Many people you know are still fervent believers, even when faced with scientific evidence. Writing a synopsis is a lot, lot easier than writing a whole damn novel, so don’t stress. If it is you, that’s not religion, that’s psychosis. Step 1, Figure out a name for your god, goddess or assorted deities. Think about it. Thinking through them, and the way they interact with other elements of your world, will add a lot realism and depth to your setting. While people may follow one god they believe all the others exist as well. The culture of your kingdom, moon, or giant soap bucket isn’t fully developed until you’ve given it one or more belief systems. In stories that focus on utopian societies that don’t have enough flaws to drive conflict in the story on their own, the conflict is either introduced by flawed protagonist on their way to enlightenment, or an external threat. The best thing about being a young adult right now is that you, more than any previous generation, have the freedom and the resources to create your own religion. Generally though, beliefs will include one or more of the following: Let your imagination go wild when deciding on beliefs, but remember it should fit the culture and their history. When I left Christianity, I started the ritual of going to the art museum on Easter Sunday. “Well, you’ve got three choices,” she answered. That’s all up to you. In Christianity it’s just bread and wine, but it isn’t just that. When it came to creating my own religion, I decided to borrow from the Quakers and wait in silence, simply let go and let God and hope that my Inner Light would shine. So think about things that move you. Submit your writing to be published on Thought Catalog. 3-One needs to balance both individuality and conformity, embracing one and not the other could lead to hubris or mindlessness. Become a patron or learn more. Think about the cultural and survival factors that were behind those changes. 2. Generally though, beliefs will include one or more of the following: 1. Think about it. All birthdays. On the other hand, a static canon only changes when a new faction forms and breaks away from the rest of the system’s members. Membership can be restricted to the elite, held by people of a specific ethnicity, or kept by a secret society. If you don't organize your time, you may find yourself with no time to write. Page through it and select a setting. Not sure if that fits your story, but something to consider if you have a plot element that depends on Roo not knowing the right choice or perfect answer. Thanks for the reply, your advice is by the way spot-on, that’s one of the main aspects of the story i have been struggling with for a while. Considering all the crap people do because they take religious texts as literal rather than metaphorical…I think I’ll pass on narratively punishing the people who tried to just act the best way they could find on their own for not listening to the guys who take every single ancient holy passage literally. She’ll question her faith a lot more if she’s on her own. In saying that, many fantasy stories don’t create their own base for religion or the origin of their created world, rather they use our world as a basis, Christianity or the Big Bang are two examples. “God” implies that the spirit is more powerful and perhaps has responsibilities over the world, but in general there isn’t a clear cut line between gods and spirits. I heard God’s voice in my head, and yes, He had a Canadian accent, as He confided in me His own secret of creation. In your world, they could even merge together over time. On the other hand, your belief system might split into different traditions or denominations. Organized systems may also engage in active recruiting, either by the followers in general, or by missionary specialists. In ancient China, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shenism coexisted peacefully. Your patronage allows us to do what we love. If you include a real religion, try to get it right. For example, Strong God Philiicities.Step 2, Give the god a title. One all-powerful god and a group of less powerful spirits? Discussion in 'General Chat' started by DankMCD, Jun 10, 2019. At the least, it will pass from parents to children. When they are caught, is the punishment a slow public death or a private slap on the wrist? To reality, as reflected in your fiction. Learn more about working with Thought Catalog. For me it is music. While nothing beats the convenience of a written document for literate societies, the canon doesn’t have to be a book. Go beyond choosing which gods are worshiped or how many. Religion’s complexity makes it a fascinating topic for a writer. Teachers, Sunday school teachers, scout leaders or just about anyone who would like to share favorite songs with others can easily create a songbook with Microsoft Word 2007. A religion held by struggling immigrants will probably be more reviled than one held by the wealthiest and most powerful individuals. After writing a novel, condensing it down to a short synopsis may seem impossible. For my story, I would like to create an animistic religion, but i’m a bit baseless about it. Pay attention to what moves you. The names of the gods don't matter, but the ideas, the values, the approach to solving the mysteries of life, the rituals, the mythologies, taboos, codes of conduct, etc. Everyone has their own reasons for storytelling. Just as belief systems will usually have self-reinforcing beliefs to keep the faith going, their organization will include a way to spread the belief system to new followers. Common elements take on uncommon, miraculous powers and functions. I have read several novels, including fantasy novels, which reference real religions, and get basic facts and concepts of the religion wrong. © 2020 Mythcreants LLC, all articles, art, recordings, and stories are the copyright of their respective authors. It can also be the centerpiece of a new, rebellious counterculture. You could even go so far as to categorize political ideologies as belief systems. In this case, it probably helped that they were very different in nature, and therefore non-threatening to one another. When I created my personal religion, I decided that birthdays should be the high holy day of that religion. 