When I was a kid, I wanted very much to fall into a fairy world. It’s something I’ve talked about a lot in other posts, and it’s a pretty recurrent theme throughout my life (yes, even as an adult 😂) I have always loved dreaming about alternate worlds, perhaps existing next to our own, perhaps existing in some other totally different dimension or planet. But still, some other world.
I think that’s a pretty common thing with humans in general but especially with people who enjoy writing— imagining what other worlds could exist, and where, and how you could possibly find them. And, perhaps most interesting at all, if such worlds did exist, what would you hope they were like? Would they be less violent than our own? More colorful? With creatures and magical people that exist solely in what we consider fantasy? It’s no mystery our own world here in Earth as we know it is no fantasy world…it’s easy to want to imagine a different one.
But then again not everyone wants to dream about a perfect fantasy world where you would enjoy living. For some people it’s more interesting to dream up worlds with a lot of atmosphere and potential for drama and action, with scandal and with intrigue—a King’s royal backstabbing court, or a Gothic mansion set amongst the windy, lonely cliffs. Sometimes it’s more this possibility for tension and an exciting story that inspires us, rather than an idyllic setting. For me, my worlds tend to border on the more childlike. I like it when a fantasy world has elements of our own, but also with elements of magic. I love charming architecture—little quaint houses, a gorgeous castle of dozens of colors, with spires that cut into the sky. Of talking animals, fairies, and sparkling streams. With singing flowers, and a magical gate. A world with mystery and new discoveries anywhere you look. Maybe something like “Alice in Wonderland” minus the Red Queen….I wouldn’t much care to spend time around her.
As I look outside, the weather here is growing more and more ominous. We’re supposed to get a storm, a strong and ferocious one. My son asked me if our house would blow away…I told him no, but it made me think about Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, and her house flying away in the storm and landing in Oz. One of the most famous fantasy lands ever, and one that was lovely, but definitely had some serious danger involved!
So now my question is, how about you? What fantasy setting do you find most intriguing/inspiring for your writing? And would you want to live in this place? Or is it solely a place you would visit as a writer, far away? Are the characters who live there people or creatures you would love as neighbors and friends? Or are they menacing and possibly evil? Our imaginations are limitless…
Hoping you’re having a great Friday, and are excited for the weekend! And if you’re getting a storm like ours, stay safe♥️
-Winter
Winter Betancourt 
Great post! You write well. As an author, I create a fictional world for a fictional family, though each setting is real- I have lived and worked or at least visited there. Still, the idea of creating a world for my characters gives me great joy. Thank you for the post!
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Thank you so much JR! I think that’s great, it really develops the realism and builds the atmospherics of your story when you write from experience 😃
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