Ever wondered how authors create their make believe worlds? Today Karen Tyrrell shares some tips. Karen has 8 published titles to her now. She works tirelessly to help people feel empowered and is passionate about helping others. Song Bird Superhero is her recent release which will no doubt be a soaring success!
How
to Create a Superhero World in Fiction
I created a unique superhero world for my children’s
novel, Song Bird Superhero.
How?
From the very first page, readers know Song Bird Superhero
lives in a superhero world, reminiscent of superhero comics and movies. Song
Bird Superhero is set in Happy Valley, a parallel universe where superheroes reign
supreme, incognito with super villains. Happy Valley reveals normal world scenes
like the family home, the neighbourhood, the local park, Happy Valley School,
the science fair and dreamscapes but populated by supernatural beings. In Happy
Valley, dark spectacular happenings occur. It’s a place where good triumphs over
evil …eventually.
Meet
Song Bird and her alter ego, Rosella Ava Bird, a young girl who nightly dreams
are filled with flying. Too bad her waking hours are a living nightmare:
Her flying
inventions crash.
Her kooky
parents, Mr and Mrs Bird are super overprotective.
Her singing
shatters windows.
The
principal bans her from the science fair.
Worst
of all, Rosie lives next door to Frank Furter, an evil boy-genius whose sights
are set on seeing her fail! Rosella is the girl least likely to soar, and yet
when she learns to sing something incredible takes flight. Rosella becomes Song
Bird, a flying superhero who saves the day.
In chapter one, we meet Rosella’s kooky Mum, a
health and safety officer. And her dad who’s scared of heights and speed. Both
are oblivious to Rosie superpowers. Her little brother Robin and her big sister
Raven do suspect something is going in.
Rosie’s side-kick, Amy Hillcrest is wheelchair
bound, diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Amy supports Rosie’s quest and inspires
us by her positive words and actions. Amy is smart, confident and super talented
in maths and science, inventing things.
Rosie’s teacher and mentor, Miss Darling is a
superhero in disguise. Her role is to guide Rosie on her journey to discover
her super powers and save the day.
Rosie’s nemesis, Frank Furter is a bully, whose
traits we recognize from our schooldays.
He bullies the weak and turns them into victims. Frank Furter’s evil
powers are equal to Rosie’s, which makes her soar even higher.
Rosie lives in a human world facing supernatural
brick-wall challenges, instigated by the villain.
Can Song Bird defeat the evil child genius and save
her brother, Robin and the school?
5 Tips to World Building
- Create an original, authentic scifi or fantasy world with the minimum of clichés. The superhero genre is a sub-genre of scifi, fantasy or both.
- Hook the reader in with intrigue, immersing us into the main character’s emotions.
- Personify your world with emotions. Describe your world vividly in regard to its physical environment, social structures, special rules or languages and the people.
- Ask yourself: How is your fictional world like ours? How is your world different?
- Reveal your intriguing world and code of behaviour through dialogue between characters, thoughts from the main character and specific vivid descriptions where needed.
Did these World Building tips resonate with you?
FREE Teacher resources and kids
activities for Song Bird.
Includes
STEM science, creative writing, history, art,
craft, maths, literacy, drama, social skills, and bully prevention.
Download
HERE.
Song
Bird Superhero by Karen Tyrrell is now available on Amazon HERE
Song
Bird Book Giveaway
Let’s
celebrate the release of Song Bird Superhero by Karen Tyrrell on Amazon.
Comment below to win a "LIMITED EDITION COPY" of Song Bird Superhero.
Answer this question: Why do
you want to win a copy of Song Bird Superhero?
Giveaway closes on October 20. Good luck J
Thanks Melissa,
ReplyDeleteFor posting my tips on creating a make believe world.
I invite your to readers to leave a comment here for a chance to win a FREE copy of Song Bird.
Were the tips helpful?
Cheers,
Karen :)
Hi Karen
ReplyDeleteSome good tips - especially in avoiding (or subverting or twisting) cliches and making it more than a 2D world by portraying 'physical environment, social structures, special rules or languages and the people.'
I started creating my narrative world at the age of 9 - so to some extent it just grew of it's own accord. I've had a lot of fun with it :)
I did smile - I went to Happy Valley school in Grade 5 and my youngest brother and sister also went there for most of their primary school. It's in Mt Isa though, not your delightful alternative universe.
I love to win a copy of Songbird - it has such a bright, colourful cover and the concept of a girl superhero based on a songbird.
All the best with your book launch.
Thanks Jeanette for sharing your feedback on my world building tips and sharing your own fantasy world.
DeleteAnother happy valley school eh?
Good luck with the book giveaway competition... Karen :)
Hi karen,
ReplyDeleteLovely to see such helpful tips . These are very useful for emerging writers. The singbird superhero book launch at logan library was great and we all enjoyed it. Keep up the great work and all the best fir other launches too.
Would love to win a copy of it and amazing book!!
Thx
Komal
Hi Komal,
DeleteThanks for taking a peek of my World Building tips. I'm writing the sequel to Song Bird Superhero now. Love to see you at my next launch in 2017. Good luck with the book give away.
Thanks,
Karen :)