World-Building Lessons from Tolkien for Sci-Fi Writers

“The difference between science fiction and fantasy…is simply this, science fiction has rivets, fantasy has trees.”

― Orson Scott Card

Seems about right, doesn’t it? If you’ve read both genres, you understand that both sci-fi and fantasy stem from the same roots of story telling. There are important distinctions, especially if you want to get into the workings of “hard” or “soft” science fiction, but if you’re an author building worlds, you’ll find that both genres tap the same water-well. That’s one of the reasons studying Tolkien can benefit the sci-fi writer. Tolkien was possibly the best world builder who ever lived.

Building Worlds for Epic Storytelling

“Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Anyone’s first time reading The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings is a rich and overwhelming experience. You’re first introduced the the world of hobbits, and you find out more about hobbits than you probably bargained to ever find out about anyone. Some people know more about hobbit family lines than they do their own. Then you leave Hobbiton and venture with Bilbo into the wild unknowns of Mirkwood, Rivendell, Dale, the Lonely Mountain, the road goes ever on and on, as Bilbo sings.

I could go on with this list. Rohan. Gondor. But I know that either you know what I’m talking about and vigorously nodding your head just because you love hearing the names of all those countries, or you haven’t read the books or seen the movies and I lost you five sentences ago.

The point. The point is that Tolkien’s sincere, ongoing effort to build his world and characters created the sandbox for the best kind of story, a story not filled with tropes and copy pastes of other stories. Characters born in such a world inherit a strong presence of humanity. When you read Frodo’s anguish and Sam’s undying loyalty to his friend and the quest, you FEEL the toil behind the words. Science fiction characters deserve that same kind of weight in their lore. Your world, even if not as strongly illustrated as Tolkien’s with multiple languages and thousands of years of history, should feel like a real place that built the characters.

For example, Aragorn, otherwise known as Strider, the weatherworn wanderer and hero, is heir to a throne long lost to his family. He feels the weight of their legacy. Tolkien shows us that legacy by bringing it into the story. You don’t just see one hero, you see the past generations lined up before him. It would do the aspiring sci-fi novelist well to remember that a world isn’t built around a good character. The good character is a product of the history and nature his/her world.

Language and Cultural Evolution

In Tolkien’s works, you don’t just read English, you find Elvish, Dwarvish, Black Tongue, among others. Tolkien brought his work as a linguist and scholar of different mythologies and cultures into his own creations. Through the use of languages, the reader experiences a sense of evolution. The descent of language in culture is an inherent product of people living their lives and growing in expression together. By making these languages, Tolkien infused his work with magical authenticity. If you haven’t, take a look at the appendices behind Return of the King. You’ll find detailed thought and creation behind each language that builds each culture in the story into something more than just pieces of a story.

Cultural Backstory

Cultures are built off the leftovers of dead civilizations. When Frodo and company leave the shire, they pass through ruins of rich, often forgotten history. A good example of this would be when they encounter the barrow-wight, a creature sent by the Witch King of Angmar to watch over ancient treasure. Tom Bombadil, a character with his own colorful shade of mystery, saves them and gives them swords that the evil creature was hoarding. The swords are from Numenor. In this story we see that each peace comes with history that stretches beyond the page.

Tolkien had more than three thousand years of legends built up for Lord of the Rings.

Applications to Science Fiction

In sci-fi, an author has to show not only cool applications of science in the future, or alternate history, or whatever branch of sci-fi the author is highlighting, the author needs to paint a picture of the evolution of culture. As the writer, you can look at Tolkien’s painstaking work in building his world and apply similar workings in yours.

Some questions to consider:

How has human language evolved in your story?

Who has the power in your world, and what gives them that power? Is it technology kind of like a ring of power or is it an industrial sweep like Saruman?

Where do the ancestors of your main character come from?

Can you come up with a logical flow for inventions presented in your story?

Possibilities for Study are Endless

Tolkien left a lot for us to unpack in his stories. When you read a Tolkien book or watch one of the adaptations, think about what his process must have been creatively. He pulled from ancient myths, his own languages…what can you do? The more you build the landscape behind the words of your story, the more people will want to stay there, making your sci-fi creation even better than you might have hoped.

What’s the most lore-rich sci-fi story you’ve ever read?

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