How do you guys set up your world-building?

[RootBeerBert]

As I was working on escaping the hole known as hiatus, I came to wonder about my world-building. I think it’s decent now but I’d still like some advice from some other authors about their’s in case I’m missing something important. So please, details!

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I just write whatever I want to include in the world-building.

 

[IDKWtWrite-San]

The scenario on what happened after XX day/month/years ago. The people. The technology or knowledge. The other situation on the country. Improvement or degradation. Friends. History. The building structure nowaday. The scenery

There's more but I think this are the basic of a world building

 

[Representing_Tromba]

I kind of based everything around the characters and expanded on the world as it became relevant. However, I did do a lot of research into old religions, wars, and politics to give me ideas and set up the world to make sense. So far it has worked well. Even my magic systems are based on real-world magic styles.

 

[Nane]

I come up with a cool story idea and then try to justify the reasons why that particular thing makes sense for that world. That means building a whole different history, culture, language, biology, politics, etc. and sometimes the things that don't have anything to do with the story at all.

This process is usually very time consuming and it actually makes starting to write a story near impossible.

My advice to you all and myself: Don't be a perfectionist.

 

[SerikoLee]

I set up rules for the world for example for demons, the older the demons mean they are more powerful than a demon born 10 years ago.
Meanwhile, with humans, the gods and other forces observe their actions without acting much.
So anything can happen when gods, demons, and so on step in.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

If it is a first person story then gradually through dialog and thought. If third person same as first person but with extra added context.

 

[Bartun]

World-building is anything that contributes to explaining the world to the reader, and there are many many ways in which you can do it. I try to avoid info-dumps although that's not always possible. I try to mix everything with dialogue, but that also makes the dialogue longer and you have to look for ways to make it more interesting.

Hope this helps

 

[CubicleHermit]

If you need ideas for the worldbuilding itself (vs. how to integrate it into the story), there are some great generic resources in the TTRPG world. The "Campaign Sourcebook and Catacombs Guide" from 2nd Edition AD&D is an all-time great for how to put your own spin on a classic RPG-like western fantasy setting - or the 4th Edition GURPS Fantasy (or for SF, 3rd Edition GURPS Space.) and many etc.

 

[AliceShiki]

I don't really worry too much about it.

The reader doesn't need to know that much about my world to get engaged on my story, since they're there for a story, not for detailed lore.

So like... I usually just make a fairly standard medi-fantasy setting, and then, if specific details are required on a given scene, they are shown during the scene itself and not before.

I'll usually work on some details and note them down somewhere, but those don't appear on the novel if they have no need to appear. They're there just to help me make sure things stay consistent.