Worldbuilding Guide

Every story takes place somewhere. Whether your characters navigate the mean streets of Chicago, the corridors of a starship, or a kingdom where magic is real, that world shapes everything: what your characters can do, what obstacles they face, and what their lives mean.

This guide expands on The Importance of Setting, helping you build worlds that serve your story—whether you write mysteries, thrillers, romance, literary fiction, fantasy, or science fiction.

1. What Is Worldbuilding?

Worldbuilding is creating the context where your story takes place. It encompasses the physical environment, cultures, history, and systems that make your fictional world feel real and consistent.

Many writers associate worldbuilding exclusively with fantasy and science fiction, but every story has a world. A legal thriller set in contemporary Manhattan requires worldbuilding: the culture of the law firm, the unwritten rules of the courtroom, the specific neighborhood where the protagonist lives. A romance set in a small Southern town requires understanding that community’s values, customs, and social dynamics.

“World building must not come at the expense of your story.” — Jerry Jenkins

The goal is not to create an encyclopedia. The goal is to create a world coherent enough to support your narrative and vivid enough to immerse your readers.

Why consistency matters: Readers notice when rules are broken. If your character cannot afford rent in chapter two, she should not casually buy a sports car in chapter six without explanation. If magic costs blood in your fantasy, a mage cannot cast spells freely. Inconsistency breaks the spell of fiction.

For detailed reference on StoryCAD’s worldbuilding features, see the StoryWorld Form documentation.

2. Two Approaches: Where Do You Start?

Writers build worlds in two different ways. Neither is wrong—choose the approach that matches how you think.

Inside-Out (Story-First)

Start with your story idea. A detective investigating murders in a cyberpunk city. A woman returning to her hometown for a wedding. Build world details as the story demands them: What kind of technology exists? What happened at that wedding years ago? Expand outward from what matters to your plot.

Best for: Writers with a compelling story who need supporting context.

Outside-In (World-First)

Start with the big picture. Draw the map. Decide how magic works. Trace the history of empires. Develop cultures and societies. Then find the stories that emerge from this world.

Best for: Writers passionate about extensive worldbuilding who enjoy discovery.

You can also combine approaches: start with a story idea, build enough world to support it, then step back and fill in the larger context, which may reveal new story possibilities.

See the Structure Tab documentation for how to classify your world type.

3. The Three-Tier System: What to Develop

Not all worldbuilding details deserve equal attention. The three-tier prioritization system helps you focus effort where it matters.

Tier	Description	Development Depth
Primary	Elements essential to your plot	Develop thoroughly
Secondary	Context that answers “Why now? Why them?”	Develop enough for coherence
Tertiary	Atmospheric details	Sketch lightly or discover while writing

The critical question: If I removed this detail, would my story break?

If your murder mystery hinges on inheritance law, you must understand inheritance law thoroughly (Primary). The detective’s favorite coffee shop adds atmosphere but does not affect the plot (Tertiary).

“More isn’t always better; it’s what details an author chooses to incorporate that matters rather than how much.” — Katie Bachelder

Warning Signs of Worldbuilder’s Disease:

Endless preparation that prevents writing
Developing detailed histories unconnected to your story
Prioritizing world creation over characters and plot
Knowing more about your world’s third dynasty than about your protagonist

The cure: When you catch yourself worldbuilding instead of writing, start writing. You can always add details later.

4. Choosing Your World Type

Before diving into details, classify what kind of world your story inhabits. This fundamental choice guides your worldbuilding approach.

World Type	Description	Examples
Consensus Reality	Our world as we know it	Mysteries, legal thrillers, literary fiction
Hidden World	Magic or supernatural hidden within our world	Harry Potter, Dresden Files
Divergent World	Our world with one key historical change	Alternate history, “what if” stories
Constructed World	An entirely invented world	Lord of the Rings, Dune
Broken World	Post-apocalyptic or collapsed civilization	The Road, Hunger Games

Why this matters: Your World Type determines which worldbuilding questions are relevant. Consensus Reality stories need research into real places and subcultures. Constructed World stories need comprehensive invention across all categories. Hidden World stories need rules for how the magical coexists with the mundane.

