Gandalf is one of five wizards sent by the Valar

甘道夫屬於諸神派遣的五名巫師

to guide the inhabitants of Middle Earth

前往指引中土大陸之民

in their struggles against the dark force of Sauron.

對抗索倫與其黑暗之力

Gandalf's body was mortal,

甘道夫的肉身與凡人無異

subject to the physical rules of Middle Earth,

受到中土物理法則的支配

but his spirit was immortal,

然而靈魂不滅

as seen when he died as Gandalf the Grey

因此灰袍甘道夫戰死後

and resurrected as Gandalf the White.

仍能重生為白袍甘道夫

According to the Wachowski's script,

根據華卓斯基的劇本

an awakened human only has to link up

覺醒的人類只要連結至母體

and hack the neon binary code of the Matrix

駭進母體的系統 竄改二元代碼

to learn how to fly a helicopter

就可以在數秒內學會駕駛直升機

in a matter of seconds.

如果你是救世主

Or if you are the One,

或是救世主之一

or one of the Ones,

你連駕直升機都不用

you don't even need a helicopter,

戴副墨鏡耍酷就可以上天下地

you just need a cool pair of shades.

柴郡貓可以用頭玩拋接球

Cheshire cats can juggle their own heads.

iPad 早就落伍了

iPads are rudimentary.

一場魁地奇比賽

No Quidditch match ends

沒抓到金探子就不能結束

until the Golden Snitch is caught.

至於生命、宇宙與一切的終極答案 （*出自《銀河系漫遊指南》）

And the answer to the ultimate question of life,

正是42 （*出自《銀河系漫遊指南》）

the universe,

如同真實生活

and everything

虛構的世界要持續運作

is most certainly 42.

必須依靠一系列物理和社會法則

Just like real life,

這些錯綜複雜的世界 正是因此才

fictional worlds operate consistently

足夠可信

within a spectrum of physical and societal rules.

易於理解

That's what makes these intricate worlds

而且值得更深入探索

believable,

現實中，萬有引力定律

comprehensible,

讓哈利波特全七集

and worth exploring.

穩穩立於全世界無數書架上

In real life, the Law of Gravity

我們都知道這是真的

holds seven book sets of "Harry Potter"

但我們也知道

to millions of bookshelves around the world.

打從 J.K. 羅琳寫下這些文字

We know this to be true,

寫下巫師

but we also know

魔杖

that ever since J.K. typed the words

以及「溫加顛拉維阿薩」(飄浮咒語)

wizard,

萬有引力定律便不再存在於

wand,

安坐於書架上的 這數兆書頁之內了

and "Wingardium Leviosa,"

科幻、奇幻小說家

that Law of Gravity has ceased to exist

是貨真價實地建造世界

on the trillions of pages

他們創造規則

resting between those bookends.

地圖

Authors of science fiction and fantasy

系譜

literally build worlds.

語言

They make rules,

文化

maps,

宇宙

lineages,

宇宙之外又有不同的宇宙

languages,

從這些世界中衍生出

cultures,

一個一個又一個故事

universes,

成功的話

alternate universes within universes,

讀者就能理解

and from those worlds sprout

這些虛構世界與其中的規則

story, after story, after story.

理解的程度甚至不輸給

When it's done well,

真正生活其中的角色

readers can understand

有時候

fictional worlds and their rules

甚至可以媲美或超過

just as well as the characters

讀者對真實世界的理解

that live in them do

但到底要怎麼做？

and sometimes,

當這些由人隨手寫在紙上的文字

just as well or even better

反射光線進入我們的眼睛

than the reader understands

傳輸訊號至腦部

the world outside of the book.

我們憑邏輯與情感 將這些訊號解讀成

But how?

