When I began meeting with my writers’ group back in 2014, I encountered a new term, worldbuilding. It seemed to be used mainly by those in the group who wrote in the science fiction or fantasy genre.
Sure enough, I found the definition online. (Whatever did we do before Wikipedia, or the internet, for that matter? But that is a discussion for another blog, perhaps.)
Worldbuilding is the process of constructing an imaginary world, sometimes associated with a whole fictional universe. The resulting world may be called a constructed world.
Well, that didn’t apply to me, I thought. I was writing stories in real places like Washington, DC, Boston, St. Louis, and Chicago. But my characters needed to go to restaurants, country clubs, and hotels. My publisher at that time didn’t allow the use of any trademarked names, and an author must be careful about using real names, especially if casting them in a negative light. (For example, if my character went to McDonald’s and got food poisoning, I could open myself to a lawsuit.)
So, I started to have fun making up names for these fictional places and things, and then one day it hit me, that even though my books take place in the real universe, I really am engaging in worldbuilding, and I discovered it’s a blast.
In my St. Clair Family series, after a very short introduction, the first book (Plan B) opens on a fictional island. How did that island come to be called St. Jardin? I’m sure the answer will surprise you.
There’s no easy way to say this. It came from bathroom freshening spray. Yes, read that again. In the restrooms at my workplace, there were white cans of “odor counteractant” (I’m quoting from the can) with green writing. The scent was called Tuscan Garden, or Jardin de Tuscan. Jardin sounded like the French or Italian word for garden to me. Voila! Add “St.” in front of it, and you have a great name for an exotic French Caribbean island. And because of its name, the island can be known for its beautiful gardens.
Fast forward to book two (Home to You). I needed a name for an elegant, trendy club for a New Year’s Eve party in Chicago. I’ve never set foot in an elegant, trendy club in Chicago or anywhere else, but I’ve seen them on TV, so I started thinking of descriptive adjectives: dark, sparkling, noisy, loud, fast. Hmm…let’s draw on my musical background…fast in Italian is allegro. The Allegro? Not quite there. Ahh…make it feminine—The Allegra. Perfect. I could almost see the name in lights and a distinctive logo everywhere (silver script on midnight blue).
Then I was writing book three, back on St. Jardin, and needed a cool name for a funky little cantina. I can’t remember exactly what I typed into my favorite search engine, but up popped Tiki Bar Name Generator (I kid you not—type it in and it will take you there). After a few clicks, I had the perfect name! I’ll let you read Bait and Switch to find out what it is.
My favorite naming experience of all was Eight Cats of Christmas. I needed a name for a little boutique hotel in North Boston. I wrote the book during the pandemic at my dining room table, and my eye landed on my new valances, the pattern name of which was Sage Wicklow.* The Sage Wicklow Inn it was.
When my editor sent the first round of edits, she reminded me, “If this is a real place, you’ll have to change the name.” I replied, “Nope, totally made up! It’s the pattern of my kitchen curtains!” She replied, “Oh good, I loved it!”
*TheCountryPorch.com
If you could make up a clever name for a fictional place, what would it be? Leave a comment below, and I’ll choose one at random to receive an eBook or PDF of Eight Cats of Christmas. You can save it until December 😊 Deadline is 5pm on Tuesday, June 27.
Erin has been writing faith-based romance novels for almost a decade. She is published in multiple formats and is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), where she has served as a judge, category coordinator, and was a 2021 Carol Award finalist. She also serves as a reviewer for Interviews & Reviews. Grounding her novels in reality, Erin crafts characters who encounter events and hardships familiar to everyone. Her inspirational writing will take the reader down paths of both joy and pain, but always highlighting God’s faithfulness.
I wrote a book about a country band and named them “Ace in the Hole.” I even had a logo designed and merchandise created. It was so fun!
That’s so clever, Laurie! Maybe I’ll be brave enough to go the logo/merch route someday. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve read sooooo many books with made up places!!! I wouldn’t be able to come up with names of places, that definitely isn’t my forte!! I can come up with ideas for stories, but I’m definitely NOT an author!!
Hi, Trudy, you might be surprised at what you can do. I never thought I would be an author! Thank you for being a faithful reader.
I would choose Misty Ledges.
That sounds like a beautiful place, one that could be a great setting for a story with a bit of mystery/intrigue. Thanks for stopping by!
There are lots of villages and small towns near where I live with strange names that they’ve had from Medieval times onwards – Laleham St Kathryn isn’t one of them, but it sounds like it could be!
You’re right, Ruthie. There are a lot of interesting stories out there about how places were named. Some of them are hilarious!
what a fun post. thanks for sharing. hmm I have not tried to name something that doesnt exist before. sounds fun. Nope cant think of something that doesnt already exist. oh how about Cookingville. dont know if it exists, but it sounds fun
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, Lori. Hmm…Cookingville sounds like a great place for a cozy mystery! Not that I write them, LOL.
Hi, how about Pinecone Haven, Honeybear Creek, or Luna Valley or Fort Ebonstein?
Those are all terrific, Alicia I think Pinecone Haven is my favorite. I could see a Christmas story set there. Thanks for sharing!
There is a shop entirely dedicated to romance novels but it’s secular and I probably wouldn’t find much to read there so I would create an inspirational romance and women’s fiction bookstore! a corner where Christian women can gather to buy the novels they love and defend a genre that even some people insist is “not realistic.”
What better refuge for women who love romance and faith who perhaps have not found their own story. I would call it something like ” La librairie de l’amour éternel” It’s in French because it sounds nice but “eternal love” works both as the classic HEA perception between the main couple and at the same time points to God’s eternal and unchanging love for us, you know maybe women go in out of curiosity and find a lot more than books inside Perhaps the saleswoman or store owners share Jesus with them.
What a lovely idea, Lilly. I really like the eternal love concept. I think you’re on to something!
How about Red Creek Ridge. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I really like that, Debra. I can see Red Creek Ridge in a blaze of autumn color. Thanks for stopping by!
I love vintage lace so how about the Vintage Lace Inn.
Ooh, that conjures up some lovely images, Cherie. Maybe it could be a wedding venue!
Royal Tinta Lodge
I like the images the word “Royal” invokes. Thanks for commenting!
Sorry I am so late. this week has been interesting and stressful but productive.
I once created a fan webpage for my favourite South African Cricketer. I called it A cut above the rest. Because the cut shot is a cricket term for a shot he was good at (he was better at the pull shot but it didn’t fit as well). Funny things is we have a hairdresser called A cut Above.
But I still think If I wrote a book I would use A cut above the Rest for a hairdresser or dressmaker.
Glad you stopped by, Jenny. I like your idea for a hairdresser or dressmaker! I’m not familiar with cricket but that’s a clever use for the term as well.
Funny your names… Only at St. Jardin… well, I would have looked and made sure to actually be a name of a saint, because Saint Garden sounds more than strange.
I used for an inn name, Golden Goblet, and the other The Enchanted Keg, made up by me. But I looked at other frequent medieval inn names too.
I had to make up a little islet as well for my Viking novel, but in the Norway fjords there are many small islets, so there might have been one named Froj in the years 1000… and as small as to have only 2 villages (or rather a village and some isolated farms)
How interesting, Marina. I love your inn names. Thanks for commenting!