Ruby O'Degee is a fictive author and virtual world builder. She believes a good backstory is the foundation for any virtual world. Her first opportunity to visit a virtual world in the fall of 2003 spoiled her. No visible world without a story is going to be enough for her. She is a Myst Uru explorer and refugee who writes her own worlds after years of practice.   There are few virtual (visible, walk through) worlds built with a complete story foundation. Most virtual worlds are historical replicas, venues, games or marketplaces. So she and a group of friends, all fine authors decided to start Age Writing (physical and visible worlds). It's been a long double back experience for Ruby.   It wasn't her decision from the beginning to more than fit square pegs into round holes. Puzzles were all Ruby wanted to solve, but after completing a few dozen puzzles she decided to make her own. Of course, she didn't have a clue about how the magic got done.   When she once asked a friend and popular world building mentor about "when and how to get started?" He answered "now" and "learn while you write."   Ruby trusted him, but she wanted another opinion. A second friend and popular world building mentor said "now" and "learn patience while you write."   When a third friend and popular mentor said "now" and BE the storyteller, she stopped asking. 17 years later, Ruby is a one woman band. "It's hectic," says her retired school marm beneficiary.   She realizes that her story got shoved to the back of the drawer. She needs to concentrate on the foundation of her builds that couldn't come first. Why? Because she is a pre-frontal, lateral thinker who needs to know much before she can know a little step by step. In the meantime she needs to keep it organized and at the ready.   Ruby calls her process Story Building. She develops a piece of virtual property for a purpose. That's a story. She sets down an object. That's another story. So it continues until the story gets told. Ruby's issue? It worked until it didn't get finished. Not yet. But at least she's at the point where it can be finished by an always distracted plotter.   Chronicler and storyteller she will be.