World building for a novel takes time. To build anything worthwhile takes time. A business, a house, a family, a meal. It all takes time.
As a reader I appreciate it when an author takes time for world building for a paranormal romance novel, or any other genre. It means I’m in for a terrific ride. Whether that ride is in a carriage through 1800s London, a runaway train in the American wild west of the early 1900s, or a restored 1957 Chevy modified to the strict environmental standards of 2096 in Chicago.
As an author of primarily paranormal romance novels, I invest a great deal of time reining in my imagination when I’m world building for a novel or a series. Sure I love the process of dreaming up the impossible feats and features of my 2096 world, but I pause and process, taking time to be sure it makes sense. Gravity has to work everywhere – unless of course there’s a good and valid reason.
As a reader, I admit I get impatient between the releases in my favorite series, but as an author, I understand the need for that time.
When the world building for a novel is effective, the read is seamless, a pure escape and joy to me as a reader. Harry Potter was one such series, but there are dozens of others. Harry Potter took a significant investment of time. A careful and thoughtful time investment from the very first kernel of Rowling’s idea through the eventual publication of book seven.
That investment of an author’s time pays off for the reader. And the time between books helps build anticipation in readers and fans for what could possibly come next. As a paranormal romance author of a unique series and setting (2096) I want my readers to enjoy the journey with the characters. To fall into the rich, dark escape of another world and ride out the whirlwind adventure.
That takes time.
Time I’m happy to invest because it means getting to play with ‘imaginary’ friends in ‘imaginary’ worlds as I craft my stories day in and day out. Time that I hope pays off for my readers who deserve the very best investment I can make while world building for my paranormal romance novels.
Live the adventure!
