5
A beta reader told me my fantasy world felt empty and it made me rethink everything
I was working on a story set in a city called Veridia for about four months. I thought the magic system and politics were solid, but a friend who read it said something that hit hard. She told me, 'I don't know what people eat here or what they do for fun. It feels like a movie set with no one living in it.' That one comment made me stop and look at my draft again. I realized I had all these big ideas but no small, real details. So, I spent a whole week just making up stuff like street food names, local holidays, and common jokes people there would tell. I added a scene where my main character buys a spiced pastry from a cart, and it changed the whole feel of the place. Has anyone else gotten feedback that made you add a whole new layer to your setting?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
walker.michael9d ago
Added local slang and it made my characters feel way more real.
5