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How to Build a World, Part Three: Developing Systems

Welcome back to part three! Or if you’re new to this four-part series on worldbuilding, go check out part one about asking the right questions, and part two about creating your map, before you scurry back.

This week, we’re talking about systems. An outline of what’s to come:

  • First: why you should care about developing systems in your world
  • Followed by thoughts on how to do this, and a list of systems to jog your creativity
  • Finally, we’ll close with a discussion of everyone’s favorite: MAGIC SYSTEMS.

Why Systems?

Let’s start with a quote!

“Before you can tell a meaningful story, you have to hone and sharpen your understanding of the world, and that begins with the fundamental rules, the natural laws. Remember, because speculative fiction always differs from the knowable world, the reader is uncertain about what can and can’t happen in the story until the writer has spelled out the rules. And you, as a writer, can’t be certain of anything until you know the rules as well.”

Orson Scott Card, How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, pg 36

Rules are synonymous with systems here, since a system is a collection of procedures organized for one purpose. Systems govern our world. Even without human interference, weather systems, planetary systems, and ecosystems would exist without our input. Add humans, and then you gain systems of belief, government, economics, culture, education, philosophy, war, I could go on.

But I told you in part one not to worry about every detail of the 34 breeds of flowers that grow at different rates and flower in different seasons depending on which of the 62 nation states they are planted in… so what gives? Am I contradicting myself now by saying you need to develop the systems in your created world?

Nope! Because our goal is to worldbuild in service of story.

So your job is to pick and choose what systems are going to define, shape, and best suit your story, and focus only on developing those.

An example from my own work: my story involves characters who govern, so I knew I needed to know the details of the main governments in the world to accurately portray what their lives were like and how they would interact. Some story elements rely on the reader having an understanding of how the governments function (or don’t function.) As a writer, if you want the reader to know something, you have to know it first.

Besides giving complexity and authenticity to your world, your true goal for building systems to is to establish internal logic so readers know what is and is not possible in your world. These rules do not constrict you, they add spice to your story, and they help you establish tension. If your reader understands that in the world of Erewhon, stealing an apple is punishable by death, then when your main character steals an apple, the reader will be on the edge of their seat trying to figure out what happens next.

How does one go about creating these systems?

First and foremost, by asking questions. Another quote:

“What sort of place is this, and what are its peculiarities? What is the weather like, the light, the season, the time of day? What are the contours of the land and architecture? What are the social assumptions of the inhabitants, and how familiar and comfortable are the characters with this place and its lifestyle? These things are not less important in fiction than in life, but more so, since their selection inevitably takes on significance.”

Janet Burroway, Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, pg 178

You might have noticed at this point that most of worldbuilding is asking questions. There is no step-by-step guide to creating detailed systems in your world. You have to get curious about the art you want to create. This is your world. Take the spark of the idea, image, or feeling that inspired you to come to the page in the first place and get curious. Channel 8-year-old me, asking my dad, “Why?” (Because! Because Why? BECAUSE! Because WHY?!) About the aspects of your world that you are passionate about for this story.

For me, I focused on government, beliefs, magic, and to some extent history and military for my current work. Picking two to three systems to focus on deeply, and then creating a few details in a handful of other areas is probably the sweet spot.

So.

If I’m not going to hold your hand and teach you how to make developed systems, what am I going to do?

I’m going to give you a list of systems and characteristics to think about. Maybe one of these strikes you as the perfect aspect to go deep into for the story idea you have. I’m again borrowing from Brandon Sanderson’s worldbuilding lecture and breaking these into physical systems: characteristics that exist in the world without humans, and cultural systems: characteristics that are defined by the sentient races inhabiting your world. If you have more ideas to add, comment down below!

Physical Systems

  • Geology
  • Zoology
  • Plant biology
  • Astronomy
  • Biodiversity
  • Cosmology
  • Weather
  • Climate
  • Atmosphere
  • Geography
  • Physics
  • Magic*

Cultural Systems

  • Linguistics
  • Government
  • Legal and Justice
  • Education
  • Politics
  • Philosophy
  • Urbanization
  • Value systems and norms
  • Health care
  • Technology
  • Art
  • Ethnicity
  • History
  • Gender norms
  • Sexuality
  • Belief systems and religion
  • Myths and Legends
  • Social hierarchy
  • Military structure
  • Signs and Symbols
  • Leisure Activities
  • Transportation
  • Magic*
  • Taboos
  • Cuisine
  • Fashion
  • Violence
  • Traditions
  • Family structure

Magic Systems

*I think magic could go either way. Most magic systems treat magic as another natural feature of the world, but a story where the main character is the first to create magic in their setting would be fascinating! If you know of books like this, send them my way! And if you’ve written a book like this, let me know you to find your story 🙂

A note up front: I promised when I started this blog that I’d be honest with you. I’m not an expert on designing magic systems; I’ve created exactly one. So I’m not going to pretend I am an expert on this, but I am going to share definitions and point you toward resources that I’ve used to help me understand how to approach creating a magic system.

Magic systems are one of the most exciting parts of worldbuilding. They are the ultimate What If. Magic can color almost every system I noted above in fun and intriguing ways, if you want it to. In the wider fantasy community, there are two generally accepted types of magic systems: hard and soft magic.

Hard Magic is defined by clearly defined rules and limitations. Oftentimes with hard magic there is a cost to using the magic. Hard magic often functions as a tool the characters in your story have to overcome (or create) obstacles in your story. Some examples of hard magic systems are allomancy in Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson, drafting in The Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks, and alchemy in the anime Fullmetal Alchemist. In a hard magic system, readers should be able to ask “can the magic do X?” and answer the question with the rules provided to them in the story.

Soft Magic lacks defined rules and explanations. There may be a cost to using the magic, but it is often nebulous and not fully understood in the story. Soft magic tends to inspire more of a sense of wonder and awe in the reader. Some examples of soft magic systems are found in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien, A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) by George R. R. Martin, and the Force in Star Wars. In a soft magic system, the reader will never be able to completely predict what the magic can and can’t do. There is always a sense of mystery.

I’ve posed hard and soft magic as wholly separate categories, but they’re better thought of as opposite ends of a sliding scale. Many magic systems use elements of both but lean towards one end or the other. Most of the categorization is defined by the way you present your magic, as well. For example, I could have written in my notes a hard magic system where I as the writer have hard rules and limits to what my magic can do. I may then choose not to share those rules with the reader. Now my hard magic system will appear soft to my readers.

Before I leave you, as promised, here are some resources I’ve found helpful for thinking about magic systems:

Of course, Brandon Sanderson’s essays on his three laws of magic systems:

YouTube videos I’ve found helpful:

And the book you’ve seen me quote from multiple times by Orson Scott Card:

If you have your own resources to suggest, send them along in a comment for shoot me a note.

That’s a wrap on part three! I’ll see you next week for our fourth and final part of this world-building series: how to deal with your own influence and bias when worldbuilding. Until next time, have fun creating!

-M

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