How to Make a Language: Writing Systems

Just like any other language, many conlangs come with their own script—a way to write them down. Not every language needs a writing system, and most don't create their own original script, so don't feel like you have to take this step. However, if you do want to write using your conlang, there's a few tips we can share that might help you get started.

There's plenty more to discuss about scripts beyond what we had time for here, so if you're interested to learn more, check out the links to other episodes of Story Tips below. Or, if you're already well-versed in conlanging, drop a comment telling us some tips of your own!

Script and VO by Adam Bassett
Animation by Cole Field

Special thanks to Slorany for helping draft the script and providing some of their resources for conlanging (see them below!)

#conlang #writingcommunity #authortube #writingadvice

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[EmperorZelos]

A tip I can give, if you don't want to develop the writing system, is to pick a handful of different strokes, rarely more, and then use only those in various combinations to make the glyphs. It is an easy way to make it look coherent and like it has history.

[Avionne_Parris]

This was awesome, Adam!

In my YA anime fantasy, all 6 of my clans used scripts at one point but the only clan who retained their original scripts in present day, is the one who has edification as their ethos.

Since they value education and wisdom, it made sense that they would retain the original script to pass on to future generations.

Great video!

[Mat-xygb]

My tip is to start w a rlly rough script and allow yourself to naturally change and adapt it as you use it until u end up with a more consistent script that you like (and then ofc u can manually add your own touches to it)

[olivefernando]

hey if someone wants inspiration sri lankan books (for example, other languages/people did this too) weren't written with like a quill, it was embossed into leaves with a stylus and then ink was wiped across it and then it was cleaned off leaving the ink only in the letter grooves,  

so like if you're doing like an alien/fantasy thing maybe that might give you some ideas to like think about the actual mark making thing isn't always pen or brush or chisel based

the letters have to be more curvy because straight lines can cause the leaf to split, so the way it is written is really informed by the physical process of writing

[abhrahamezra]

I created a language which has its own writing system, grammer, pronounciation . I created this language 4 years ago ❤

[samuelrruiz]

I create my "main" writing system when I was at 8 grade of school and I don't really like it at first but I get tired of creating writing systems so I just used that, at the end I didn't develop a conlang but I used it to write silly thing in my school notebook.
After a time I decided to create a diary and used that writing system to it, but I didn't like the look of it so I "standardized it" after a long time, and it actually looks a little different.
I continue using that and after 2 years I realized that the thing than I was writing down was different enough to have a, re-standardization.
In that moment I was so happy, because my writing system evolved.
Some of the letter than I use now are even different from that "standar" of that time, but I don't want to re-standardized it again, If I continue like that, in 10 years I'll be unable to read the things that I'm writing now.

[Broþar]

Thank you i made my own Language written top to bottom

[tazzyhyena]

When coming up for a script for my Yenid language I ended starting at the culture and why in universe the script was made. It started out as record keeping but as times changed it also became a part of religious ceremonies to burn letters to dead relatives as a form of sacrifice, so a new script was created that was one sound for each letter with diacritics for vowels that is written on palm leaves which are more accessible in the region with a variation written in stone that is angular

[hydrashade]

im making a language for a species with fire magic, and their script started by dragging their finger across wood to burn markings into it. i imagine this would make some thick, curved and pretty connected lines.

[KyleMartinJolly]

Very interesting. I myself have made my own language a while ago and it seems to be a combination of a substitution language, and symbols that when stringed together in certain ways means different things. My language is more based on the worlds power system where the language itself acts as a command code for the energy of the universe. One example of this is construction circles. This can take many forms. The simplest is simply using its alphabet with a script-like circuit to make it work. To the most difficult and seemingly most simple which is the compressed construction circles. One example is to illustrate the object of creation in this case an arming sword as real to life as possible. Then to write how the object is made(construction methods and materials used), then its size and dimensions, the laws imbued into it (elements, enchantments etc.). Then the sacrifice required for it to be created and then its activation method and outcome of the script. Then they would compress all of that information into a string of information and combine it with the sword image. In this way the information contained is sturdy and can be used multiple times. Its even possible to bind this compressed construction circle to an object and mass produce them so long as they have the right materials to sacrifice in order to make them. It can even be used as a blueprint and duplicated so they do not need to make the construction circle again. Energy can be substituted to long as there is enough for the circle to make the object. In that way its possible to use it as a spell where they fire a barrage of fully functioning arming swords with the downside of the ones made from energy into mass not being as strong and that it may cost a lot of their internal energy. But, that to can be mitigated with external power sources or even dimensional spaces where the required materials are stored.

Well anyway that's just some of the basics as well as some of the possible application. Though still difficult to progress as I keep having to come up with symbols to represent a function, action or even more complicated objects.

[GreenBlueWalkthrough]

Thanks for this great starting point! As for my work I have only made one langue so far for my sci-fi setting that cover an alt future/history from 2019CE-3000AD... Called ECish and it was developed in world as anew lingue Franka for the Eastern Coalition to use instead of their enemies English... It is a mix of modern day Russian and Traditional Chinese as they are the major powers in the Coalition which how I interpret it is the Chinese goes first and the Russian second as based on my use of google translate that is how it should work... Which the most used word in the langue in my work so far is Sida(是Да) or yes for the Chinese word of Shi De and the Russian word Da. And a Red a descendent Human species(Yeah alot of things happened to and in the EC) of the EC might say...

"是Да(Sida Yes) Comrade Leader! I will restation my Sumig(Sukhoi, Mig aircraft companies and what ECites/Reds call their small aerospace craft.) squadron to the Rénmen Korzina(Peoples basket a 666KM long on average city ship) to train for our mission to liberate the protalote(To them it means the lower class) of their Móguǐ d'yavola(Devil's Blood Money) and bring them into the Red(Their society)!"

[whiscashenjoyer]

Great video! I've been interested in creating my own sort of script for my fictional language as a form of art, and this video really helped me out!

[mihanek_]

Great video! Btw, digraphes are used not only in alphabets but in other writing systems too, for examples, u use one symbol for z in hebrew - ז, but u need two symboles for zh (like s in pleasure) - ז׳

[Zane-It]

One really weird writing system I have is with beads each bead is made from a different species of wood and engraved with different patterns to represent different words. This script is only used for legal documents and religious scriptures.

[JayFolipurba]

I already like the intro. Like, the video is good, but any intro usually isn't as good as this. Exactly what an intro should be, not stringing along the listener in hopes of watchtime retention but giving a synopsis of the content that makes me want to know more. engaging

[raven-sfdi]

Lewis Carroll made up a language when writing alice in wonderland, Not to go in his story though.

When he woke up with an idea for his story he found it a fuss to find a candle s to light the room .
So he invented a way to write in the (near)dark .
Its called nyctography .

I could imagine dwarfs and underground creatures having a similar writing system

[caoimhinyay]

this is amazing! needs more views!! earned a sub

[MyeluefUrdie]

I use abugida for my writing system and i want to add some logography but just for adverbs because envelopes more consumed than others.

[usrG]

Language naver gets minimal or sinple, it grows with knowledge and experience

[purpleplays]

I’ve made a writing system for an alien species that’s slightly more advanced than our current civilization and this takes place in the 40th century AD. The writing system I made has the vowels with the mouth shapes symbolized but for the rest of the syllabary, every single syllable has its most common meaning symbolized, some are literal objects like “gi” which symbolizes a window, the word for window is “gidan” in my conlang, the consonant letters N and M are also symbolized with mouth shape, basically a line for M and a thin curved rectangle for N.