See the Structure Tab for the complete list of eight World Types and guidance on selecting one.

5. Building Your Physical World

Geography shapes civilization. Mountains create isolation. Rivers enable trade. Deserts limit expansion. Climate affects what people eat, wear, and build.

Consider:

Geography: Terrain, landforms, bodies of water, natural barriers
Climate: Temperature, weather patterns, seasons, natural disasters
Natural Resources: What is abundant, what is scarce
Flora and Fauna: Plant and animal life, ordinary or fantastic
Astronomy: Moons, stars, celestial features (if relevant to your story)

For Consensus Reality: Research your actual locations. Capture the specific character of a place—not generic “city” or “small town” but this particular city, this particular town.

For Constructed Worlds: Consider how geography shapes the civilizations you create. A mountainous region develops differently from coastal plains.

See the Physical Worlds Tab for detailed guidance.

6. Peoples and Species

Who lives in your world? How do they differ from each other?

Consider:

Physical Characteristics: Appearance, lifespan, life stages
Origins: Where did they come from? How long have they been here?
Social Structure: How do they organize themselves?
Diversity: What variation exists within the group?
Relations: How do different peoples interact?

For Consensus Reality: Think about professions, subcultures, and communities. A hospital has its own culture distinct from a tech startup. An old New England fishing village differs from a Texas ranching town.

For Fantasy and Science Fiction: Consider multiple species, races, or peoples. How do they differ? How do those differences create conflict or cooperation?

See the Species Tab for detailed guidance.

7. Culture and Milieu

Culture is the social environment that shapes your characters—their values, customs, expectations, and constraints. Every story has at least one milieu, often several.

Consider:

Values: What matters most to these people?
Customs: How they greet, marry, mourn, celebrate
Taboos: What is forbidden or shameful?
Daily Life: Food, clothing, housing, routines
Art and Expression: How they create and appreciate beauty
Entertainment: Leisure, sports, games, gatherings

Malinda Lo’s Five Foundations (especially useful for contemporary fiction):

Power — Who has it, who does not, and how does that shape behavior?
Rules — Social expectations that constrain what characters can do
Place — Specific local character, not generic descriptions
Rituals — Social occasions (dinners, dances, funerals) that reveal dynamics
Food — Cuisine as cultural identity and class marker

These foundations work for any genre. The power dynamics in a Victorian drawing room differ from those in a modern corporate boardroom, but both stories require understanding who holds power and how it is exercised.

See the Cultures Tab for detailed guidance.

8. Power and Government

Who rules? How do they maintain power? What can ordinary people do and not do?

Consider:

Government Type: Monarchy, democracy, corporate rule, tribal council, religious authority
Power Structure: Who has power, how they obtained it, how they keep it
Laws and Justice: What is illegal? How are crimes punished?
Class and Hierarchy: Social stratification and mobility
Foreign Relations: Allies, enemies, trade partners

The key question: How do power dynamics affect your characters? A servant in a feudal system faces different constraints than a citizen in a democracy. Those constraints create story possibilities.

See the Governments Tab for detailed guidance.

9. Belief and Religion

What do people believe about existence, purpose, and what happens after death?

Consider:

Deities or Higher Powers: Who or what is worshipped (if anyone)
Core Beliefs: Central tenets about existence and morality
Practices and Rituals: How belief is expressed
Religious Organizations: Priests, temples, hierarchies
Creation Stories: How the world and its peoples came to be

Note: Even secular worlds have belief systems—philosophies, ideologies, or shared assumptions about how the world works. A character in a modern thriller might not be religious but still holds beliefs about justice, progress, or human nature that shape their actions.

See the Religions Tab for detailed guidance.

10. History and Time

History explains why things are the way they are. The past casts shadows on the present.

