into account. Not everything needs to be different just for the sake of things being different on this world. For example, you wouldn't put square wheels on their cars to make it different, because there's a good reason we use circular wheels. (That's a pretty extreme example, but you see where I'm going - technology is generally how it is because that's been found to be the best way to do things)

If conditions are different, such as different gravity, or different abundances of certain elements on this planet, different technologies would arise. Think about why they need their technology different to us. What other things do they have to take into account on this world that we don't have to? What don't they have to take into account? My advice is to not go too overboard with the fancy technology.

There is also the issue of how advanced you want them to seem. If you're thinking similar to us now, my advice would be more relevant, than if they're a super-advanced society like in Star Wars or something like that.

There is of course the option to just use Earth items for now while you do the first draft, rather than getting bogged down thinking about new variations of the toaster, and add some extra sci-fi touch as you edit. That's what I'd do. Stuff will probably come to you as you get more familiar with your world, which will happen as you write.

To answer your first question: Yes, technology should probably evolve in a different way. Because there is magic in the world, some things will be different.

However, ask yourself how often people will need to know the origins of things. If you're trying to work it in for every detail, you'll end up with info-dumps. Readers do not like an overdose of info-dumps.

So, take it into account, but don't go overboard. And follow the advice in the posts above mine. ^_^

It's just an alternate etymology (which is a common trick). Sometimes the name is all that matters.

I have taken this into consideration. Since I already created the Screen, I invented the MiniScreen as the equivalent to a cell phone. Since some cell phones support the Internet, videos, pictures, games, etc. it's not much different from a MiniScreen at all.

And just out of curiosity: Will there be airships?

I love airships! I wish I could find some way to incorporate them, but the entire story takes place in a single city. There is one part in the story where a character crosses over a "bottomless pit" into a mass graveyard, and I was going to use a bridge for that. However, scary, decrepit bridges are kind of cliche, so perhaps I'll use an airship instead.

technology is generally how it is because that's been found to be the best way to do things

That's exactly what I was thinking. When it comes to cars, there's not really a better way to get around. Since the majority of fantasy books I read are "high fantasy" based on medieval times, I don't have a good example of vehicles in fantasy. Does anyone have any recommendations of contemporary fantasy based in other worlds?

To answer your first question: Yes, technology should probably evolve in a different way. Because there is magic in the world, some things will be different.

My story revolves around the fact that magic is both genetic and forbidden, and the one race that can use magic is treated like evil scum. So using magic in technology would be a bit difficult. I suppose, then, that the rest of the world would develop similar to ours.

The way I see it, my world can have motorcycles and microphones the same way we do if high fantasy worlds can have chain mail and swords and feudalism the exact same way it was in the Middle Ages. Just a thought.

MeghanElizabeth wrote:

technology is generally how it is because that's been found to be the best way to do things

That's exactly what I was thinking. When it comes to cars, there's not really a better way to get around. Since the majority of fantasy books I read are "high fantasy" based on medieval times, I don't have a good example of vehicles in fantasy. Does anyone have any recommendations of contemporary fantasy based in other worlds?

Jetpacks? Animal transport? Maybe combination of existing vehicles in Earth? Or modified Earth vehicles that are used differently, like a boat with a wheel, using wind power.

Actually the wheel-boat is from my story, but well, just a thought.

@ Crouching Tuna - I've actually considered the animal transportation, but in a city, riding an animal to work could get a bit tricky. It would need to be something large, like a horse. There's too many people, and where would you put the horse? I don't want to steal your idea, but I'll put some thought into the vehicle combination thing.

Hey, the animal doesn't have to be big!
Think about sea/river transport, maybe a net with an artificial bait for fishes, that could accelerate a ship.
This would work nicely, since the fishes are replaceable, any school of fish would work. But then you'd have to think about some regulations about pollution, to keep the fish in the river, which is not a bad thing to include in the story.

You said the technology is roughly equivalent to the Earth at present, so the only thing that differs is the environment. This is the part where you could put in the unique animal for the animal transport, or modify the gravitation, number of moons to affect the tidal change, or temperature, then work out how you think the humans there improve their technology to suit the surroundings.

Actually, I was considering having the city run on monorail. I just developed my photographs from spring break at Disney World, and it gave me the idea xD I was also thinking about cities, and how most people in largely populated cities ride the subway or walk instead of owning a car. The setting of my story is the capitol of the largest country in the world, so population is definitely something to take into account.