30 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Worldbuilding

Can humans live and thrive in this world? If not, how do they change the world to make it a different place?

What do people eat s a primary calorie source? Is there enough of this? Is it easy enough to harvest?

What is the basic economic structure of this world?

How does trade happen between places?

How are most people employed?

Is the labor base sufficient for the technology?

What is the political system?

What wars have been fought recently, and over what?

What are the geographical boundaries to this place?

What groups hate what other groups?

What is the religion, or if there is no religion, what are the origin stories?

What is sacred here?

What is the monetary system?

What is the black market here?

What is the penal system like?

What are the laws and how have they developed?

What groups are most honored? Judges, politicians, storytellers, actors, athletes, needleworkers?

What curses are offered in every day conversation? What blessings?

What patterns do people see happen over and over again in their lives?

Who loves whom and when is it forbidden?

Who is considered the most important moral teacher of this culture?

What cultural stories matter?

What are children taught in school? What subjects that we have and what subjects that we don't have?

What is the process of moving from childhood to adulthood?

What happens to the elderly?

What items are most precious?

What would you find in the garbage of the people in this world?

What rituals/holidays are common here?

How is news spread?

Is there bribing? How is it done?