Worldbuilding Template for Fantasy Authors
Worldbuilding: A single word in which entire stories are constructed, where characters live and die, and readers lose themselves completely. It’s the “one word to rule them all,” if you will. It’s a term that’s made many authors cry, adopt fake identities, and start new lives in a cozy Floridian suburb.
Okay. Maybe it’s not that dramatic. But, creating an entirely new world can definitely feel like an overwhelming task.
You’ve probably heard all kinds of worldbuilding advice. From going completely bonkers creating entirely new languages and naming every single character down to the village fruit vendor, to the cool and collected iceberg method (no lettuce was harmed in the testing of this strategy).
With all the advice out there on worldbuilding, I would recommend taking it all with a pinch of salt. Even this article. You can be told 1,000 different ways to worldbuild, but if it does not work for you, befriend a Hobbit and toss it into Mordor.
Scroll to the bottom of this blog and you’ll find a link to a worldbuilding template (or you can click here for the worldbuilding template). Much like the troll squatting beneath a rickety bridge asking for a toll, all I ask is a name and an email address in return so you can stay tuned to my monthly newsletter. Believe me, this template is worth far more than an email. I’ve poured hours of study into it, so you’re getting a real gem.
Now, onto worldbuilding!
Worldbuilding at its Core
Worldbuilding is the process of creating a fictional realm distinct from our own that influences the narrative in unique and perhaps challenging ways. Now that the boring definition is out of the way, here is a cooler one: fantasy worldbuilding is the most creative freedom you will ever experience because you get to create your own dang world!
Do you want dogs that only walk on hind legs? Throw them a bone. Do you want floating streets and talking buildings? Fantastic. Have you dreamt of a world where noodles are the currency and the only way to travel between planets is by harvesting spaghetti sauce? Okay, maybe I’m just hungry.
What I am trying to say is: fantasy worldbuilding shouldn’t be scary. It should be the most fun you can have while writing.
I get it. When you read stories like Dune with intricately constructed cultures, economies, and histories, it can feel like your worldbuilding will never match up. Stop comparing yourself to these stories and just write the story you want to write. And if you are having trouble creating this world, or you feel like your world is missing something, this guide, plus the worldbuilding template, will give you all the info you need to create a world as magical as Harry Potter.
Now that I have inspired you beyond a reasonable doubt, let's get into the nitty gritty.
What in the World (Building)?
The basics of worldbuilding involve figuring out the type of world you want your characters to hate their lives in. Sound harsh? Remember, our goal as fantasy authors is to put our main characters through as much adversity as possible. Just when the reader thinks the main characters can’t take it any more, we invite them to a “Red Wedding” and hope for the best.
Most of the time, the adversity we put our characters through is usually in direct relation to the world that they live in. Think about it. In the Mistborn series, the world is covered in a thick and mysterious smoke that hinders sight and creates major intrigue. In The Broken Earth Trilogy, the magic system is deeply integrated into seismic activity within the earth and characters must learn to survive in a world on the brink of destruction.
How important is your world to your story? A lot of the time we think about all the ways characters interact with the world, but I challenge you to think differently. How does the world interact with your characters?
For more thought-provoking insights and incredible worldbuilding questions, don’t forget about the worldbuilding template at the bottom of the blog. You’re getting warmer and warmer, much like Golem at the end of Lord of the Rings.
Now that you have spent some time thinking about how the world will challenge your characters and influence their wants and needs, let’s take a look at a few of the things that can take your fantasy worldbuilding to the next level.
Fantasy Worldbuilding Part 1: Geography
“Someone call the G8 Summit, because I just felt the climate change” - New Girl.
The geography of your story can impact everything from climate and travel, to war and natural disaster. If you like to draw, sketching a map is a great place to start your worldbuilding. Include things like bodies of water, mountain ranges, villages, and forests. If you’re not much of an artist (like me) you can write out everything in your world on a piece of paper (it’s that thing your parents used to submit their homework on). Think about ways that the landscape can affect your story.
Is your fantasy city in the center of a “dormant” volcano?
Are rivers and oceans teaming with dangerous - and strangely sassy - monsters?
Is a mysterious mountain causing chaos by materializing out of thin air? (Potential spoilers for my very future book. Stay tuned for years to come as I sort this plot out).
Ask questions like these and contemplate the landscape of your story. Ultimately, you want your reader to feel like the geography of your story is dynamic, potentially perilous, and wholly immersive.
Fantasy Worldbuilding Part 2: Developing Races and Cultures
If you are anything like me, you love dwarves with long beards, elves with pointy ears, devious gnomes, and rangers with shadowed pasts and names that require a pronunciation guide. If you are also anything like me, you crave originality.
HOT TAKE ALERT: to stand out in the fantasy genre, using terms like elves, dwarves, and gnomes can sound cliché.
I'm not saying you can’t have these beloved races in your story. I am saying that you need to be prepared to explain who these races are, how they got here, and how they interact with each other. There’s already a ton of lore around these races.
To stand out you need to clearly define their identity and desires, or you are going to be lugging around a lot of baggage from previous author’s stories. And this baggage does not fly free - so keep it under fifty pounds and make sure you dump that water before passing through security.
When developing races for you story, start from scratch:
What are their physical characteristics?
We’re talking hair length, skin color, and height/weight.
What is their history?
This doesn’t have to be on par with Tolkein’s Silmarillion, but understanding a few key ideas can really help. Look at the number of races you plan on having, how they have behaved with each other over years or centuries, and what they value. Everything from a race’s goals to how they view religion, society, life/death, and the place they call home can help dig deeper and create rich histories.
