For example, if the beings that inhabit it have values completely different from ours…
Rather, I think that any new Universe should internally touch significantly with ours. But the interest can be directed to the special differences.
For example, a Universe tolerant of lies – there everyone is very cunning, but there theft, murder, etc. are punished.
Do you invent your Universe first or only after you have a goal and characters?
Hey Plamen. I think an effective writer can introduce us to a universe that is totally different from our own and we’ll still accept it.
As a good example, we just read Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck in the apprenticeship. The book is about a subculture that doesn’t share reasonable moral values. However, despite these characters being somewhat wicked and horrible, we still sympathize with and love them.
But it does require a lot of skill on the part of the writer.
I think you can invent universe or characters first. What are you inspired by? If I’m inspired by a neat worldbuilding premise, I may begin there. But likewise if I’m inspired by a character or a plot point, I’ll begin my planning there. Whatever I’m most motivated by, I start with that and then work out from there until the story works.
I think as long as the characters have a strong sense of morality, most readers will connect well with the world even if it has different standards of morality. So, with your example of a world where lying isn’t considered wrong, maybe they have very high standards of physical modesty–something else to balance that out.
I will say, as a Christian, I don’t believe that morality can be different in fictional worlds because it’s so connected with who we are as human beings. So, I wouldn’t be able to believe there’s a world where God didn’t forbid lying. But I would be intrigued to read about a world where lying is societally acceptable. I think by playing with morality vs. social norms (i.e. adultery is wrong, but what constitutes immodest dress is different in each culture), that could be very intriguing.
So basically, I do think every story world needs some limits–some behaviors that are totally unacceptable. But what those limits are can be different from reality. (Like maybe it’s okay to lie, but profanities are illegal… etc.)
