Week 14 — Group Project World-Building

To Do This Week

Journal: Describe your final project. What form will it take? What is the story or central idea? How will the work be structured and presented? Which class modules will you incorporate?

World-Building Exercise

Describe your story world either from the outside or from inside one of your characters. If it is fantasy, futuristic, or realistic to our time, what qualities of the world stand out and help express your story? Focus on concrete details.

• ecosystem / geography (maps?)
• economic conditions
• history and culture
• power and energy
• people — jobs, dress, economics, leisure, language, names

If you are working with images in your story, do a Google image search that represents your story world. You may also experiment with an AI image generator.

If you are using only words, list the essential words that best describe your world.

Using images and/or words, create a moodboard. Consider color palette, typography, texture, and tone.

• Google Docs or Slides
• Adobe Express moodboards
• Milanote
• Photoshop or Illustrator

Storytelling Basics

“Put interesting characters in difficult situations and write to find out what happens.” — Stephen King

• Character — action (or non-action)
• Plot — unity of time and place, cause and effect
• Complex plots — reversal, recognition, surprise
• Narration — objective, subjective, or user interaction
• Setting — selected details that establish mood, genre, and world
• Events — character actions or user interaction
• Theme — repeated patterns across parts

How does the most basic story engage our participation? Look critically at your final project and ask how you might improve it by: (1) removing information, (2) generating questions and anticipation, (3) making characters and situations more compelling.

Final Project — 30%

The final project is a digital story that incorporates at least two modules from this class: diagrammatic, visual, cinematic, hyperlinked/interactive, or game-like storytelling. The work may be a significant reworking of a previous project or a new direction.

The final project includes required stages and deadlines, each graded separately. Do not leave everything to the last minute. Progress should happen every week. Class time is dedicated to developing these projects.

Project Description — 2% (DUE TODAY)
Write a 3–5 sentence summary in a blog post. What is the story? What form will it take (Twine, HTML, video, comic slides)? What are your inspirations?

Project Critique — 8% (Tuesday, DUE TBA)
In-class critique based on progress and completeness. I will also provide feedback.

Final Project — 90% (Tuesday, DUE TBA)
Revise your work based on critique and submit the final version. Post a link along with a short artist statement describing your goals and process.