text: # Welcome to Roundtable Thursday! Writing is so much fun, but it can also be very challenging. Luckily, there are so many other writers out there going through the exact same things! We all have unique skills, areas in which we excel, and ways we’d like to improve. This is our weekly thread to discuss all things writing and to get to know your fellow writers!! We will provide a topic and/or a few questions to spark discussion each week. Feel free to join in the discussion in the comments, talk about your experiences, ask related questions, and more. You do not have to answer all the questions, but please try to stay on topic! # This Week’s Roundtable Discussion Culture is a huge, but often underestimated part of world building. You have limited time and frankly page count. Proper culture building also takes a lot of effort, both to create and ofttimes to keep straight. For example, how does your fantastic Elvish language develop when you need more words? What happens when the government you painstakingly created suffers a partial breakdown? And then there’s all of the others, e.g.,: history, philosophy, religion, gender roles & sexuality, art & architecture, economic systems... * Which one(s) mean the most to you in your stories? * Does it differ by genre? * Is there any cultural element you’ve attempted that has been particularly hard or that you’re really proud of? * What advice would you give to others about getting the mix right? * And as a reader, which do you enjoy most? * New to r/ShortStories or joining in the Discussion for the first time? **Introduce yourself in the comments!** What do you like to write? * You can check out previous Roundtable discussions on our Wiki! You don't have to answer all the questions to join in the chat! *** # Reminders * **Use the comments below to answer the questions and reply to others’ comments.** * **Please be civil in all your responses and discussion.** There are writers of all levels and skills here and we’re all in different places of our writing journey. Uncivil comments/discussions in any form will not be tolerated. * **Please try to stay on-topic.