fictional universes
Made-up story realms
Fictional universes are the imagined worlds in which stories take place—complete with their own geography, history, rules, and inhabitants.
The term usually applies to richly developed settings that extend beyond a single work: the Star Wars universe, the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Writers, fans, and media companies treat these as coherent realms where multiple stories can unfold consistently.
A fictional universe may have its own physics, magic systems, or timeline that creators and audiences track carefully.
- world buildingConstructing fictional universes
- magic systemsRules governing supernatural abilities
- novelsExtended prose fiction
- fandomsCommunities of devoted enthusiasts
- filmsProjected motion pictures
alternate history · steampunk · cyberpunk · mythologies · alternate timeline · alien species · fantasy · television series · horror · mystery · multiverse · video games · romance · theater plays · graphic novels · webcomics · adventure · podcasts
fictional universesreality
What actually exists
real life · actuality · meatspace · IRL · objective reality
fictional universesnonfiction
Literature about real events
historical record · objective reality · scientific knowledge · lived experience · firsthand accounts
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