Worldbuilding Simplified

Whether you want to create a cyberpunk wasteland or an underwater dynasty, worldbuilding is many people’s favorite part of writing. It can also be be one of the most confusing parts of drafting a novel! Luckily Wrimo Melody Momper is here to save the day by sharing with us advice on creating a simple world building plan:

I’m going to give you the keyword for worldbuilding in two easy steps: Plantsing. 

Stop! Don’t run! 

Yes, I am talking to you, my dear Planners and Pantsers. I know you seem to live by a strict law of being one thing or the other, but you came here for answers, and I have them. The very thing that makes the two methods great and unique is going to be what saves you from the long painful process of worldbuilding. 

So let’s get down to the nitty-gritty… 

1. Have a general concept or idea of your world before you start writing.

This part may come as a relief to our planners and perhaps a bit of a nightmare to our Pantsers. To that effect, I want to clarify that this part can be as detailed as little or as much as you want. 

I want you to focus on what flashed into your head the moment you first came up with your story. What details did you attribute to it and what made you excited to write this story? Was it the setting, a character, a mythological background, or perhaps a festival? 

Once you have identified all of these elements, I want you to take them and write them all down on a piece of paper. Let these concepts become the stepping stones of what your world is about to become. For a Planner, these are the elements you will look to as you outline and begin your first draft. For a Pantser, this is the list you have next to you as you write in a beautifully spontaneous freestyle. 

Having an understanding of what made you want to write your story to begin with will come in handy as you go into the second step. It will also be your support when you start to doubt your work. 

2. Write and develop detail as you go!

Writing the details of your world tends to be where most writers find themselves spiraling into the pit of invented languages, detailed map sketches, ecosystem  breakdowns, and history that spans the length of time. It is also the part where most writers start to feel overwhelmed with the need to get everything perfect. 

If you are at this stage stop! Put down your pencil, take a deep breath, and resist falling deeper into madness. 

I am going to tell you something that’s going to be very hard to hear. A large portion of your hard work will never enter your books. Yes, it is always good to have a grasp of the do’s and the don'ts of your world, but that can be figured out as you write. 

You need to cut out the middleman and just start writing. This process will allow you to identify what is relevant to your story by acknowledging what your main character needs to know to interact with the world around them. In the end, the only parts that are going to matter to the reader are the parts that the main character interacts with. Figure out what these parts are, then figure out the details of how it functions in the world you created. 

If you’re worried about losing track of information as you write, keep a key of names and definitions for you to reference back to. For a Planner, you may find yourself doing this twice, once as you outline and twice as you write your draft. 

With all that said, I hope I have given at least some of you new insight and help when it comes to worldbuilding. Though worldbuilding can often be a long drawn out headache, it can also be simplified. So the next time you find yourself worrying about all the worldbuilding you need to do, please stop and consider the two steps above.

Melody Momper is a college student, blogger, photographer, and aspiring author. Her creations are inspired by her many travels around the USA and the world. She draws upon the rich cultures she has experienced to bring life to the writings and art she creates. Follow her journey on Instagram @MelMomperWrites.    

Top photo by Adolfo Félix on Unsplash.