Documenting My Book Writing Journey, Week 8 (10 Things to Help Your Worldbuilding)

This week I spent a lot of time working on my story world. I have a method I use to build story worlds quickly and thoroughly, and I'm excited to share it with you! 

A few things you'll find interesting in this post: 

Click here to download your free copy of The Worldbuilding Starter Kit

I use The Ultimate Worldbuilding Manual to write my story worlds - you can check it out and get your copy here. 

Make sure to grab those, and let's get started with the ten things that help me build my story worlds. 

One: Start Small and Expand Gradually

You, of course, know that I'm all about working at a micro-level. As someone who gets overwhelmed quite easily, I've learned that starting small is the best way to ensure that I don't get completely stuck in my worldbuilding processes, which is why you may find it helpful to find the smallest, most miniscule place that needs work and start there. 

Instead of trying to create your whole world at once, start with a more focused area, like a single city, village, or region. Heck, you could even start with a single street if that makes sense to you. You have complete control over this situation, and can start with the dust motes if that suits you. 

When you feel more comfortable, you can add onto this world, and the foundation you build with your micro-work will hold the rest of your work up. If you start to feel overwhelmed again, just dial it back and keep it small. 

Two: What is Actually Important for Your Story?

Worldbuilding is great, but we definitely can get lost in the weeds. Sometimes we focus on worldbuilding too much and the plot drags itself to a halt. However, a solid fantasy world will drive the plot forward on its own, providing enough obstacles and conflicts to keep things interesting. If you're stuck in the middle somewhere, focus on where you want the plot to go and start building around that. 

Here's a good example: I was working on a part of my manuscript and I got really caught up in the socioeconomical differences between people who could afford glass windows and those who couldn't. I got really interested in the process of making glass windows and learned why they were so expensive in the middle ages. Then I learned that sometimes, people would use dried animal bladders for windows instead, because they were opaque enough to let the light through but were relatively cheap. This deep-dive was super interesting to me at the time, and I including almost all of it in the initial draft of the story, thinking, this is great! This will really draw readers in!

And while it certainly was interesting, what it actually ended up doing was dragging the plot to a complete halt. I cut out most of the pig-bladder-window section and only kept a mention of the window being present in the scene. I knew how the pig-bladder-window would affect the light coming through, and that was just about all I needed. Because I prioritized the motion of the plot and what was needed for the scene, I knew that some of this worldbuilding needed to be cut, and I did. (Although I'll be honest with you, I didn't want to - I firmly believe in NOT killing your darlings).

Three: Create a Checklist

One of the biggest problems I have with worldbuilding is simply keeping it all in my head. The solution? Don't. 

I have a saying in my family - as someone with raging ADHD (inattentive type) I tend to forget everything except the most stupid, unmemorable things - and it goes like this: if it's not written down, it doesn't exist. That's why I firmly believe in using every aid, tool, and shortcut you need to make the system work for you, not against you. So make a checklist of everything you need to complete your worldbuilding, and work on it a little at a time! 

If you don't have a checklist or don't know where to start, that's why I created The Ultimate Worldbuilding Manual. It's made from my personal experience with this, as well as the experience I have in helping my students develop their worlds, and it is the ultimate go-to for this sort of thing (even if you don't write fantasy, because it's not genre-specific).

Four: Focus on Key Details

Very rarely does an epic fantasy world pop out of the womb fully-finished (in fact, it NEVER happens. People who claim that it does are engaging in lazy writing - avoid them at all costs). The truth is that even if a world looks finished, there is always work to be done, and if you sit with it long enough, what needs to change will appear to you. 

When I first started writing (I was seven...so back in the stone age) I had no idea what worldbuilding even was. I was driven by a story (a Legend of Zelda Fanfiction, if you must know) that I didn't even have time to learn to read before I started writing. I grabbed my older brother and made him write the words for me while I drew the pictures. It's a charming story, for sure, but although the world popped out "fully formed" in my head, it wasn't ready yet - because twenty something years later, that story lives on and is completely unrecognizable. 

I will probably never tell the world which of my many stories started as an LOZ Fanfiction, for two reasons: 1) I would like to claim a little originality for my work, even if it is a farce; and 2.) every good writer starts somewhere, and it's usually with another writer's work. But my point remains: when I was seven, I thought the story was done. When I was ten, I started over and realized that the story hadn't even started. And when I turned the ripe old age of twenty-five, I realized that I needed to start over. That's when the overwhelm began. 

