World building vs Plot

[Zelda]

Hey guys, I thought it would be fitting for my first post to be on the raging question in my mind; world building or plot?

Of course both are crucial elements of a book, but I can often ignore a lagging plot in a beautiful world or vice versa, but it really depends on the book for me. Thoughts?

[BarbaraAnn]

I'm going to take the easy way out and say both. If the plot isn't interesting, I won't read any other books in the series. At some point though, if the world-building isn't good, i'll get bored with the series and stop.

[Nerdy Werewolf]

I like both and I can read a book that focuses on one or the other no problem. For instance:

You've got this amazing world and you are giving me in-depth characters and introducing me to so many new things that things don't really pick up until halfway? Okay. I can follow. Now, after all the focus on world and characters, the plot gets picked up and we start moving along. Awesome. I feel like anything less than that becomes boring for me. If nothing but descriptions happen, why am I reading? I may as well go read a textbook, you know? Here's a recent read that I feel nailed that:


On the other hand, let's look at books that focus on a fast-paced plot that you kind of just learn about the world as you go. Boom! Something happens! Boom! Nope, no breath for you to catch. Crap! Now we have to fight our way out of this mess! Along the way, you get insight into the world from the main character's thoughts and interactions. Before you know it, the book is over and that's when you decide if the character/world building was good enough to continue. I can do that, too. Here's another recent read that I feel fits this category:


In my experience, it's really difficult for any author to truly balance moving the plot along at a nice pace while still being able to immerse you in a brand-new world with different rules and excellent character development. It's like the holy grail of storytelling, right? The only two that really come to mind for accomplishing this astronomical feat are:
and more recently .

Great question! Sorry I wrote a book in response!

[Errin]

Plots are pretty universal imo, where the stakes are the stakes according to the genre and the hero/heroine engages in mostly standard activities to bring the situation to a close. So... while the plot has to be realistically supported, my position on this issue is the same as it is in the plot vs. character debate: character trumps plot because you have to care about the characters in order for the plot to resonate with the reader. Solid world-building must be a given in this equation. Leave nothing for the reader to question, nothing to suggest your story is flimsily built (says the girl who writes about mermaids, fer crie). !!!

[Nerdy Werewolf]

Uh, uh...you don't get to do that. Your opinion is awesome and mermaids rock!

[Errin]

Holly wrote: "Uh, uh...you don't get to do that. Your opinion is awesome and mermaids rock!"

*blows kisses*

[Zelda]

Wow. That response just blew me away, and I agree world building is extremely important as without it, certain features of the world can just seem like they were pulled out of nowhere to be plot devices. I geuss it really depends on the mood and tone of each book, as light, quick reads don't have to have too much of an in depth plot.

Ps: Thank you Holly for providing me with awesome new books to check out! Also, I agree; mermaids are awesome. That was a

[Zelda]

*a long comment

[Errin]

Zelda wrote: "*a long comment"

Aw. Thanks, Zelda!

[Catherine]

Really interesting topic. Part of it depends on the genre too. I personally love solid world building, but not at the expense of a strong plot and characters I can care about. There are times I love being dropped into the world and trying to figure it out, but sometimes it's too mentally exhausting to work out all the rules and I just want to be entertained. I paid my money. Where's my good time?

[Errin]

Catherine wrote: "Really interesting topic. Part of it depends on the genre too. I personally love solid world building, but not at the expense of a strong plot and characters I can care about. There are times I lov..."

I'm so with you that. I'm just here for the party, really.

[Nerdy Werewolf]

Zelda wrote: "Ps: Thank you Holly for providing me with awesome new books to check out! Also, I agree; mermaids are awesome.

Oh, anytime. I can't ever contain my thoughts...or my enthusiasm.
Or the opportunity to build people up. ::winks::

[kittykat AKA Ms. Tortitude]

This is a timely topic for me. I have just finished a book where it starts out as a post-apocalypse tale and ends up being a paranormal "romance"! I tell you no lies!

It all fell apart between the two; ie the world building and the plot. But the icing on the cake was that the characters were just so awful that I hated them all. If it had decent world building between the two worlds it would have been somewhat redeemed but really I only finished it out of curiosity rather than interest.

[Jim]

A good plot will help me like a single book, but good world building keeps me coming back for the next book in the series. I can forgive some slacking in the plot of some books in a series, but without a consistent and interesting world, I will drop a series even if I have gotten 3 or 4 books into it.

[Errin]

Jim wrote: "A good plot will help me like a single book, but good world building keeps me coming back for the next book in the series. I can forgive some slacking in the plot of some books in a series, but wit..."

You make an excellent point, Jim. Maybe this consideration is one of splitting hairs, and the answer is that all components have to be really freakin' solid for the story to work. Maybe with personal preference added in, since some people prefer plot-driven, which works esp. well in action and fantasy.

[Kiersten, Mod]

I prefer a good plot. World building is great, but it can't carry a bad plot for me.

[Jennifer (DigiWrit)]

@Kiersten: I agree! The plot is the reason for the story--the root of it all. The world is what goes on around it. With a solid plot, I can forgive mediocre world-building. But a well-shaped world with a bad plot is like trying to make a home out of a house with no furniture--incomplete. Both are necessary to make a truly compelling novel.

[Lindsey]

I think plot can carry world building into it. There's always an element of world building no matter what, but I think a strong plot should be able to carry a lot of those world building moments along. That said, if you don't explain the world well enough in that plot it can get confusing easily.

[Rose]

Lindsey wrote: "I think plot can carry world building into it. There's always an element of world building no matter what, but I think a strong plot should be able to carry a lot of those world building moments al..."
I totally agree - they're intertwined. Strong world building leads to a clearer plot.

[Rachael]

I find worldbuilding often leads into (or at the very least informs) plot. Worldbuilding tells me where my setting has come from, where it might go, and how my characters fit within it.