Literary Devices

Setting

Setting refers to the locations where the story takes place, as well as the history, geography, and laws of nature of the world in which it takes place.

A Ficton is an imaginary world that serves as the setting or backdrop for a story. A fiction can be identical to our world or different, as the author imagines.

A Fictional Universe is an imaginary world that serves as the setting or backdrop for science fiction and fantasy. Other terms related to Fictional Universe are Canon, Expanded Universe, Fanon, Multiverse and Linking Room.

A Backstory is the history of the characters and the world where the story takes place. The backstory adds depth by anchoring the story to external events, real or imagined.

Incluing is a literary technique that makes uncovering of the backstory less straightforward and more intriguing. Instead of explaining directly, the narrator (or the characters) constantly refers to various events, assuming that everyone knows what they are.

Retcon is an acronym for RETroactive CONtinuity and describes alteration of the backstory that contradicts the previously accepted vision. It is used to fix continuity errors, particularly in episodic media.

A Fictional Crossover is a technique in which otherwise separate fictional characters, stories, settings, or universes meet and interact with each other.

Shared Universe is a technique in which several different authors share settings and characters that appear in their respective works of fiction, often referring to events taking place in the other writers' stories.