Although I was tempted to throw the whole thing out and start a new story that had nothing to do with the source, I stopped. At this point, with my various college experiences and my knowledge of writing as a whole, I knew that there was something wonderful in that narrative mess somewhere - I just had to fish around until I found it. So I began to focus on the key things that made sense in the moment to flesh out: the culture, for example, and the daily diet of my characters. (Daily diets impact more than you can imagine - they reflect not just taste preferences, but also economic situations, so pay attention to what your character eats.) Those key details spawned other ideas I could work on in a logical order, and suddenly, my scope was narrowed into something much smaller. 

Turns out, I didn't need to scrap the whole thing and start over. I just needed a few key points, and the rest would fall into place on its own. 

Five: Build as You Write

A lot of people think they need to have it all figured out before they put pen to paper. Although I am more of a plotter than a pantser at heart, I've found that engaging in a mix of both is best for my ADHD brain. I also like to be surprised with my writing from time to time, and building the world as I go through it helps me to discover not just interesting aspects, but also things that make sense to the story that didn't otherwise occur to me before. 

There's nothing more frustrating than building an interesting culture of flame-wielding-elfish-cat-people only to find out that when you MC arrives, there's nothing for them to do there. That's why sometimes I let my MC show up in a situation and just...see what they do. Depending on their state of mind, what the plot demands, and what is narratively interesting, I may pull in an aspect of the world not yet explored. I might also create something entirely new. The point is that doing it this way can offer a type of narrative freedom that plotting doesn't always allow. 

Building your world like this also helps if you're someone who struggles with writers' block. I'll be honest with you: I don't get writers' block that often - I usually have something more like diarrhea, when it comes out too fast and I can't keep up with it and cry because my hands hurt from writing (a different problem, I promise). But when I do get writer's block, using my worldbuilding sessions to introduce the character to something new, unexpected, or challenging (or all three!) helps me to figure out where the plot should go next and gets me out of my head a little bit. 

Six: Set Realistic Goals

Listen, I am all for setting goals that make you sweat. If your dreams don't set your teeth on edge, they are probably too small, and you should probably dream bigger - but in the here and now, taking micro-steps is better than being frozen with indecision.

Set small, achievable goals for your worldbuilding. Instead of aiming to create an entire world in one go, set a goal to develop one culture, one city, or one historical event each week. Breaking the process into smaller tasks makes it more manageable and less intimidating.

Setting small goals isn't settling from less than what you want, and you're not sacrificing the quality of your work, as long as you follow through with the next step: celebrate your goals. Set small goals you can achieve today, and then throw yourself a part for achieving them. Not only does this keep the creative juices flowing, it's a guard against burnout (yay) and can help keep you motivated when you otherwise want to quit.

Seven: It doesn't have to be perfect

As a perfectionist, this one makes my skin crawl, but it's true: you have to stop waiting for your world to be perfect. It won't be. Just write the darn thing. The important stuff will stick out, and when the time is right, you'll learn how to fix it. It's as simple as that. 

I used to be paralyzed in my writing because if I didn't feel something was perfect, I couldn't move on. If I didn't have the entire language a certain culture spoke written out with every single verb conjugation ever, I would stop and wouldn't resume writing until I got it done (which was never). This completely halted the progress I made in anything I was writing and made me feel like a complete and utter failure...when really, I was just a perfectionist. 

In anything, not just worldbuilding, chasing perfection is not the ideal - because perfection is so subjective that as soon as you arrive at "perfect", they move the finish line. Instead, learning to strive for excellence instead of perfection will teach you (and your brain) that on some days, simply showing up is good enough. 

In your worldbuilding, even if the thing you're working on doesn't feel perfect, if you've thrown your very best at it, I'd call it good to go. You can always come back to that particular thing on a different day and give it another look, but don't let it slow down the writing process. Write the story - that's what truly matters here. 

Eight: Take Breaks

Sometimes the reason why we struggle so badly with worldbuilding is because we're just tired. When you've used your executive brain all day, it can really stink to sit down and try to create a masterpiece on an empty tank. That's why even the most rewarding worldbuilding session can flourish even more when you take a break. 

My writing model goes like this: I don't usually write for more than thirty minutes at a time, because even though my brain can keep going, usually after thirty minutes I'm actually pretty tired, and the exhaustion will catch up sooner or later. With a built in break - every thirty minutes or so - I actually get more done than if I had just sat down at my computer for hours on end. Usually, the quality of the work has a significant improvement, too. 

Worldbuilding is a creative process that requires time and mental energy. Don’t be afraid to take breaks when you feel overwhelmed. Use this time to reflect on what you’ve created so far and gather new inspiration. Stepping away from the task can provide fresh perspectives and renewed motivation.