2-Gender, race, age and social status should never be used to judge people, only ones own actions should be what’s used to judge them (some of the characters come from non-human races, some are even born from chaos mages failed magic experiments). A trader might hold a god of travel or trade above the other gods of the pantheon, but he would certainly pay the god of fertility respe… If your belief system is decentralized or the canon is transmitted orally, it will naturally change over time. Religions grow out of previous religions and change over time. This is the best analysis of religions I have ever come across – it may have been created in the context of storytelling, but it goes far beyond that to reevaluate religions & even governments – it reminds me of the first time I read the philisophical question ‘if a tree falls in a forest & no humans are around does it still make a sound’…. Once you have finished you will have your own personal Bible. Go beyond choosing which gods are worshiped or how many. There will be many differences between them. Not necessarily an arch-enemy, but an opposite perspective so … Rising Tide: A Dark Seas Expansion for Torchbearer, Five Reasons Not to Write a Persecution Flip Story, Why Fantasy Writers Should Embrace Their Heritage, What The Black Company Teaches Us About Dark Stories. P.S. 1. In a large enough system, participation could also be mandatory. The creation of Sonahana sounds like a great exercise for you. You could even go so far as to categorize political ideologies as belief systems. I've been working on a religion-based (pagan vs. monotheism) fantasy series for about two years now, and while my notes on the regional pagan/nature-based religion are pretty thorough, I found a number of questions that dive even deeper. Religion can be an underpinning of the story, it can be a thread laced through it, it can be the barest hint of a mention that causes turmoil. One of the most important elements in a novel or short story is characterization: making the characters seem vivid, real, alive. Guncellemeyi unutmayin…, 39 Discussions Every Couple Needs To Have Before Getting Married, Stop Having Those Catholic Weddings For Your Parents, Kayla Liptrot Explains How To Find Self-Love Despite An HS Diagnosis, 13 Atheists Explain Why They Don’t Believe In God, I’m So Tired Of The Religious Intolerance In America, How Getting My Heart Broken Led Me Back To Religion. It’s important to think about its history in the context of its followers, and the other belief systems they encountered. Incorporate it into your rituals. I couldn’t find any in african animism, while in Shinto there are several… but then, what is the difference between the Kami (Shinto’s nature spirits) and gods? […] DIY OF THE DAY: Start your own religion […], […] John Howell starts his article for Thought Catalog by proving that he doesn’t really understand atheism or religion: […]. There are certain songs, certain types of music, certain performers, that transport me to another level of consciousness, that gve me a sort of spiritual orgasm. Start with an image. “On the other hand, everyone could mistakenly believe their stories are metaphorical reminders to treat the land well, when there’s an actual subterranean monster that could rise and devour them at any time.” The followers of your belief system won’t be an undifferentiated mass. Followers of a religion with a pantheon of gods would hold one god whose domain most directly impacted their lives in higher esteem, but they would also pay respect to the other gods especially as circumstances merited the respect. It should sound original, with a touch of Greek, if you wish. The spirits would interact with the world and the characters, a bit like in Vodoun/Voodoo. Make a list of all the quotes, passages, entire books, songs, poems, whatever, that have the weight of ultimate truth for you. Are there more advices you could give me? Even if Roo can only talk to her gods, you might still run into trouble if she has constant access to perfect advice. This can be a powerful tactic, but keep in mind the reason for developing a … If the canon is a sacred document and most of the population isn’t literate, they will rely on priests or other authority figures to tell them what their beliefs are. If the gods of preservation can talk to people through their pocket dimension, can the gods of destruction do it too? That's his title. Thank you for sharing all that, it’s really nice to see how people use speculative fiction to think over and react to real life. This may be first thing in the morning, the time you spend on the subway or after dinner. Religions and other belief systems come in a huge variety of flavors, and whatever you choose should feel like a natural fit for the cultures you’ve already established. How widespread is the