escaphilia:

One of the best things about being an author is the ability to create – not just the characters and plots, but we are able to craft whole worlds.  Your setting may be high in the Appalachian Mountains or it can be set in the deepest part of the ocean.  Perhaps, you decide not to keep your location on Earth at all, or maybe you find that you want to take your characters to the past, future, or have some variation of the world that exists now.

The possibilities are endless!

Since you are the master of your own universe you must first and foremost remember that you do not have to “explain” your world to your audience.  There is no need to have an aside about why the weather in the region is perpetually hot or why your version of the middle ages includes unicorns.  Doing so can greatly distract your audience and make for a dry reading experience.

However, keep in mind that you need to understand your world so fully that your reader does so by default.  Here are a few things to keep in mind…

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