Nine: Seek Feedback

I once heard a writing mentor say that you should never show your writing to another person while it's in its baby stages. I followed this advice for many years before I realized it was complete BS and I was making a huge mistake, after which I promptly stopped. I think that her intentions were in the right place - she was saying (I think) that you shouldn't show your work to others while you're vulnerable, because they might influence your work prematurely and it might affect the way you write. This is fair, because you always should write for yourself and not to please others, but I'm Queen-take-everything-literally and I think I took it waaaaaaaaay too far. 

Too far to the point that I didn't show a soul my work for close to six years. In fact, I don't think any of my college friends know that I am a writer, because I never told them, never talked about, and never sought the company of other writers. (Do you see the damage bad advice can do?) Because I followed this advice, I missed out on 5+ years of building a potential fanbase, but I also missed out on connecting with other writers when I was in college. It stunk. A lot. When I started seriously writing again, I felt isolated, alone, and every time I felt like I wanted to give up on my work, I had no one standing by to tell me not to do it. It was awful. 

Anyway, I got married, and for the first time ever I decided to share my work with my spouse. I was worried he would hate it, or tell me it was stupid, or, at the very least, juvenile. (Even though he has never said anything like that to me about anything during the entire life of our relationship - he's literally the kindest person ever). The first time I read some of it to him, I asked him for critical feedback. He's a storyteller, too, and I knew that I could trust him to tell me if something in the writing wasn't working. And he said the following: 

"Rachel, this is really good. I don't know why you haven't shared this with anyone before."

When I tell you I nearly cried...

Here's the deal: you don't have to share your work with everyone, but share it with someone. I have about three people in my circle who read my work on a weekly basis and tell me if I should keep going or if I should give up, crawl into a hole, and never come out again (obviously, I'm still here, so I guess things are going well). These are the people who help me see past my own narrative-blindness and tell me if something is not working. Even better - they tell me when something is. 

So go get yourself some people you trust to give you feedback. It will change the game.

Ten: Keep it Fun

Last but not least...if you're not enjoying writing, something is wrong. 

I won't lie to you: I don't always like writing. Sometimes I just don't want to do it. But you are a writer because, at your core, you enjoy telling stories that have an impact in the world - even if the only world it's impacting is yours. There shouldn't be any part of this process that makes you want to give up writing for good. If something does, it likely can be tweaked with a few mindset shifts that will get you up and rolling again.

At its core, worldbuilding should be a fun and creative process. Don’t let the pressure to create a perfect world overshadow the joy of bringing your imagination to life. Allow yourself to experiment, play with ideas, and enjoy the process. Remember, the goal is to create a setting that enhances your story and captivates your readers.

What's Next?

If you're struggling with any part of the writing process, or if you're looking to dig even deeper into your novel, then there's something you need to grab. It's called The Ultimate Worldbuilding Manual, and it walks you through each part of worldbuilding, to an extensive degree. 

Here's exactly what's inside: 

• Geography, Weather, and Landscapes: Shape your world’s physical environment, from towering mountains and vast oceans to unpredictable weather patterns and unique biomes.
• Political Systems, Hierarchies, and Power Structures: Define the ruling systems of your world, whether monarchies, democracies, or shadowy organizations controlling everything behind the scenes.
• Societies and Cultures (Belief Systems, Traditions, Languages): Develop deep and immersive cultures, complete with traditions, languages, and belief systems that shape everyday life.
• Technology or Magic Systems: Determine whether your world thrives on cutting-edge technology, intricate magic, or a fusion of both, ensuring internal logic and balance.
• Economics and Trade Worksheet: Create a functional economy, from currency and trade routes to resource distribution and black markets.
• Magic System Builder: Craft a compelling and balanced magic system with clear rules, costs, and limitations to keep it engaging and believable.
• History & Mythology Builder (Bonus): Build a rich historical and mythological backdrop, from ancient wars to divine interventions, that shapes the present world.
• Flora & Fauna Guide (Bonus): Develop unique ecosystems, complete with plants, animals, and mythical creatures that feel authentic to your world’s climate and geography.
• Cultural Aesthetics & Architecture Guide (Bonus): Define the artistic and architectural styles of different civilizations, making cities and settlements feel visually distinct and immersive.
• Laws, Justice & Crime Systems (Bonus): Establish the legal systems of your world, detailing crime, punishment, law enforcement, and underground organizations.
• Religion & Spirituality Workbook (Bonus): Create belief systems, gods, rituals, and religious conflicts that shape morality, traditions, and societal norms.

If you've worked with any of my guides before, then you probably know about my question-and-answer method. This is the method I use for all of my writing projects, and the key piece that works so well is that it asks open ended questions to spark your creativity - 

Meaning that it works well for every project, regardless of genre, style, or even if you've used the guide before. 

(So you can use this over and over and over). 

Click here to take the next step on your book writing journey. I'm cheering for you! 

Happy Writing! 

Rachel