複雜的故事

How can human-made squiggles on a page

驅使我們爭鬥

reflect lights into our eyes

流淚

that send signals to our brains

歌唱

that we logically and emotionally decode

與思考

as complex narratives

為什麼這些文字強大到

that move us to fight,

不僅足以支撐這個

cry,

完全由作者一手創造的世界

sing,

甚至能改變讀者 對真實世界的觀感

and think,

使讀者沉浸其中，無法自拔

that are strong enough

直到讀完最後一頁的文字？

not only to hold up a world

我不知道有沒有人曉得

that is completely invented by the author,

這個問題的答案

but also to change the reader's perspective

但每天都有人創造出 虛構的奇妙世界

on the real world that resumes

在我們腦海中

only when the final squiggle is reached?

或打進電腦裡

I'm not sure anyone knows

或是寫在街上那家飯館的餐巾上

the answer to that question,

事實是，只要你有想像力

yet fantastical, fictional worlds are created everyday

而且也願意──打個比方──

in our minds,

生活在你自己的世界裡

on computers,

你就可以開始寫小說了

even on napkins at the restaurant down the street.

我沒有夢到霍格華茲

The truth is your imagination

或是星際大戰裡的酒館

and a willingness to, figuratively,

不過我寫了幾部科幻驚悚小說

live in your own world

給小孩或給青少年看

are all you need to get started writing a novel.

以下是幾個我用過的問題和方法

I didn't dream up Hogwarts

幫助自己建立這幾個故事 所發生的世界

or the Star Wars' Cantina,

我會從基本的時間地點開始

but I have written some science thrillers

先決定這是一個奇幻世界

for kids and young adults.

或是奠基於現實的未來故事

Here are some questions and methods I've used

知道故事發生在哪裡 是很重要的

to help build the worlds

時間又是在過去的歷史

in which those books take place.

現代

I start with a basic place and time.

還是未來

Whether that's a fantasy world

我喜歡畫一條時間軸

or a futuristic setting in the real world,

來紀錄這個世界形成的過程

it's important to know where you are

哪些歷史事件 使這世界變成如今的樣貌？

and whether you're working in the past,

然後我會腦力激盪出 各種問題的答案

present,

來勾勒虛構世界的細節

or future.

這裡存在什麼規則？

I like to create a timeline

這可以從萬有引力的存在

showing how the world came to be.

（或不存在）

What past events have shaped the way it is now?

到社會規範

Then I brainstorm answers to questions

然後我會腦力激盪出各種問題的答案

that draw out the details of my fictional world.

這裡有怎樣的政府？

What rules are in place here?

是誰掌權

This covers everything from laws of gravity

而誰沒有？

(or not)

這裡的人信仰什麼？

to the rules of society

這個社會最推崇的是什麼？

and the punishments for individuals who break them.

接著可以開始構思日常生活了

What kind of government does this world have?

這個世界的天氣如何？

Who has power,

居民都住在什麼地方？

and who doesn't?

去哪工作？

What do people believe in here?

到哪上學？

And what does this society value most?

吃些什麼？

Then it's time to think about day-to-day life.

玩些什麼？

What's the weather like in this world?

他們待年輕人態度如何？

Where do the inhabitants live

待老人如何？

and work

他們和這世界的 動植物是什麼關係？

and go to school?

動植物長什麼樣子？

What do they eat

科技如何？

and how do they play?

交通如何？

How do they treat their young

彼此如何溝通？

and their old?

有甚麼管道可以獲得資訊？

What relationships do they have

太多問題可以想了！

with the animals and plants of the world?

只要花點時間在這些事情上

And what do those animals and plants look like?

找出這些問題的解答

What kind of technology exists?

你就已經著手 創造屬於自己的世界了

Transportation?

一旦你對這個世界夠熟悉

Communication?

而你也希望讀者 和你了解它的程度一樣多

Access to information?

就把人物放進這個世界

There's so much to think about!

看看會發生什麼

So, spend some time living in those tasks

別忘了問自己

and the answers to those questions,

「你創造的這個世界

and you're well on your way

會如何影響生活中的角色？

to building your own fictional world.

可能會產生哪種衝突？」

Once you know your world

回答完這些問題

as well as you hope your reader will,

你就有屬於自己的故事了

set your characters free in it

未來的世界建築師，祝好運！

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?"

Answer those questions,

and you have your story.

Good luck future world-builder!