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How to Build a World, Part One: Ask the Right Questions

So. You want to build a world.

That’s right, we’re embarking on this blog’s first themed series! On Worldbuilding. (Or is it World building? I’ll never decide.)

What lies ahead on this themed quest?

  • In part one, I’ll ask big questions and present themes you should consider when thinking about the kind of world you want to generate, in service of your story.
  • In part two, we’ll talk about THE MAP: how to use map-making as a launch point for story ideas, and tips for creating your own.
  • Part three will be all about systems. Magic systems. Creating government systems. Cultural systems. ALL THE SYSTEMS.
  • In part four, we’re going to discuss how to pick apart your influences and detect biases when worldbuilding.

If any of that entices you, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any posts! And all sources I used outside of my own experience will be linked and cited at the bottom of this entry.

Okay. Let’s get down to it!

First, and foremost, you need a story. Worldbuilding should always be in service of story. One of the modern masters himself, Brandon Sanderson, says the same. In lectures from his spring 2020 class on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy at Brigham Young University he said: “the setting is both the thing that defines us (as science fiction and fantasy writers) and is the least important part of the story.”

This might sound strange at first. But consider, for a moment, what would Hogwarts be without the story of Harry Potter? And who would care about walking into Mordor without the story of Frodo and the Ring?

These places only resonate with us because of the stories that take place in them.

But wait a second. If you ask Orson Scott Card, the story can’t exist without the setting (Card, 28).

Building a world is the writer’s chicken or egg situation. The story needs a place to inhabit; but the setting needs the story to exist. I’m harping on this upfront, because idea generation is something that happens differently for each of us as writers. I’m going to attempt to lay out ideas to set you on the path of creating your own fully-realized fictional world, and provide the resources I’ve found helpful on my journey. But I can only show you the door. After that, it’s up to you to play and see what fits your style.

Sooooo how does one create a world from scratch?

I’ll quote what Sanderson calls his Zeroeth Law: “always err on the side of what is awesome.”

And you define what is awesome. Always lean towards creating what interests you.

Start with something you’re curious about. A what if. For me, I had a thought: what if a continent the size of modern Russia was all fertile, farm-able terrain, instead of snowy and cold? What kind of power would the nation inhabiting that land have? This one thought spawned a host of others. How would a country of that size stay together? What would their history look like? And on and on.

But it can be anything (I just happen to have an interest in international politics.) What if a planet had three suns? What if the sky was orange? What if speaking was taboo and the sentient beings communicated only with hand signals and in writing?

You can generate endless what if scenarios; but remember, we’re building this world for a story. Here are some cornerstones I like to think about to keep my “what ifs” reined in.

Similarity to Earth

This is perhaps one of the first questions to ask yourself. Is the story you want to tell best told in a world that is like the world we exist in, or fundamentally different? Is it earth in the far off future or past? Is it a different planet altogether? Your answer to this question will be the basis for almost everything else you build. The best part? There is no wrong answer.

Time Period & Level of Technology

Does your story take place a long time ago? Or Now? Is it an alternate future? Medieval? Other? The time period you pick may dictate what level of technology you include in your story. Notice I specified level of technology. We do not at this point need to get into all the specifics. But. As an example from my own work, I knew I wanted horses and ships to be a major transportation method. I also knew I didn’t want guns to be present in my world (yet). So, the general level of technology was going to be medieval. We’ll get more into this in part three, but technology (along with magic systems if you include them) will become the tools your characters have to solve the problems they encounter. Level of technology can be a powerful framing mechanism for you, the writer, to determine what is and isn’t possible in your world, and help keep your story internally consistent throughout.

Beliefs

Is there going to be a belief system in your world? Multiple belief systems? Will they clash or coexist? Again, think broad strokes for now. But every culture in our world, now and throughout history, has origin stories about how they came to exist on the planet and relate to it. The beliefs of the cultures in your created world will affect how they build their cities, form nations, and interact with each other. In the Cambridge Introduction to Creative Writing, David Morley writes “you as the writer must know where your characters are and what conditions they inhabit; what year it is and even what time on the clock is. That information may never even enter the text, but it will implicitly affect the behavior and mood of your characters” (Morley, 174). We’re not concerned with the time on the clock quite yet, but we do need to start thinking about the atmosphere we’re building. This will give your world complexity that makes it feel complete, and “the very completeness of your world will transform your story and make it more truthful” (Card, 36).

I’ve given you a lot to think about, so I’ll close with a few final considerations.

“Bigger is not strictly better. And in fact, with worldbuilding I think it is usually worse.”

Brandon Sanderson, Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy at BYU, Lecture #5: Worldbuilding Part One

Many of us who are readers in the science-fiction and fantasy genres love expansive worlds. But as the writer, we can’t let our love of lore get in the way of the story we’re trying to tell. We also can’t let it keep us from writing the story. For many of us worldbuilding can be enthralling. Certainly, each of the 62 distinct nation-states needs an individualized flag, with symbolism, and there needs to be a myth behind the colors of the flag and while we’re at it a national dish and a national pastime and OF COURSE we need a catchy motto for each noble family…

Except that you don’t need any of those things. Not to start writing the story. It might feel like you need them. Even if you’re the strictest of outliners: take a deep breath, add a note in your outline that says “will add detail if I need it later” and START WRITING. You can go back later and add detail in. I promise. Don’t fall into worldbuilder’s disease. Now more than ever, the world needs the stories you’re creating. Yes, you.

“But what if my ideas aren’t unique enough? I want to be original!”

Every Writer Ever

Take your fear of being unoriginal, crumple it up into a ball, and toss it into the garbage. I’d be remiss if I didn’t quote my favorite fantasy author before closing this introduction to my worldbuilding series. So, here goes:

“The truth is, originality in the Romantic conception of something that has never been done before is probably a bankrupt concept. People are people. We go to stories for certain things. We feel satisfied when justice is served – except those of us who are more satisfied by a gritty portrayal of the world that shows that justice isn’t served. We like it when the guy gets the girl in the end. Except those of us who are sick of those saccharine portrayals and want to read a book where the girl slaps that smiling dude’s pompous face! We like characters who grow and change from the beginning of the novel until the end – except those who stay the same and force the world to change around them. The truth is, every trope is a trope for a reason, and every trope inverted is simply another trope.”

Brent Weeks, Writing Advice FAQ

Your goal is not original. It is flavor. It is perspective. It is individual. I will never have the same exact thoughts you have, and vice versa. The lenses through which we view the world will always be slightly differing shades. So write your passion, write your perspective. I am not saying write only what you know and have experienced. But write through your filter, about topics you are curious and passionate and excited about. That will make your world different, even if it has dwarves and elves and orcs and a ring.

To close once more with Mr. Weeks:

“If you use your life and your passions and your courage, and if you put in the practice, the hundreds of thousands of words (maybe a million words) to become truly comfortable in your own skin as a storyteller, then when somebody reads your novel, there will be no doubt in their mind that it’s your novel.”

Brent Weeks, Writing Advice FAQ

Now, get out there and build a world! I’ll see you next week with an entry on map-making 🙂.

-M

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