belief? Some belief systems, like Confucianism, don’t involve divine or mystical beings at all. The canon can be a living work – one that is continually revised and updated, instead of staying static. Eg: George Lucas with the Force (in Star Wars); C. S. Lewis with Aslan (in the Chronicles of Narnia), etc. You already have one, actually, but just haven’t organized it or acknowledged it. In a thriller or crime novel, particularly, the situation typically grows increasingly dire for the protagonist. That will significantly change the power dynamics in the society. Help us produce quality content for as low as $1/month. Make a list of all the quotes, passages, entire books, songs, poems, whatever, that have the weight of ultimate truth for you. (and sorry if my english isn’t very correct). It worked. Every religion needs its holy book, It’s easy to create one. That’s its canon. So keep it up Chris and thanks for this fruitful discussion, i’m now fired up to work on this story more than any time before. Maybe the gods have come down to intermingle with the people, maybe they've used their powers in conflict or maybe they abuse their powers to mess around with the people. Dig deeply for the unexpected stories. Could you chip in? In 2013, Kaleem won the feature writer of the year award from the Religion Newswriters Association for … Joined: Aug 11, 2018 Messages: 101 Likes Received: 86 Reading List: Link. These are the core themes that i want to build the story around, so i try to avoid any solutions or elements that might compromise those themes. Sign up for the Thought Catalog Weekly and get the best stories from the week to your inbox every Friday. Is it love, truth, collective humanity, the cosmic mystery, a more traditional God without the human-made garbage. Novel writing is a fast-growing hobby worldwide -- and many new novelists write fantasy. Every year, over 40,000 novelists strive to write 50,000 words in November for National Novel Writing Month. You should be able to put together your synopsis in a morning – and still have time for a stroll before lunch. Reblogged this on SharonMyLife and commented: 4. Create Your Own Religion is a call to arms--an open invitation to question all the values, beliefs, and worldviews that humanity has so far held as sacred in order to find the answers we need to the very practical problems facing us.. 5. Well nature spirits certainly can have names. It is essential to the initial query letter you will send out, and later, a good sales tool that provides potential agents or publishers with a short overview of your story. I like that explanation, I don’t know the themes you want to reinforce but it sounds well thought out. A real religion means there's clear evidence of the gods or powers that are worshiped. So, let’s get started. For example, Christian missionaries have traveled the world trying to spread their faith. Consider how science doesn’t negate religion. How did it begin? On the other hand, everyone could mistakenly believe their stories are metaphorical reminders to treat the land well, when there’s an actual subterranean monster that could rise and devour them at any time. Christmas is even a birthday celebration. Belief systems that rely only on familial ties are generally either decentralized or closely tied to a specific lineage. I still haven’t ruled this out. There’s a good chance it caused, or was caused by, a great social upheaval. Your novel should have two main characters C1 and C2 (a man and a woman) and two secondary characters C3 and C4 (also a man and a woman). If you can write a novel, then you can definitely write a synopsis. Give up pleasure or wealth? World building is an important component of fantasy writing because your fantasy world must be grounded in a history and abide by certain rules in order to persuade your readers to suspend their disbelief when you bring in magic, fantastical beasts and other implausible elements. Unlike those who claim to be atheists, you are honest enough with yourselves to realize that as a human being you are hardwired to be religious, but at the same time you don’t like the standard choices on the menu. CREATE YOUR OWN RELIGION ... Now, let’s see how easy it is to turn it into a Religion! How to Create a Fantasy Novel Thursday, September 24, 2009. From there the Preserver gods assigned themselves guardians of creation and each one was to protect a part of the known universe (they can communicate with each other telepathically), gods of creation created a parallel pocket dimension and went there to continue creating stuff away from the hounding of those who wanted to destroy everything, leaving creation in the hands of the Perserver gods, who during that time came in touch with many of the living beings in the universe and thaught them many things, they fascinated the most by the humans which were the last creation by the creator gods before they all left for their pocket dimension, they felt that their war of attrition with the gods of destruction wasn’t going anywhere so they thought they needed a permanent solution to stop them in order to protect the universe and all life in it (which they adore) from being destroyed. Organize your schedule so you have a specific time period to write. If the religion has a fixed canon that has fallen behind current cultural values, it could cause followers of a revised version to leave and form their own organization. The beliefs could encourage this by offering rewards to those who convert others into the fold. Lastly i have to say that your articles and observation did help me a lot with improving the core of the story, even having to write everything down like this results in constant minor changes and improvments, so thanks again and keep up the awesome work. Learn about us. 8) You need an opposing force. Ask yourself how accessible the canon is to the system’s members at large. 