World building

Over the last few weeks, I have been world building. I got the history, at least enough for me to get a feel of the land and its people, the state of current affairs, and the geography. Then I got excited and decided to start writing. I mean, I will have to rewrite part of the world anyway, but if I get out a chapter or two, at least I will be happy. But I hit a big snag.

In a world its not the long term things that cause problems. It's the short term things. Things like paper, money. Did they have paper. If not, what did they write with. Did they have ink, and books, and the entire number of things that come with books. Then, what did they measure things with. What were their units of length and time? I cant very well go and write in kilometers and meters now, can I? Where do I cross the boundary between new world and utter masses of confusion?

I havent decided yet, but I think more building is required. One thing I will try to do is live a day in a city of the world, and see what things I come up with.

Start with waking up. Then question myself, why do the people there sleep. How long. Do they have beds or they sleep standing up, or on their heads. Then do they brush their teeth? If not, do they have teeth. And in the same lines. I should be able to handle a lot of things this way.

Of course, I haven't yet decided the nature of the city. How well planned would it be. Would it have small roads, or big wide roads. Lets see. At this point, the feel that I get is like an old Indian city.