StoryCraft Novel Challenge Day 15: It’s time to build your world!
One of the most exciting parts about building an epic story is the world that comes with it, but we need to be careful not to get lost in the details and remember the story that needs to take place there.
As writers, we need to understand every detail about our worlds, even if they don’t appear in the book. This is especially true if writing fantasy or science fiction, because we’re not just building a world, but an entire society. There are so many questions to ask about worldbuilding that it can be just slightly overwhelming.
The StoryCraft Process breaks this down into small, bite-size chunks. If you’re looking for a deeper experience, you can join our online course in Beta access for $150 off with SCBETA.
Let’s start wide to build our foundation and then slowly go deeper. First, we’ll begin with geography. What does your world look like? Is it a contemporary city? A historical place? A new planet? Space? When does this world exist? Now? 150 years ago? How much research needs to take place so we can make sure this world is authentic?
Once we know the basic physical attributes, we can get into the society. What is the geopolitical structure? Who is in power and who is oppressed? Is there rebellion brewing in the streets? These questions can be geared toward non-SFF stories as well. What is happening in the world that could create conflict or intrigue? What is the power dynamic at your protagonist’s workplace, in their family, or their friend group? Are there areas of their life where they are at the top of the food chain and others where they are at the bottom?
As part of the StoryCraft Process, we have a series of questionnaires that will lead you through the basics of the world through to the nitty gritty, like how much a loaf of bread costs. If you’re looking for a deeper experience, the StoryCraft: Writing Your Novel course will take you through everything you need to know. You can also try the StoryCraft Workbook, which features an entire section on Worldbuilding. Find out more here.
The important thing to remember as we’re building out our worlds is that we have a story that must take place here, so try to tie back every element to how you might need it in the story. How did your characters grow up, and which parts of their world influenced them? What happened in history right before the story begins?
Take some time to play and explore here, and next week, we’ll get started on the outlining process. Share the details of your world with hashtag #StoryCraftNovelChallenge.
Happy Writing,
Jess and Theo