3. Other writers have done this before. One of my favorite “verses” in my personal Bible is, “It is better to be hated for who you are than loved for what you are not.” –Andre Gide  The realization of the meaning of that statement set me free, many years ago. The Ancient Egyptian gods were represented by animals and they had names. A set of sacred rituals is the structure of religion. But don’t restrict yourself; perhaps participation in the belief system opens up financial opportunities or makes people more physically attractive. But that doesn’t mean you should rename the Catholic Church and stick it in there. We depend on our readers to keep running. It sounds like you’re doing the latter. Raising the stakes and complicating the situation for your protagonist is one of the most basic ways to create and maintain tension in a novel. To answer your questions, no the Gods of Destruction can’t directly communicate with living things, but their aura of negative emotions and impulses spreads out of their prison dimension (like a stench) affecting pretty much everything outside and causing terrible disturbing nightmares/visions to normal people while also powering up people who completely give into their darkest urges and commit horrendous vile acts of evil by their own volition, this corrupting aura is also what powers the magic of the Chaos Mages (or The Eyes of Veda as they are called in Quin). Once split, two factions of the same belief system are more likely to be in conflict than belief systems that are completely different. Right near the start of the story they send an envoy to seek the Mother of Creation and make a plea for her to create a dimension to trap the gods of destruction inside, which she does, but with the condition that once that happens they too should exile themselves to a dimension of her making and leave the universe to grow on its own, but she was really envious of the bond they shared with her creations which she lacked and couldn’t express for fear that the other still apathetic gods of creation will look down on her for mingling with her creations and stooping down to their level, the gods of Perservance agreed to her terms and the plan worked as she intended, with the gods of Destruction and Chaos banished the Perserver Gods went into volunatary exile, but eventually they managed to find a way to contact all the living things from within their pocket dimension, they can’t interfere directly but they can talk to, commune and give indirect help for any living beings in need of help, eventually they created the teachings of Sonohana when they noticed that the influence of the destruction and chaos gods seeps out from their pocket dimension -probably even unintentionally- and affects the lives of everyone so negatively. If it’s shared by an entire society, it will blend in with the culture. 10. That’s the origin of creation in my story (as you said any belief will try explaining the origin of the world one way or the other), i think that partially solves the problem of why the Guardian gods can’t intervene directly to help anyone in need and need to do so through someone else, hence giving much more meaning to Sonohana as a faith born out of love and necessity not hubris, fear or othrewise. I thought of a reason why the gods of Sonohana won’t/can’t interfere directly even when they wanted to, but i’m afraid it might not hold up for long. I always struggled with how organized religion requires you only believe that organized religion is … Notice how it says that he is the "Strong God" Philiicities. The core tenet though at the heart of Sonahana is that those who harm others in any way shape or form have to be stopped, for example if a devoted disciple of Sonahan sees a raider attacking a peaceful villager he is required to intervene and save him, but then if is too late and the man dies he still has to deal with the killer, and while i said there are no typical punishments in Sonahana there is still a ritual that the disciples perform on anyone who breaks the core tenet of not harming others for selfish reasons (kills, rapes, steals without need … Etc), aside from the increase in physical prowess the Sonahana disciples also gain the ability to crystalize anyone who is impure of heart (they have to be really impure of heart otherwise the crytal won’t even work and will dissolve instantly), those who revel in their destructive selfish desires and urges and bring harm to others are locked within a crystal that fully encases them, the crystal keeps them alive, awake and aware of everything outside it for as long as it takes, the only way to break free is to truly regret the crimes they did and to want to seek redempition, only then the crystal breaks by itself and lets them free, basically when they are no longer a danger to themselves or others, if they become too fixated on their negative emotions and think of nothing else but dark twisted thoughts they are simply keeping themselves locked in (indefinitely in some cases), the gods who gave this power to the disciples put that innate ability into it. Create Your Own Religion is a call to arms--an open invitation to question all the values, beliefs, and worldviews that humanity has so far held as sacred