Consider:

Founding Events: How did the current order begin?
Major Conflicts: Wars, revolutions, struggles for power
Eras and Ages: Distinct periods with their own character
Technological or Magical Shifts: Changes that transformed society
Lost Knowledge: What has been forgotten?

Focus on what still matters. You do not need to develop centuries of detailed history. Develop the events that still affect your story’s present—the war that created the current border, the plague that wiped out the old religion, the invention that changed how people live.

See the History Tab for detailed guidance.

11. Economy and Resources

Money (or its equivalent) shapes what characters can do. Wealth and poverty create constraints and opportunities.

Consider:

Economic System: How does exchange work?
Currency: What is the medium of exchange?
Trade: How do goods and services move?
Professions: What work do people do? What is valued?
Wealth Distribution: Who has resources, who does not?

The key question: How does economics affect your characters’ options? A character who cannot afford medicine faces different choices than one who can buy anything. A trader depends on safe roads. A thief needs things worth stealing.

See the Economy Tab for detailed guidance.

12. Magic, Technology, and Power Systems

What is possible in your world? What can people do that we cannot—or what can we do that they cannot?

Consider:

System Type: Magic, advanced technology, both, or neither
Source: Where does this power come from?
Rules: How does it work? What are the principles?
Limitations: What can it not do?
Cost: What does using it require? (Energy, materials, sacrifice, training)
Practitioners: Who can use it, and why?
Social Impact: How has this power shaped society?

StoryCAD treats magic and technology together because both are power systems with rules and costs. As Arthur C. Clarke observed, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

The most important aspect of any power system is its limitations. Unlimited power eliminates conflict. Costs and constraints create interesting choices.

See the Magic/Technology Tab for detailed guidance.

13. Putting It All Together

Quick Start Exercise:

Select your World Type in the Structure Tab
Create one entry in Physical World describing your main setting
Create one Culture with basic details about values and customs
Write a short scene using these elements
Return to StoryWorld and add details that emerged during writing

This cycle—plan a little, write a little, discover what you need—is more productive than trying to complete all worldbuilding before writing.

StoryWorld as Your Story Bible:

StoryWorld serves as your centralized reference for all worldbuilding decisions. As your story develops, add details to maintain consistency across drafts. Having this reference available while outlining scenes helps you stay true to the world you have created.

When to Stop Worldbuilding:

You have enough when:

You understand what affects your characters
You can render the world vivid to readers
You have sufficient detail to support your narrative

If you find yourself developing the fifth generation of a royal lineage that never appears in your story, you have gone too far.

Sharing Your World Across a Series:

A StoryWorld can be shared across novels in a series. Copy the StoryWorld from one story file to the next. Add new details as the series expands. Your worldbuilding investment pays dividends with each subsequent book.

Collaborative Worlds:

StoryWorld is valuable for shared-world fiction where multiple authors write in the same universe. Series like Eric Flint’s 1632 (Ring of Fire) or George R.R. Martin’s Wild Cards require a canonical reference that keeps all authors consistent. StoryWorld can serve as that shared document.

14. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Worldbuilder’s Disease Endless preparation that prevents writing. The cure: start writing. Discover what you need as you go.

Info Dumps Explaining world details that do not serve the scene. Readers do not need a history lecture. Reveal the world through character experience.

Inconsistency Breaking your own rules. If magic requires spoken words, your mage cannot cast silently without explanation. Keep track of your decisions.

Irrelevance Developing details disconnected from your story. That elaborate monetary system does not matter if your characters never handle money.

Over-Complexity Adding systems before you need them. Start simple. Add complexity only when the story demands it.

“You only need to develop your world in as much detail as your story requires. Bigger isn’t always better.” — Well-Storied

The best worldbuilding is invisible. Readers should experience your world as real and consistent without noticing the craft that created it. When your world serves your story rather than competing with it, you have succeeded.

For complete reference documentation on all StoryWorld features, see the StoryWorld Form and its individual tab pages.