The most powerful tool for world-building is layering in references to past events left unexplained. And the biggest disease franchises now suffer from is the compulsive urge to explain EVERY. FUCKING. THING.
Explaining away every single throwaway line and character not only makes the storyworld smaller, but it also effectively shuts down mystery and the direct appeal to our imagination.
One of the most depressing things I ever saw was the SOLO movie showing us Han Solo literally doing the Kessel Run in less than 12 Parsecs. That line works so much better if you *don't* know exactly what that means!
I'm reminded of China Miéville describing the couple of things that Tolkien did really, really well: the Watcher in the Water is so cool because "we know almost nothing about the many-limbed thing in the water outside Moria."
Lest we forget: the really great thing about MAD MAX: FURY ROAD was that it didn’t give out *any* exposition and simply immersed us in its crazy-ass world.
Since this tweet has blown up a bit, let me take the opportunity to shamelessly promote my own book on #transmedia world-building: amazon.co.uk/Science-Fictio…
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