Strengths and Weaknesses?
When I say strengths and weaknesses, I am not talking about how physically strong or weak your character's race is. You can track all their Planet Fitness hours in the physical characteristics above. I’m talking about emotional strengths and weaknesses.
What makes your race tick?
In Dune, religion and prophecy are crucial to the people of Arrakis. Think about how these aspects can harm or propel a race forward. In the Sword of Kaigen, honor is the cornerstone of Shirojima culture. How can honor, or pride, become a weakness or a strength for a race?
Fantasy Worldbuilding Part 2 ½: Species and Monsters
I will only touch on this a little in this blog (hence the ½), because creating monsters and new species is one of my favorite things to do. I plan on writing an entire blog on this topic, because dang it I love a good monster!
In general, physical descriptions are huge for species and monsters. If you mix a great physical description with a powerful ability, you create devastating monsters. Think about Fluffy in Harry Potter: A ginormous three-headed dog who falls asleep when music is playing? Now that’s unique.
I like to start by combining different animals together and then giving this monster a unique ability that stokes fear like Taco Bell before a five hour flight. For example: the face of a tiger on the body of a gorilla that can blend with environments and levitate on command. Pretty scary, right?
Use your world to build these monsters even more. Do they live in caves, forests, or in the water? How do they interact with the people of this world, or with other species?
Much like naming a stray puppy you are “holding on to until the owner shows up,” I would avoid naming these monsters. When you set your hero up to kill them you could be tempted to kill your hero instead because of your emotional connection to them. But hey, maybe a monster main character is what the fantasy genre has always needed?
This was a joke, you can laugh and continue reading now.
Fantasy Worldbuilding Part 3: Societies and Governments
The political and societal structure of your world can influence many facets of your story. Class structure and economic pressure creates hardships, and in some cases, full blown revolution. Understanding the dynamic between a government and its people can make for some juicy stories.
In The Hunger Games, an oppressive government forces children to fight in an arena to ensure no further revolution ever takes place across the districts.
How does your government work?
Are they peaceful, tyrannical, completely separate from society? Maybe your character is inside the government, working their way up the ladder to create more equitable practices for house elves. Whatever the case, here are a few more questions you can ask yourself:
What type of government are you envisioning?
A few choices to base your style around are Democracy, Autocracy, Oligarchy, or Dictatorship. You can even get crazy and combine a few together.
What is the class structure?
Is there a huge gap between poor and rich? Who makes up the middle class?
Government and society are very interesting topics when it comes to worldbuilding. As a Political Economy major myself, I can tell you that both influence each other in very strategic and sometimes, corrupt ways. You just have to decide who has more power, what the goals of each are, and how they will butt heads throughout your story. You know, the easy stuff.
Fantasy Worldbuilding Part 4: Integrating Magic and Technology
Oh boy. Magic systems. Technology. Training montages to show character growth. We’re getting into the real deal now. Creating a magic system can be as daunting as building a world. This is part of the reason I’ve decided to create an entire blog on this topic. (Coming soon).
Once you’ve determined your magic system, think about how it integrates into your world. Is it essential to your worldbuilding, or does it exist outside of the common elements of your story? How advanced is your technology? Are we talking Iphones or cup phones?
Think about the way that your magic system influences your characters as well. How hard is your magic system to master? What is the learning curve for learning this system? Using magic, and the mastering of all the elements that go into that magic, is a perfect platform for exploring strengths and weaknesses for your character and creating believable characters.
Fantasy Worldbuilding Part 5: Crafting Believable Characters
The final piece in this worldbuilding puzzle involves your characters. Fitting them into the world you created is just as important as the creation of the world itself. Creating characters that blend seamlessly to your story is easier said than done. In this case, I like to look at specific examples to help inspire you. Here’s two characters and worlds to think about:
What makes Harry fit in the world of Hogwarts?
Well, for starters, his parents were legendary wizards who stood up to the biggest bad guy the wizarding world had ever seen. Plus, he's a natural wizard with a knack for flying brooms and getting into all sorts of magical mischief. Rowling does a great job of using Harry’s stubborn and courageous attitude to push the limits of the magical world she created.
How does Aruthur Morgan fit into the wild west of Red Dead Redemption 2?
He’s a hardened criminal shaped by a rough world and even rougher company. He’s flawed and makes plenty of mistakes, and he’s got a moral compass that drives him to seek redemption for himself, his gang, and the people he wronged. Add in his expert weapon skills and savvy use of his criminal past, and you’ve got a cowboy who’s perfectly at home in the wild west.
These are just a couple of characters who fit like a glove in their respective worlds.They use every bit of their world's quirks and knowledge to their advantage. Sure, they’re flawed and make plenty of boneheaded mistakes, but that makes them all the more relatable to us regular folks. Your mission, should you choose to accept it: think of more characters and list how they fit—or hilariously don’t fit (I’m thinking Richard Mayhew in Neverwhere)—into their worlds.
Good Websites to Help for Story World Building…And Your Template!
Here’s that worldbuilding template I have been tempting you with this whole time, much like the wafting aroma of a cartoon pie on a windowsill.
As you know, there are tons of resources out there, but here are a few good websites that can help with story and worldbuilding. You don’t think I would leave you with just my own advice, did you? While my tips are gold, here’s a few websites you can use to become an even more amazing worldbuilding author:
studiobinder: What is World Building - Definition, Examples & Techniques
Kindleprenuer: 15 Worldbuilding Tips for Writers
Savannah Gilbo: 5 Worldbuilding Tips for Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writers
