The thing I always loved about Bionicle was the unique nature of the universe and the way it started out. Robots/Cyborgs making a living on a multi-biome island in a tribal setting while employing elemental powers and using magical masks but still making use of advanced machinery. It seemed, to me, the perfect blend of science fiction and fantasy. I mean, who even thinks of something like this?

When I decided I wanted to write a book of my own I knew straight away I wanted to create a Science-Fantasy universe. More specifically, I'm aiming for cyberpunk and medieval fantasy with some other bits thrown in.

The biggest problem with following a universe you really like -- examples for me being Bionicle, Rayman, and Avatar: TLA -- is that if and when they end, that's it. Fan fiction, whether I'm writing it or reading it, doesn't carry me too far. Without the original author pumping out more canon everything kinda dies for me. On the other hand, creating a universe all your own means it isn't over until you say so. Why put all your passion exclusively into worlds other people control and decide the ultimate fate of?

By crafting my own universe, I never have to worry about it ending because, for me, it never will. The only thing that can change is whether or not I share it with somebody else. Me, I love entertaining people and want to share it as much as possible.

A lot of work goes into putting together a universe for your stories to play out in. One of the difficulties I faced was how removed I wanted the universe to be from reality. Making everything take place in some ambiguous place and time leaves me with complete freedom to do as I wish, but sacrifices familiarity and real-life reference. By making my universe in some place and time relative to our own, I'm a little more restricted, but I have a structure to work with and a foundation to build off of.

A universe needs people, races, and creatures. Different societies are going to have their own cultures, historical backgrounds, internal political/social issues, etc. Well, they will if you want them to be believable anyways.

Technology is something careful to consider as well. How advanced and the type of advancements are all affected by the time period, setting, history, and culture. The kind of weapons used, the reliance on machines vs domesticated animals or manpower, the list goes on.

These are all issues that I have been overcoming as I prepare to finally "put the pen to the page" and start making a coherent story out of all this. You never realize how much work goes into creating an original universe until you really try.

While I may not be fully ready to start a book, I do believe I have enough for a short story set in the universe that isn't entirely related to the main tale. Whether or not I decide to spend the time doing that remains to be seen, but it is a heavily-considered possibility.