Studying Speculative Fiction: Part 2 - Going Down the Rabbit Hole

When I logged off 6 weeks ago, I imagined myself going into full-on serious solitary study mode; burying my face in learning resources and getting immersed in practicing everything I knew, optimistic to come out from seclusion with a tangible product that I could be proud of. I got off to a good start, reviewing every lesson material and doing all the homework. For the first time after so long, I actually felt like I was being a really good, obedient student. But when it was time for me to begin the actual worldbuilding process, I froze — simply because I had to choose between the two approaches of worldbuilding (which are the top-down approach and the bottom-down approach).

While the top-down approach would get me to produce an impeccable fictional world that might leave a really good impression, the bottom-up approach would give me the advantage of finishing my story faster. The choices sounded so simple (now that I've figured it out) and yet I spent weeks thinking about which approach would suit my novel best. For that entire time, I felt as if I had just gone down an empty rabbit hole — so empty that it didn't even have air for me to breathe in. As I felt the walls of the burrow narrowing in on me, I heard the tick-tock sound from the White Rabbit's timepiece fading away as he left me alone, closing the tiny door to Wonderland behind him. In this situation, I'd ask myself: What would Alice do?

Alice would have shrunken herself down with a Drink-Me potion or an Eat-Me cake. But for me, I have this blog with an invisible Write-to-Me tag on it. During the last 3 months, there have been multiple occasions where I came here to rant about the difficulties I had with my learning, only to find myself figuring things out as I tried to spell them out on the screen. I could tell you what went on during these past few days of drafting this post, but it was too convoluted — even more so than the issue I originally came here with. It was pretty much like the scene in the forest with the Caterpillar and the magic mushroom of changes, so to speak.

I think we've had enough of the Wonderland metaphors, so I'm going to go straight to reflection.

1. I've come to a realization that my problem in deciding the right worldbuilding approach goes back to my fear of wasting precious resources. I thought I've gotten rid of that fear or at least have minimized it during the leatherworking project, but I guess I require more practice to make it last. I hope this time would do it, for I really don't feel like going through this again.
   
   
2. The issue mentioned above is actually related to a detail I've mentioned in the previous post, which is the tendency to hyperfocus and to strive for perfection. While I intended to follow the advice, putting it to action is nowhere near easy.
   
   
3. Coming back into creative writing is no longer simply about completing my long-lost teenage dream, but I'm very glad to have opened this old armoire of abandoned ambitions in the basement of my brain because it has led me to the discovery of a hidden door that connects me to more paths of possibilities. While I keep working on my writing, I'm also going to explore those different paths I've discovered.
   

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." - Lewis Caroll

Until next time, O.

Bonus content:

• Domestika course - Introduction to Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy
• YouTube playlist - Brandon Sanderson's 2020 Creative Writing Lectures at BYU