I’m having trouble worlduilding. Building a society, let alone a whole universe is overwhelming. I feel like i’m going in circles trying to have my setting make sense. Any advice on how to start or where? Research methods? I’ve been stuck for weeks.
First, take a deep breath! I know it’s overwhelming, but world building can be incredibly fun, too. :)
Second, you do not have to plan out every detail of your world before you start writing. All you really need to figure out are the basic details and anything really important to the story. The rest can be figured out along the way or after your first draft. You will be amazed at how much develops naturally as you get a chance to explore your new world in the first draft. Plus, you can flesh things out and add details when your first draft is complete.
1) Where does the story take place?
Universe > galaxy > solar system > planet > continent > region, nation, or kingdom > city, town, or village > important “sets”
Focus on the thing that are important to your story. If the solar system doesn’t matter, don’t bother with it. Just know the basic details of the planet (is it earth or a planet like earth?) and the continent where the story is set. Then, the closer you zoom in on the locations where your story actually takes place, fill in more detail. Have a general idea about geographical details like mountains, rivers, lakes, and oceans, What is the specific setting where your story mainly takes place? Is it a high-tech futuristic metropolis? Or maybe a ramshackle civilization built on the ashes of a scorched earth? Is it a city, town, or village? Or perhaps an entire kingdom or nation?
You may want to think about doing a general map of the areas important in your story. I love these maps from Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha universe and Mary E. Pearson’s Remnant Chronicles:
When it comes to figuring out specific settings, you can look to Google for help. For example, “what were medieval villages like” or “castle layout.” You may want to look to the real world for inspiration. Leigh Bardugo modeled Ketterdam after a cross between Las Vegas and Venice. Tumblr can also be a fantastic resource for picture inspiration. Just search tags for things like: city, cottage, castle, winter, abandoned places, etc., and you can find any number of photo blogs with endless visual inspiration.
2) When does the story take place?
If you’re writing speculative fiction, like fantasy, sci-fi, or dystopian, you’ll need to figure out exactly when your story takes place and what things are like at that time. A lot of fantasies are modeled after medieval and renaissance England, but there are lots of other eras and places that would make for interesting fantasy inspiration. You may want to do a general timeline of your story’s events including important dates and events in the back story.
3) What is this place like?
Once you know when and where your story are set, and once you have some inspiration for the when and where, you can start to look at what your world is like. What level of technology is available in your world? Is it the same for everyone or dependent upon location or social class? What sort of transportation do they use? What type of military technology do they possess? What kind of technology is used in the home? Do they have television or radio? How do they get around? Is there magic? Do they live in castles or sky scrapers? Are there important details in the history of this place? What are the people like? What different cultures can be found? How do these people live their daily lives? How are their basic needs met? What type of medical care do they have? Do they have a religion? Are there any gangs, guilds, or other important groups? Do they have an education system? What language do they speak? What plants and animals live in your world, and how do people interact with them? Do they hunt and fish? Do they have livestock? Do they have pets? Do they gather plant life? Do they cultivate crops?
4) Government and Infrastructure
What type of government does your world have? Who are the important players? What about the government makes it oppressive? (It isn’t easy to find unbiased information about oppressive governments. Whether you agree or not, this article has some ideas about things the US government is doing that qualify as oppressive. This article discusses ten steps to a closed society. Between them, you should find some ideas for things your government might do. How does your government relate to other governments? Are there any current conflicts? What type of economic system does your world have? What currency is used? What industries bring money into your world, and who buys the products? What is imported and what is exported? To and from where? What is the system of law? What are the laws and how are they enforced? Is there a judicial system? Lawyers? Police? Prisons and jails? What are the consequences for breaking the law?
This should be more than enough to get you going. Anything else you can figure out along the way. And remember, even with all of the things I mentioned above–if they’re not important to the story, don’t worry about them. Don’t feel like you have to flesh out every single plant and animal that populates your setting.
Here are some other posts you might find helpful:
Establishing a Non-Traditional Fantasy Setting
Creating a Fictional Calendar
Naming Months in a Fictional Calendar
Creating a Language
Telling Time Without Clocks
Going Too Far with Fantasy?
Map Making
Creating Religion in a Fictional World
Cultural Appropriation
Creating and Naming Kingdoms
Setting Your Story in an Unfamiliar Place
Choosing a Setting for Your Story
Naming Things
Setting Your Story in a Fictional Town
How to Set Up an Oppressive Government
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Have a writing question? I’d love to hear from you! Please be sure to read my ask rules and master list first or your question will not be answered. :)
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