Ever wondered what it would be like to flip a switch and step into another world with humans who can fly? Or slide down a rabbit hole and find animals who go to work? Well, even if you don’t experience these in real life, you could create them in your stories!
In this week’s post of Time Travel Tuesdays, we learn how to create parallel universes and alternate realities in your stories.
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VAIJAYANTHI GOPAL
Vaijayanthi is a Cambridge- certified Teacher of English, with an insatiable love for fantasy novels. As an unapologetic Potterhead, she draws inspiration from J.K. Rowling’s magical world. Through Common Room, Vaijayanthi hopes to guide young students on an enchanting journey of creative writing, and empower them to craft their own extraordinary tales.
What Are Parallel Universes, Anyway?
Parallel universes, sometimes called alternate realities or the multiverse, are like different versions of our own world. Each universe has its own twist – maybe dinosaurs never went extinct, or people have wings instead of arms! The idea here is that every choice you make can lead to a new universe. So, if you’ve ever wondered “What if?” about your life, parallel universes are where those “What ifs” come to life.
So how do you go about creating your own parallel universe?
This or That?: Plan for a point in your story where your character faces a big decision. Think about the TV show “Stranger Things.” The very first episode presents a turning point when Will Byers decides to take a different route home, leading him to the Demogorgon-filled Upside Down. If Will had gone home as usual, there may not have been an alternate dimension adventure!
Tackle Twists: Every great story has conflict, right? In parallel universe tales, your character can face unique challenges in each reality. In an episode of the animated series “Adventure Time,” Finn and Jake stumble upon the “Farmworld,” an alternate reality where a different choice made by Finn’s parents has led to a post-apocalyptic world ruled by a corrupted version of Finn. How they set things right is the climax!
Character Growth: Let your characters learn something new in each universe. They could gain knowledge, wisdom or even a super power. Eleven’s character growth is evident throughout the series ‘Stranger Things’. She starts as a scared, sheltered girl with powers she doesn’t understand. Through her adventures in various dimensions, she gains courage, learns to control her abilities, and becomes one of the most important characters!
While you let your imagination soar when creating new universes, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Consistency is key
While each universe can be different, make sure they follow their own set of rules. If magic exists in one, it should exist in all. If dogs talk in one, they should talk in others too. Consistency keeps your story’s world believable.
Emotions, emotions, emotions!
Explore how your character feels in each universe. Do they regret a choice? Are they excited about the adventure? Show these emotions to make your readers connect with your character.
Readers. Love. Closure
Remember how frustrating are loose ends in a show or story? Don’t do that to your readers! When your character’s adventure ends in one universe, make sure it feels satisfying to your audience. You don’t have to resolve everything, but wrap up the main storyline neatly.
And..that’s it! You’re all set to try out your very own parallel universe story! In fact, let’s begin right now.
What kind of a parallel universe would you create? Comment below with a name and an exciting feature of your parallel universe or alternate reality!
