Inspired by a tweet from the always-thinking Will Hindmarch, I’ve been pondering the role of names in world-building. They’ve got a lot of power. The power to create a mood or reinforce a theme. The power to add a bit of verisimilitude to your world-building… or to break the suspension of disbelief.
Is it example time? Yes? Okay, then. An example:
Behold a wondrous device that, when activated, produces food that’s fully prepared and ready to be eaten. By naming the thing, you don’t change its function (“food-maker”) but you say a lot about the world around it. Off the top of my head, you could call it the…
- Food Replicator,
- Stone of Nourishment,
- QuikMeal 2000,
- Harvoot’s Endless Food Bag,
- Dietary Nutrition Delivery System,
- Altar of Divine Sustenance, or
- Feedr
… and each name gives the audience different glimpse into the world you’re making.
