# Writing in the Warhammer 40K Universe



## Androxine Vortex (Jan 20, 2010)

When I write my own novels and stories I take them very seriously as if they were to be published. And when I write I start with a simple idea and then I complicate it, and complicate it, etc. to create an interesting plot background. Long story short, I tend to add in hundreds of important details to my novels to the point where every detail matters. 

I love WH40K and always will but I have to say it is becoming increasingly difficult to write about. When I write, I try to create something different, something new. I dont just want to write about a couple of Space Marines firing Bolters and runing around. I make my work very original and try to add as much "flavor" as I can. But here's my problem...

I can easily write in my own "universe" because I set up the rules but in the Wh40K universe there are many already pre-set rules you MUST abide by when you write. I spent a long time making the complicated plot that was for my own SM chapter. But every so often I would have to cross out and rewrite parts that did not abide by the WH40K setting and fluff. I think as a writter it is much easier to write and create in a world that you yourself completly made rather then trying to reshape something already founded.

I took my warhammer storyline and took out everything in it that made it 40K. No space marines. No bolters. No nothing 40K. Instead i set it up in my own sort of medieval fantasy world (and dont just say "hey thats warhammer fantasy, its not) Since the original story was built and constructed for a WH novel, there are many similarities from my universe to WH's. have tried making tweaks and adjustmetns to make it seem original. 


So here is my question to you: 
would you read something that shared astriking resemblance to Warhammer 40K or would you look down upon it as being a copy. I know it really depends on how similar the content is.


I hope I am wording this in a way you will understand it, this has been bugging me for awhile now. I just dont want to write in Warhammer anymore I think, I think I would rather again, write in my own world where I can make anything happen. No idea is completley original. True inspiration is impossible because for an idea to be made, you have to base it off something that already exists. At first I thought it was me being too uncreative, but then I realised I was too overcreative.


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

Would I read it? Probably, as I'm a raging sci-fi junkie and love reading anything and everything sci fi. Would it kind of be odd that you are making a 40K-ish story? Yes, and if it's too close then the reader would probably have a hard time differentiating between the two, and combining your mostly-original universe into the 40K. Even if you call your Chapters 'Regiments' or 'Brigades' or whatever, you pose the risk of having your reader simply assume that is what this specific unit calls itself, still within the 40K universe.

As far as your writing, if you're aiming to publish the 40k-ish writings, then I'd warn you to make it as unique as humanly possible to keep the GW legal-hammer from crushing your balls haha.


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## andygorn (Apr 1, 2011)

It's not a criticism, but I'm a bit confused:
You wanted to write your own universe because GW's is "too limiting", but then acknowledge that the original world you've made is pretty similar to 40K (i.e. the thing you're trying to get away from)..?

Anyway, like BoC, I'd probably still read anything sci-fi because, for me, it doesn't depend on if "x may -or may not- be based one something else".

I'd also agree that GW is really hot on it's IP (Intellectual Property) and it all depends on how close your details are to the 40K/WFB universes.
If it's going to be properly published, then (regardless of what the actual legality of things is) I'd suggest you write it from the point of view of "Can I prove all this is nothing to do with anything that's GW-related?" 
If you're just writing to somewhere like here where it's not going to be published as a "this is my own universe" thing, then you're probably safe (but I'd still recommend putting some sort of a disclaimer at the start of it to say that it may resemble GW stuff and that you recognise that 40K is GW's property, etc...people here will know more about this than I do, however).

However, if you check out the original stories and the HOES competitions (not a shameless plug for myself) all the submissions are GW-related, but I doubt very much whether you'd find anything which isn't 'different' + enthralling + intriguing...I've found them all to be all this and more, so (for me) I don't think the GW setting is limiting at all. 
But that's just me.


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## Ambush Beast (Oct 31, 2010)

*OK*

Well, I find that in the wh40k universe you can be as original as you choose to be. For an example I have posted stories about spiders, zombies, vampires...

I Think that it 40k is not your thing anymore there is a thread page in forums that is for those who want to write something else. I have a whole collection of sci-fi stuff and fantasy sword and shield books that I read so I am not apposed to reading outside of the 40k universe.

It might be good to completely break away for a time and expieriment as that will help your imagination grow. 

Robert Howerd's conan books are fantastic. The star wars books will teach you alot about interplanitary politics. So Do what you need to do to develope your style and desired direction. :so_happy:


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## Androxine Vortex (Jan 20, 2010)

Thank you all for your responses. 

@Boc don't worry my storyline isn't like "There was the Immortal Godess Emperor who had 21 childrens called the Trimarchs. They were betrayed by the favored son Phorus"
it's not THAT similar but I am drawing all my inspiration from Warhammer 40K stuff. There will be dark gods, there will be many betrayals, there will be demons (not spelled with an a lol), there will be a large Empire of anti-religious, anti-magic soldiers, there will be lots of 40K refferencing stuff here, but I guess you could say that this stuff is found in other books as well. I'm just trying to keep it original from teh 40K world, I just want to make sure I am since the original plot was set in 40K

@Andygorn yes all that legal stuff must be kept in mind, thas why I want it original haha.
It seems weird for me to say that 40K is "limiting" because the scope is so vast. It's just that all my original plots kept runing into walls because it just wouldn't seem probable or it just didn't make sense in 40K. (im sorry i am terrible at explaining this :laugh

When I get more time i will post the basic background for it. It probably wont seem that conected to teh 40K universe but with everything else I have in my mind i think it does. I think I'll be fine, I again am just tryign to sever as many ties to teh 40K universe from the original plot as I can.

and keep in mind this is not going to be set in the future, it will be in more of a LOTR setting


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## SonOfStan (Feb 20, 2011)

The Warhammer 40k universe consists of a million worlds, many of which haven't necessarily had contact with the Imperium in millenia. We just frequently hear about the most famous ones; the Sabbat Worlds, the Chapter systems, etc. I don't see why you can't talk about a planet/system/piece of the galaxy that deals with some of the same old characters, but in new or different ways. 

Hell, you could do a medieval setting no problem. Plenty of worlds are stuck in a pre-industrial age.


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