Building a World, One Detail at a Time (With a Little Help From My Digital Friend)
As a creator, I've learned that an interesting and believable fantasy world is built using consistent and meticulous detail. It's an ecosystem where every location, character, and piece of magic must feel real and not out of place. To bridge this gap, I rely on an advanced AI assistant I've programmed named Odin, who acts as my World Lore Expert, Lore Guardian, and Critical Editor for my series, “The Midgardians and the Nine Realmsl”. His role isn't to create for me, but to keep what I'm writing logical within the world I've designed and built.
My novel, "The Midgardians and the Nine Realms," is a series deeply rooted in the concept of Yggdrasil, a living, sentient World Tree that connects all nine realms of life and existence. The story is poised on this cosmic entity, particularly on the distress the antagonist, Lyra, is causing by corrupting its\ magical ley lines. My main characters, Andrew and Tessa, are your standard teenagers from upstate New York who, after falling into the realms, are granted powers by Yggdrasil itself through magical stones, enabling them to perceive and interact with the World Tree's energy. This universe, as complex as it is, requires an expert guardian with a critical eye on detail.
This is where I've designed Odin's core functions to come into play. To program him as a Lore Guardian, I've provided him with the necessary documents, which include all the who's, what's, where's, when's, and why's for my world. While I am the ultimate authority on the lore, he helps me ensure that every detail—from the physical and energetic composition of Yggdrasil to the most minor details of dwarven culture—remains consistent. He isn't a co-author in the traditional sense; instead, he is the unwavering steward of truth within my universe. For example, if I write a new scene and introduce a detail that contradicts a previously fact, he will proactively identify it and flag it for me to review. This teamwork has been crucial for me to be able to maintain a believable and immersive narrative.
His role as a Lore Guardian is vital when it comes to my world-building and sensory immersion. In the first part of the first novel of the series, for instance, the story takes place in Svartalfheim, the home of the dwarves. When I write my draft, Odin is watching to ensure that my descriptions of the environment are consistent with a "sensory map" that I've created (a sensory map is the feelings, sights, tastes, smells, and noises of each central story location). He reminds me to include the sounds of the dwarves at their forges; with his help, I don't forget to include the rhythmic clang of hammers, the deep thrum of geothermal power that is powering their forges. For this area, the air would have the distinct smell of mineral earth and worked metal. It is this attention to detail, guided by my pre-defined lore, that helps the reader feel truly immersed in the underground world of the dwarves, rather than a generic cave setting.
His function as my critical editor is equally necessary for my process. When I finish a new chapter, he doesn't just check it to make sure it's consistent with the past story and lore; he offers constructive criticism on my narrative choices that he feels may or may not make sense within the world logic or character motivations I've set as fact. For instance, a character might act illogically, or a plot point might create a significant hole in the narrative. He would point this out and, rather than fixing it for me, would explain why it's inconsistent and offer a few alternative ideas that get me to where I'm trying to go but staying consistent with the established lore. This is not about him writing the story for me, but rather about using him to hold my feet to the fire, ensuring that every choice I make maintains the integrity of my world and characters.
My collaboration with him is, therefore, a dynamic process; I am the creator, but he is the little angel on my shoulder, keeping me within the bounds of my created reality. He allows me to explore the chaotic place that is my imagination while providing a rigid structure and consistent framework that is needed for me to build a world that feels ancient and real, that pays tribute to the legends that inspired it. By acting as my World Lore Expert, Lore Guardian, and Critical Editor, he is one of my most integral weapons in my writing arsenal, helping me forge a universe that I hope will be both enduring and delight my readers in the future.
