Playing God: Music, art & literature in the world of your WIP

Music, art and literature are three of the “cultural universals” found in every society, so they ought to be considered when world-building for a fantasy WIP. In today’s Playing God post, I explore each of these aspects in some detail, and give a sneak peek at the music, art and literature in my own fantasy world!! →

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SERIES CONTENTS

👍 Introduction | 💡 Creation | 🌟 Cosmology | ☯ Religion | 🔮 Magic | 🌍 Geography | 🌦 Climate & Weather | ⏳ History | 🎭 Race & Culture | 💬 Language | 🎵 Music, Art & Writing | 🏠 Infrastructure | 🤴 Government | 📜 Laws | 💰 Economy

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Music is an activity that permeates every part of our society. It is introduced to us as babies, is a popular and widespread pastime, and forms the basis of myriad cultural references. To take your fantasy world-building to the next level, it is therefore important to consider the specifics of music and how it impacts your characters’ lives. Some key aspects to think about are:

🎵 Songs

Can you imagine a world without songs? Perhaps this is true for your story and forms an important part of the plot…but if not, there are a few different types you may wish to develop. Folk songs, rhymes and lullabies are songs we’re often introduced to at a young age, which can contain historical references and morals. If your characters spend time travelling or staying at inns, think about what type of bar/tavern songs might exist. Are there religious songs? Celebratory songs? Mourning songs? And which songs are famous or well-known?

🩰 Dances

Dancing is another musical activity that is so commonplace we often don’t give it a second thought. But what role does dancing play in your world? What types of dances are there? Dancing can be conducted solo, in pairs, or in groups, so consider what dances may fall into these categories. There are dozens of dance styles from our world you may draw on for inspiration, or perhaps you’ll create your own. Also consider the context and circumstances of different kinds of dance: social, ceremonial, religious, erotic, martial etc.

🎻 Instruments

Unless we’re talking about a technological alternative, chances are that the music in your world is produced by musical instruments. There are a few options when it comes to developing instruments for your fantasy world. First, instruments could simply be the same as those we already know and love. Second, you could just give them a new set of names to add a more unique flair. Third, you could develop a new series of instruments based off those in our world, or fourth, you could create something that has never been seen before!

👥 Role(s) in society

I alluded to this above, but regardless of how much attention you pay to the songs, dances and instruments in your world, the most important thing is that you consider the place music holds in society. How is music viewed by different social groups? Is it valued by one and snubbed by another? Forbidden to one and revered by another? Does it vary throughout different classes? If your world has multiple cultures, it is also worth putting some thought into how the role of music differs in each of those cultures.

Like music, art is another diverse range of activities that can be found everywhere throughout human society. Art can be done for leisure, to decorate otherwise dull surroundings, to express concepts and ideas, to capture history, and more. It can therefore play a number of direct and indirect roles in your story, and should be considered when creating a fantasy world. Some key aspects to think about are:

🎨 Drawings

Drawing is a type of visual art, which has an extensive history in our world. For the purposes of your story, think about what kind of medium is used to create drawings (e.g. paint, ink, paper, canvas, rock art). Think about the various purposes that drawings might have (e.g. depict history, religious purposes, decoration). Think about who draws pictures, both now and in the past, and whether there are different styles. If any of your characters can and do draw, these considerations are all worth a bit of extra effort!

🗿 Sculptures & architecture

Sculpture is a type of three-dimensional artwork, whereas architecture is the “art” of creating buildings (which I will touch on in more detail in a future post); sometimes, the two go hand-in-hand. These deserve a similar set of considerations to drawings: what kind of materials are used (e.g. stone, clay, metal, ceramic, wood); what purposes do sculptures serve; who creates them, how, and why. Statues in particular often play a role in portraying historical events or revering certain figures, which may be significant to your story.

👗 Textiles

When I say “textiles” in this context, I’m talking about all things fabric and cloth. There are a few different art styles and associated works that are related to textiles, which are worth considering for your fantasy world. The first, and perhaps the most significant, of these is tapestries. Tapestries are an ancient form of textile art often used to depict historical or religious scenes; they’re also often used in fantasy novels for the same purpose. Another textile aspect you may wish to consider is clothing and fashion, and their roles within your world!

🎲 Games

Games are a type of structured play that are used for entertainment and fun. Okay, so they’re not exactly ART, but I had to find somewhere to talk about them, since games are widely considered a universal part of the human experience. Have a think about what kind of games exist in your world: games of skill, dice games, card games, board games and more. Who gets to play these games? Are different types considered acceptable only amongst certain social groups? Do competitions and challenges ever take place?

Literature is a written or oral form of work that centres around telling a story—whatever the nature or genre of that story might be. If you’re reading this post, you don’t need me to reiterate the importance of stories in our lives, and I’m sure you can appreciate why you may wish to consider the place of literature in your fantasy world. Some key aspects to think about are:

📚 Stories

Before you launch into any consideration of how stories might be conveyed in your world, the first thing you need to do is think about the stories themselves. What type of stories exist in your world? Which are widely known and which are more localised? Some key categories you may wish to ponder include historical and religious tales, love stories, stories of heroes and adventure, fables and the likes. It may also be worth thinking about where/why these stories originated.

📝 Writings

In your world, how are stories conveyed in a written form? One thing to consider is writing style: narratives, poems, personal journals, non-fiction information and accounts. Another thing to consider is then the physical expression of those works: namely books, scrolls, any other way that writing can be recorded and stored. There is a whole range of secondary considerations you might make around this, such as the role of libraries and other methods of distribution.

🎭 Plays & performances

In your world, how are stories conveyed in an oral form? The most common methods that immediately come to mind (aside from songs!) are through plays and other performances. A number of different considerations can be made on this subject, from the specifics of how plays and performances are conducted (e.g. individuals versus groups), when and where they take place, through to the lifestyles of those who participate (e.g. travelling versus static performers).

👥 Role(s) in society

Finally, just like with music, it is important to think about the role literature plays in society. Do different cultures use or view literature in different ways or methods? Are there specifics around accessibility and social norms, such as who can read and who consumes literature in written form versus oral form? Perhaps there are industries that have been built around the sharing of literature, or perhaps it occurs on a more ad hoc basis. All food for thought!

It took me quite some time to make all these considerations for my WIP fantasy series Graceborn, and subsequently develop a range of music, art, and literature-related elements. I also consider it a bit of an ongoing process, and haven’t discarded the idea of producing more content if the situation calls for it! But here are some of the key aspects I’ve developed so far:

Music: I have written a few rhyming chants, a single lullaby, and a handful of lines from a tavern song. When it comes to dances, the named items include two solo dances, three pair dances and three group dances. Instruments are pretty much the same as in our world.

Art: This is probably the least developed aspect from this category. Art is viewed in a similar way to how it is in our society, and it is simply a part of every day life. There are a few painting, sculptures and tapestries that hold more significance than others, but these have not been explored in depth.

Games: The games developed in some depth count three games of skill, two dice games and three board games among there number. I have also created my own deck of playing cards that can be used for a variety of purposes. These haven’t yet all come up in the story itself, but it’s early days yet!

Literature: A large number of literary pieces within my world are explored in short excerpts at the beginning of each chapter. These include stories, letters, diaries, textbooks, historical accounts and more, and I’m always creating new ones. As a lover of literature, I certainly struggle to limit myself!!

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Have you explored music, art and/or literature in the world of your fantasy WIP? Where did you get your inspiration? What do you think are the most important considerations?