1. Worldbuilding

What on Earth is worldbuilding?

Worldbuilding is like a magical recipe, a crucial ingredient in any fantasy and science fiction story. It's the process of creating a fully-realized and believable world for the story to take place in.

Two fantasy series that have mastered the art of worldbuilding are The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson and The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Both series have rich and detailed worlds that ads depth, realism, and a sense of immersion to the story. But, it's important to keep in mind that while worldbuilding is an essential aspect of any fantasy story, it should never overtake the story or become more important than the plot and characters.

The Stormlight Archive

The series takes place on Roshar, a planet with a unique ecosystem. The world is characterized by highstorms, massive storms that ravage the landscape and shape the culture and society of the inhabitants. The world has a rich and detailed history with unique cultures and societal norms (safehand exposure, beware!) The worldbuilding in the series is tightly integrated with the plot and characters, with the highstorms serving as both a physical and metaphorical threat. Surgebinding, the magic system, is also intricately tied to the world and its inhabitants, making it feel like a natural and believable aspect of the story.

The Wheel of Time

This series takes place on the world of… well, let’s call it Randland. Randland is a world with a rich history and a complex system of magic known as the One Power. The worldbuilding in the series is extensive and detailed, with more of a focus on cultures, societies, and religions than climates and ecosystems. The world is also shaped by a doom prophecy so strong, it might as well be a physical thing! It chases after the main characters, driving the story forward and giving the world a sense of urgency and purpose.

In summary, worldbuilding is an essential tool for creating a believable and immersive story. It should always serve the story, characters, and plot, rather than overpowering it. Both The Stormlight Archive and The Wheel of Time are great examples of how well-crafted worldbuilding can enhance a story and make it more engaging to readers. Roshar and Randland are not just a backdrop, but an active participant in their respective stories. This enhances the tale, especially when the world puts pressure on the characters, shaping their actions and decisions. When starting your own worldbuilding, make sure everything is relevant to the plot and characters, and continuously revise and improve as you write your story.

Starting my own worldbuilding? How?? 

You're in luck, my friend, because worldbuilding is one of the most thrilling parts of writing fantasy and sci-fi. But where do you start? Well, don't let the sheer scale of it overwhelm you. Just pick a couple items from the list below and attack it like I’m about to.

Elements you could develop for your worldbuilding:

1. Geography, climate, and environment

2. History: major events, conflicts

3. Cultures and societies: unique beliefs, customs, and social structures

4. Magic system: rules and limitations of magic

5. Laws, politics, and government systems

6. Religion and spirituality

7. Technology and industry

8. Language and dialects

9. Economy and trade

10. Education and knowledge

11. For a list twice as long, sign up to my newsletter at the end of this article!

I’m gonna pick the first few since they focus on points important to the Stormlight Archive, one of our case studies. Go about it like this you'll be on your way to creating a world so rich and detailed, your readers will be begging for more.

First things first, map out the basics. Draw a rough sketch of the world and start figuring out the geography, climate and environment. This is the foundation and it'll give you a clear visual of the world. Now, let's give it some depth by creating a history. Think about the major events, conflicts and cultural developments that have shaped your world. Trust me, building a second element that’s people-related on top of a physical-world element will ground your world and make it feel more real and believable.

Next up, let's add some flavor by developing different cultures and societies. Each one should have their own unique beliefs, customs and social structures. This'll give your world diversity and will make your characters more interesting and complex. Feel free to take inspiration from real cultures to really spice up your characters.

Now, it's time to add some fantasy to your world by designing a magic system. You'll need to figure out the rules and limitations of magic in your world. This'll add an element of fantasy and will help create tension and conflict in your story. Or, if you’re less like a Sanderson magic writer, come up with cool, awesome magic that wows readers—just be sure to never use it as an easy way our for your characters, but that’s another article all together!

Now that you've got the basics down, it's time to establish some rules and laws. Think about the laws, politics and government of your world. This'll give your world a sense of order and will help create conflict and tension in your story. These are the elements that Sanderson focuses on the most in the Stormlight Archive. You can choose any of the other elements listed to create a completely different masterpiece.

That’s great and everything, but what about story specific answers to the worldbuilding elements. I need an actual example!

I’m glad you asked! I have an example for the Wheel of Time below, but take advantage of the Worldbuilding Template I created with examples (using the Stormlight Archive) as well as the actual template which will help you to do ALL of the above and more! You can download it simply by signing up to my Newsletter at the end of this article. If you’re serious about creating a memorable world, the template is a must have!

Here is the promised story-specific example using the Wheel of time.

1. Name of World: Randland (If you believe it’s Earth, great! I do too. I just wish it was more obvious. For now I will call it the obligatory ‘Randland’!)

2. History: major events, conflicts: The Breaking of the World, The War of the Shadow, The Trolloc Wars, The War of Power

3. Cultures and societies: unique beliefs, customs, and social structures: The Aiel, The Seanchan, The Aes Sedai, The Children of the Light

4. Magic system: rules and limitations of magic: The One Power, male and female channelers, the Dark One's taint on the male’s power, the Dark One’s True Power, etc.

5. Fashion and clothing: The fashion and clothing in Randland is influenced by the various cultures and societies present in the world. One of the most notable fashion elements in the books is the emphasis on dresses, with many of the female characters being described wearing dresses with intricate designs and embroidery. This is particularly true for the Aes Sedai and the noblewomen, who are often seen wearing rich, colorful dresses with long trains and intricate patterns. The fashion and clothing also reflect the societal status of the characters. Sorry, this one had to get the most attention, since the late RJ loved them dresses and (insert alluring adjective here) bosom!

6. Health and medicine: Herbs and healing weaves are commonly used, with more advanced methods available to Aes Sedai.

7. Sexuality and gender roles: Traditional gender roles in some cultures, with women often relegated to domestic roles. However, powerful women like the Aes Sedai and other societies like the Matriarchy in Andor or the Woman’s Circle in the Two Rivers challenge these norms.

8. Military and warfare: Large standing armies, use of cavalry and other forms of transportation in battle, use of channelers in warfare.

But don't stop there, remember that worldbuilding is a continuous process and you'll need to revise and improve as you write. Most importantly, always keep in mind that your worldbuilding should serve the story and the characters, so avoid adding unnecessary details that don't contribute to the plot or character development. Happy worldbuilding, and I hope you find the template useful!