So, I am taking my worldbuilding notes and I am stuck on a few things.
I am looking on the internet for information, but I still have to think of what makes sense in my fictional world.
For example:
Trading Goods. In the real world and even in fiction, countries and etc have been trading goods for many, many years. The problem is figuring out what trading goods that make sense in my world.
There is more, but I shall talk about that later.
Anyway, I feel like I am overthinking this too much. I mean this is just background stuff, but still it is important to me and will make some sense.
It’s not just trading goods either, it is other things too. Anyway, what are your thoughts on the matter?
Let me know.
The basic answer would be common things that everyone needs and things you can’t acquire easily or are from somewhere else.
For example in Dune the major things are spice and water. Ones a necessary and the other isn’t.
Example: weapons would be a common needed thing where as something like silk would be a want.
Basically just have a section that everyone can afford that includes the basics and then a section for the rich that has better equipment and luxuries that are wants and not needs.
Only focus on what is story important. If your story is about weaving, focus on the textile trades.
If not, stay with the general flow of goods and materials. What level you are on technologically. What does your country/city needs and doesn’t have (salt? yarn? wool? wine? oil?)
I don’t think you can dismiss it altogether, because one more time I come across on a human city in the woods that lives from hunting and gathering–and I’m going to scream.
The technology in my fictional world is far more advance than the technology here on Earth.
The current smartphones and other electronics, regardless of the country, that you find on Earth would be considered old technology in my fictional world.
Magi stones, wheats, beer/wine/alcohol, and something else.
I don’t understand what you mean, but for some reason it seems funny.
Interesting. I need to put my thinking cap on. LOL!
I can very much understand water being more important than spice in the Duneverse. The need for water on a sand planet, is crucial for the people that live there.
Humans survive on water even if we are made up of water. We need it! LOL!
so, your trade goods are raw materials. Your outflow are technological products. Just look at a country like South Korea for your model of trade relationships
Most trade in stories is VERY shallow, but if you want to see a trade imbalance on the verge of war between two hostile nations?
This is the series:
But this is the only one I ever read in the series:
It covers how there isn’t a fair trade on computer parts because the independent smaller world makes more efficient parts of the same label. And it’s full of assassination attempts, so it’s kind of crazy.
Well, that’s why it’s usually not too deep. It’s a flavor for the world, maybe a catalyst, but rarely the MC’s job has anything to do with resolving trade relations.