(don’t write fiction, but have run and playtested a lot of RPGs, which share many of the worldbuilding elements).
Among the hard parts is figuring out how much suspension of disbelief your audience will willingly bring, on what topics. This _is_ fiction, so we’re not generally trying to truly predict a hypothetical “possible” outcome, we’re trying to highlight similarities and differences from our own. This VERY OFTEN implies assuming a similarity (where the point of departure has less effect that is likely) and then justifying it or constraining the departure so it’s less difficult to maintain that this element of society would still be recognizable.
(don’t write fiction, but have run and playtested a lot of RPGs, which share many of the worldbuilding elements).
Among the hard parts is figuring out how much suspension of disbelief your audience will willingly bring, on what topics. This _is_ fiction, so we’re not generally trying to truly predict a hypothetical “possible” outcome, we’re trying to highlight similarities and differences from our own. This VERY OFTEN implies assuming a similarity (where the point of departure has less effect that is likely) and then justifying it or constraining the departure so it’s less difficult to maintain that this element of society would still be recognizable.