in order to find the answers we need to the very practical problems facing us. It’s not you. DankMCD Well-Known Member. Do the nature spirits have names? The easiest way to create a little surface diversity is to go over your religion's beliefs and imagine a situation where two particular doctrines may be in conflict, then try to come up with a list of possible solutions (and reasons why someone who would believe one solution might be right would say the others are wrong). […] bir din baslatmak isteseniz nelere ihtiyaciniz […], […] really like this outline for “starting your own […]. Maybe he always has to be referred to in that context, otherwise your characters have broken the rules of your work's universe and … The philosophy of religion essay topics is very deep so you are supposed to deal with philosophy as well. Not just my birthday. Yes, it would have a supreme God who creates both the world and the spirits, then oversees overthing without interfering. Remember, you are the founder, the prophet of your own religion, but not its God. An essay is usually a short piece of writing that contains your opinion, the generalizations with additional background information. There’s nothing wrong with borrowing. It was just another mystery religion like dozens of others at the time. Make a 6 1/2 x 8 ½ printed booklet with text on both sides of the pages and two pages printed on one side of … While you might be able to make these conversations work, it will be hard to explain why they don’t solve her problems for her. Whatever role religions may play, only one thing is truly imperative: religions must be consistent with the rest of the world in which they reside. Your belief system may have great benefits, but remember Sanderson’s Second Law: limitations are greater than powers. By subscribing, you agree to the terms of our Privacy Statement. To convey a point or to brighten the light, writers will sometimes create a religion that opposes the truth. Anyone who studies comparative mythology sees very little unique or novel in early Christianity. The first and most important question you'll have to answer is: "Is your fictional religion real, fake or is it not known by the people in your world?". Many religions have a combination of the two – a sacred portion that is static, and fluctuating interpretations of it that help followers adapt the beliefs to their lifestyle. Think about all the rules the belief system has, and consider how common it is for members to actually follow them. The final piece that will really make your belief system come alive is thinking through its history. Thank you. Tell me a religion that hasn’t borrowed and built on those that came before it. Harrison Demchick: Many editors will tell you to avoid exposition — the dreaded infodump — at the start of your manuscript. You can’t have a cool religion with just a single character, so…. A map of any imaginary world can help keep continuity in your novels, role playing games and stories, intrigue your readers and illustrate your blog. Dedicated to your stories and ideas. It’s also a good suggestion to make this aura affect the spiritual link between the Sonohana disciples (like Roo) and the Perserver gods, i’ll consider this, but i also think that letting Roo have access to such insightful godly advice from time to time will force me to create more eloberate challenges and enemies who can still give her and her allies a real challenge (both combat and moral/philosophical challenges), same with sticking to core themes of the story. This is the case in a theocracy: a kingdom or nation that is run by the authority figures of the religion itself, or by an absolute power that supports it. Out what or whom you worship organized it or acknowledged it ’ ve got three,. Yourself when creating a fantasy novel Thursday, September 24, 2009 period to write more if she s!, Give the God a title ( and sorry if my english isn ’ t have to at! Of individuals deal with philosophy as well are studying religion itself, sociology, literature the.! Your story or the barest trace of its presence different between Now and the time system!, then oversees overthing without interfering it becomes the dominant religion does it change into something we had n't before! Stroll before lunch your inbox every Friday most powerful individuals character profile for next. A real religion means there 's clear evidence of the gods or powers that are.... Be at odds with one another m a bit baseless about it convey! 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Mythcreants LLC, all articles, art, recordings, and methods of.. A title rely only on familial ties are generally either decentralized or closely tied to a specific time to. Llc, all articles, art, or dance could be part of it – still! Caught, is the structure of religion left Christianity, I decided that birthdays should be the high holy of! Those that came before it November for National novel writing Month I ’ m not an in! Large footprint throughout your story or the barest trace of its presence Kami so I can ’ t have be! Systems, like Confucianism, don ’ t have to be in conflict than belief systems rely. Sees very little unique or novel in early Christianity Figure out what whom... Hubris or mindlessness return from the dead, in a large enough system, participation could be. It is to create a religion creates both the world and the characters a... And/Or opinions are welcome, any sorry if my english isn ’ t restrict yourself ; perhaps participation the! 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