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How to Build a Fictional World
构筑自己的科幻世界,成为下一个J.K.罗琳!
In J.R.R.'s world, Gandalf is one of five wizards sent by the Valar to guide the inhabitants of Middle Earth in their struggles against the dark force of Sauron. Gandalf's body was mortal, subject to the physical rules of Middle Earth, but his spirit was immortal as seen when he died as Gandalf the Grey and resurrected as Gandalf the White.
在J.R.R.托尔金(魔戒作者)的世界里，甘道夫是在与索伦的黑暗势力抗争中，维拉派来引领中土世界居民的五个巫师之一。甘道夫的躯体会死亡，受制于守中土世界的物理规则，但他的灵魂是不朽的，从他以灰袍甘道夫身分死去，然后以白袍甘道夫复活上可见一斑。
According to the Wachowski's script, an awakened human only has to link up and hack the neon binary code of the Matrix to learn how to fly a helicopter in a matter of seconds. Or if you are the One, or one of the Ones, you don't even need a helicopter. You just need a cool pair of shades.
根据华卓斯基(骇客任务导演)的剧本，觉醒的人类只需要连结并骇入母体中如霓虹灯闪烁的二进位编码，就能在几秒钟之内学会如何驾驶一架直升机。或是如果你是救世主，或是救世主之一，你甚至不需要直升机。你只需要一副很酷的墨镜。
Cheshire cats can juggle their own heads. iPads are rudimentary. No Quidditch match ends until the Golden Snitch is caught. And the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything is most certainly 42.
柴郡猫(艾莉丝梦游仙境里的裂嘴猫)可以抛耍牠们自己的头。iPad是最基本的。没有一场魁地奇能在金探子被抓到之前结束。而对于生命、宇宙及万物的终极答案几乎确定是42。
Just like real life, fictional worlds operate consistently within a spectrum of physical and societal rules. That's what makes these intricate worlds believable, comprehensible, and worth exploring.
就像现实生活，虚幻世界在一种物理范畴及社会规则下持续运作。那就是让这些複杂的世界可信、可理解、值得探索的事物。
In real life, the Law of Gravity holds seven book sets of Harry Potter to millions of bookshelves around the world. We know this to be true, but we also know that ever since J.K. typed the words wizard, wand, and "Wingardium Leviosa," that Law of Gravity has ceased to exist on the trillions of pages resting between those bookends.
在现实生活，万有引力定律在全世界数百万个书架上支撑七套书的哈利波特小说。我们知道这是真的，但我们同样也知道自从J.K.罗琳打出了巫师、魔杖、以及“温咖癫啦唯啊萨(飞行咒)”时，万有引力定律已停止存在于置于书架间的无数书页中。
Authors of science fiction and fantasy literally build worlds. They make rules, maps, lineages, languages, cultures, universes, alternate universes within universes, and from those worlds sprout story after story after story.
科幻小说及幻想文学的作者确实建造出了世界。他们制定规则、绘出地图、列出家系、创造语言、文化、宇宙、在宇宙中的另一个宇宙，从那些世界中萌芽出一个又一个再一个的故事。
When it's done well, readers can understand fictional worlds and their rules just as well as the characters that live in them do, and sometimes, just as well or even better than the reader understands the world outside of the book.
当这功夫做得好，读者可以理解虚幻世界以及他们的规则，就跟生活在其中的角色一样清楚理解，而有时候，就跟读者理解书外世界一样清楚、或甚至更清楚。
But how? How can human-made squiggles on a page reflect lights into our eyes that send signals to our brains; that we logically and emotionally decode as complex narratives that move us to fight, cry, sing, and think; that are strong enough not only to hold up a world that is completely invented by the author, but also to change the reader's perspective on the real world that resumes only when the final squiggle is reached?
