In J.R.R.'s world, Gandalf is one of five wizards sent by the Valar to guide the inhabitants of Middle Earth in their struggles against the dark force of Sauron. Gandalf's body was mortal, subject to the physical rules of Middle Earth, but his spirit was immortal as seen when he died as Gandalf the Grey and resurrected as Gandalf the White.
在J.R.R.托爾金(魔戒作者)的世界裡，甘道夫是在與索倫的黑暗勢力抗爭中，維拉派來引領中土世界居民的五個巫師之一。甘道夫的軀體會死亡，受制於守中土世界的物理規則，但他的靈魂是不朽的，從他以灰袍甘道夫身分死去，然後以白袍甘道夫復活上可見一斑。
According to the Wachowski's script, an awakened human only has to link up and hack the neon binary code of the Matrix to learn how to fly a helicopter in a matter of seconds. Or if you are the One, or one of the Ones, you don't even need a helicopter. You just need a cool pair of shades.
根據華卓斯基(駭客任務導演)的劇本，覺醒的人類只需要連結並駭入母體中如霓虹燈閃爍的二進位編碼，就能在幾秒鐘之內學會如何駕駛一架直升機。或是如果你是救世主，或是救世主之一，你甚至不需要直升機。你只需要一副很酷的墨鏡。
Cheshire cats can juggle their own heads. iPads are rudimentary. No Quidditch match ends until the Golden Snitch is caught. And the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything is most certainly 42.
柴郡貓(艾莉絲夢遊仙境裡的裂嘴貓)可以拋耍牠們自己的頭。iPad是最基本的。沒有一場魁地奇能在金探子被抓到之前結束。而對於生命、宇宙及萬物的終極答案幾乎確定是42。
Just like real life, fictional worlds operate consistently within a spectrum of physical and societal rules. That's what makes these intricate worlds believable, comprehensible, and worth exploring.
就像現實生活，虛幻世界在一種物理範疇及社會規則下持續運作。那就是讓這些複雜的世界可信、可理解、值得探索的事物。
In real life, the Law of Gravity holds seven book sets of Harry Potter to millions of bookshelves around the world. We know this to be true, but we also know that ever since J.K. typed the words wizard, wand, and "Wingardium Leviosa," that Law of Gravity has ceased to exist on the trillions of pages resting between those bookends.
在現實生活，萬有引力定律在全世界數百萬個書架上支撐七套書的哈利波特小說。我們知道這是真的，但我們同樣也知道自從J.K.羅琳打出了巫師、魔杖、以及「溫咖癲啦唯啊薩(飛行咒)」時，萬有引力定律已停止存在於置於書架間的無數書頁中。
Authors of science fiction and fantasy literally build worlds. They make rules, maps, lineages, languages, cultures, universes, alternate universes within universes, and from those worlds sprout story after story after story.
科幻小說及幻想文學的作者確實建造出了世界。他們制定規則、繪出地圖、列出家系、創造語言、文化、宇宙、在宇宙中的另一個宇宙，從那些世界中萌芽出一個又一個再一個的故事。
When it's done well, readers can understand fictional worlds and their rules just as well as the characters that live in them do, and sometimes, just as well or even better than the reader understands the world outside of the book.
當這功夫做得好，讀者可以理解虛幻世界以及他們的規則，就跟生活在其中的角色一樣清楚理解，而有時候，就跟讀者理解書外世界一樣清楚、或甚至更清楚。
But how? How can human-made squiggles on a page reflect lights into our eyes that send signals to our brains; that we logically and emotionally decode as complex narratives that move us to fight, cry, sing, and think; that are strong enough not only to hold up a world that is completely invented by the author, but also to change the reader's perspective on the real world that resumes only when the final squiggle is reached?
但怎麼做到的？人類在紙頁上的潦草筆記怎麼能將光線反射進入眼裡，發送信號到我們的腦中；怎麼讓我們在邏輯上、情緒上都解讀成使我們想要戰鬥、哭泣、歌唱、還有思考的複雜故事；怎麼能強大到不只能支撐一個完全由作者發明的世界、還能改變讀者對於現實世界的觀點，而那是讀到最後一頁潦草筆記才能回去的世界？
I'm not sure anyone knows the answer to that question, yet fantastical, fictional worlds are created everyday in our minds, on computers, even on napkins at the restaurant down the street. The truth is your imagination and a willingness to figuratively live in your own world are all you need to get started writing a novel.
