The Art of World Building: Creating Breakout Fantasy and Science Fiction Worlds In Stories and Gaming EP 7: How to Create Monsters
Feb 13, 2018
Dive into the art of monster creation, where creatures become symbols of moral challenges. Discover the fine line between monsters and sentient beings, and how their traits affect our perceptions. Explore the evolution of these beings, from accidental mutations to purposeful designs. Learn about their habitats and motivations, revealing that even monsters have desires. Uncover their potential roles as threats or guardians, as well as the deeper themes reflecting human nature in their narratives.
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Monsters As Moral Symbols
- Monsters often represent moral or social warnings beyond being merely scary.
- Making a monster embody an issue tied to your story deepens its significance and impact.
Use Numbers To Define Monsterhood
- Use the number of individuals to decide if something is a monster or a species.
- If you have many similar beings, name them as a species (zombies), not as a unique monster.
Sentience Versus Humanity
- Sentience is used loosely in fiction to signal human-like minds, not mere feeling.
- Monsters usually lack culture, language, or philosophy, distinguishing them from sentient races.