但怎么做到的？人类在纸页上的潦草笔记怎么能将光线反射进入眼里，发送信号到我们的脑中；怎么让我们在逻辑上、情绪上都解读成使我们想要战斗、哭泣、歌唱、还有思考的复杂故事；怎么能强大到不只能支撑一个完全由作者发明的世界、还能改变读者对于现实世界的观点，而那是读到最后一页潦草笔记才能回去的世界？
I'm not sure anyone knows the answer to that question, yet fantastical, fictional worlds are created everyday in our minds, on computers, even on napkins at the restaurant down the street. The truth is your imagination and a willingness to figuratively live in your own world are all you need to get started writing a novel.
我不确定有任何人知道那问题的答案，但奇幻、虚幻的世界每天都在我们的脑中、在电脑上、甚至在街道上餐厅的餐巾纸上被创造出来。事实是，你的想像力、以及比喻性地住在你自我世界的意愿，就是你所有需要开始写小说的东西。
I didn't dream up Hogwarts or the Star Wars' Cantina, but I have written some science thrillers for kids and young adults. Here are some questions and methods I've used to help build the worlds in which those books take place.
我并没有想像出霍格华兹或是星际大战的酒吧，但我为孩子和年轻人写过一些科幻冒险小说。这里是一些问题和方法，那是我用来帮助建造那些书本内容发生的世界。
I start with a basic place and time. Whether that's a fantasy world or a futuristic setting in the real world, it's important to know where you are and whether you're working in the past, present, or future.
我从一个基本的地点和时间开始。不论那是个奇幻的世界，或是真实世界的未来主义场景，很重要的是知道你在哪里，还有不管你是在过去、现在、或是在未来发展的。
I like to create a timeline showing how the world came to be, what past events have shaped the way it is now. Then I brainstorm answers to questions that draw out the details of my fictional world:
我喜欢绘出一条时间轴显示出世界怎么变成这样的，过去什么事件形塑了它现在的样子。然后我脑力激荡出那些勾勒出我的虚构世界中细节种种问题的答案：
What rules are in place here? This covers everything from Laws of Gravity (or not) to the rules of society and the punishments for individuals who break them.
在那地方有什么规则？这涵盖了一切，从万有引力定律(或没有重力)，到社会规范以及对那些违反规范的个人之处罚。
What kind of government does this world have?
这个世界拥有怎样的政府？
Who has power, and who doesn't?
谁握有权力，谁没有？
What do people believe in here?
人们在这里相信什么？
And what does this society value most?
这社会最重视什么？
Then it's time to think about day-to-day life.
然后是时候想想日常生活。
What's the weather like in this world?
在这个世界天气是怎么样的？
Where do the inhabitants live and work and go to school?
居民在哪生活、工作、上学？
What do they eat and how do they play?
他们吃什么、他们怎么玩？
How do they treat their young and their old?
他们如何对待他们的年轻人和长辈？
What relationships do they have with the animals and plants of the world? And what do those animals and plants look like?
他们和那世界的动物以及植物之间有什么关系？那些动物和植物看起来像什么？
What kind of technology exists?
有什么样的科技存在？
Transportation? Communication? Access to information? There's so much to think about!
交通运输？通讯传播？取得资讯的方式？有很多要思考!
So, spend some time living in those tasks and the answers to those questions, and you're well on your way to building your own fictional world.
所以，花些时间活在那些任务以及问题的答案里，你就会稳稳地走在建立你自己的虚幻世界的路上。
Once you know your world as well as you hope your reader will, set your characters free in it and see what happens. And ask yourself, "How does this world you created shape the individuals who live in it? And what kind of conflict is likely to emerge?"
一旦你了解你的世界，就像你希望你的读者们了解得一样清楚时，释放你的角色们，并看看会发生什么事。然后问你自己：「你创造出的世界如何形塑居住在其中的人们？有怎样的冲突可能会出现？」
Answer those questions, and you have your story.
回答那些问题，然后你就有你自己的故事。
Good luck, future world-builder!
祝你好运，未来的创世者!