我不確定有任何人知道那問題的答案，但奇幻、虛幻的世界每天都在我們的腦中、在電腦上、甚至在街道上餐廳的餐巾紙上被創造出來。事實是，你的想像力、以及比喻性地住在你自我世界的意願，就是你所有需要開始寫小說的東西。
I didn't dream up Hogwarts or the Star Wars' Cantina, but I have written some science thrillers for kids and young adults. Here are some questions and methods I've used to help build the worlds in which those books take place.
我並沒有想像出霍格華茲或是星際大戰的酒吧，但我為孩子和年輕人寫過一些科幻冒險小說。這裡是一些問題和方法，那是我用來幫助建造那些書本內容發生的世界。
I start with a basic place and time. Whether that's a fantasy world or a futuristic setting in the real world, it's important to know where you are and whether you're working in the past, present, or future.
我從一個基本的地點和時間開始。不論那是個奇幻的世界，或是真實世界的未來主義場景，很重要的是知道你在哪裡，還有不管你是在過去、現在、或是在未來發展的。
I like to create a timeline showing how the world came to be, what past events have shaped the way it is now. Then I brainstorm answers to questions that draw out the details of my fictional world:
我喜歡繪出一條時間軸顯示出世界怎麼變成這樣的，過去什麼事件形塑了它現在的樣子。然後我腦力激盪出那些勾勒出我的虛構世界中細節種種問題的答案：
What rules are in place here? This covers everything from Laws of Gravity (or not) to the rules of society and the punishments for individuals who break them.
在那地方有什麼規則？這涵蓋了一切，從萬有引力定律(或沒有重力)，到社會規範以及對那些違反規範的個人之處罰。
What kind of government does this world have?
這個世界擁有怎樣的政府？
Who has power, and who doesn't?
誰握有權力，誰沒有？
What do people believe in here?
人們在這裡相信什麼？
And what does this society value most?
這社會最重視什麼？
Then it's time to think about day-to-day life.
然後是時候想想日常生活。
What's the weather like in this world?
在這個世界天氣是怎麼樣的？
Where do the inhabitants live and work and go to school?
居民在哪生活、工作、上學？
What do they eat and how do they play?
他們吃什麼、他們怎麼玩？
How do they treat their young and their old?
他們如何對待他們的年輕人和長輩？
What relationships do they have with the animals and plants of the world? And what do those animals and plants look like?
他們和那世界的動物以及植物之間有什麼關係？那些動物和植物看起來像什麼？
What kind of technology exists?
有什麼樣的科技存在？
Transportation? Communication? Access to information? There's so much to think about!
交通運輸？通訊傳播？取得資訊的方式？有很多要思考!
So, spend some time living in those tasks and the answers to those questions, and you're well on your way to building your own fictional world.
所以，花些時間活在那些任務以及問題的答案裡，你就會穩穩地走在建立你自己的虛幻世界的路上。
Once you know your world as well as you hope your reader will, set your characters free in it and see what happens. And ask yourself, "How does this world you created shape the individuals who live in it? And what kind of conflict is likely to emerge?"
一旦你了解你的世界，就像你希望你的讀者們了解得一樣清楚時，釋放你的角色們，並看看會發生什麼事。然後問你自己：「你創造出的世界如何形塑居住在其中的人們？有怎樣的衝突可能會出現？」
Answer those questions, and you have your story.
回答那些問題，然後你就有你自己的故事。
Good luck, future world-builder!
祝你好運，未來的創世者!
- 「想像出、創造出」- Dream Up
I didn't dream up Hogwarts or the Star Wars' Cantina, but I have written some science thrillers for kids and young adults.
我並沒有想像出霍格華茲或是星際大戰的酒吧，但我為孩子和年輕人寫過一些科幻冒險小說。 - 「發生、舉行」- Take Place
Here are some questions and methods I've used to help build the worlds in which those books take place.
這裡是一些問題和方法，那是我用來幫助建造那些書本內容發生的世界。 - 「釋放」- Set Free
Once you know your world as well as you hope your reader will, set your characters free in it and see what happens.
一旦你了解你的世界，就像你希望你的讀者們了解得一樣清楚時，釋放你的角色們，並看看會發生什麼事。
