Worldbuilding Guide – How To Create A World Readers Love

The process of worldbuilding is perhaps the defining feature of writing fantasy. However, it’s also one of the most difficult parts of creating fantasy stories.

It’s here where writers can become lost in a world of their own making, where distractions are aplenty and procrastination is a real issue. Writers can fall into even more pitfalls when it comes to revealing the details of the world in their stories. Readers can be info-dumped to death in prologues and opening chapters, and the wondorous tale you set out to write becomes lost in that mound of detail.

But worry not, because this guide is here to answer all of your questions and offer you advice on not just creating a world that readers love, but revealing it in a way that draws them deeper into the story with every little detail.

As a fantasy author, I’m also an experienced worldbuilder and it’s this aspect of my writing that has seen some of the most praise. As well as finding advice, methods and approaches from well-known authors like Brandon Sanderson, I also reveal my own method which readers seem to love.

It’s a comprehensive guide that’s designed to cover the subject in detail, and you can lots of links to other pages where you can learn more about different aspects of worldbuilding.

You can jump to the part you’re interested in using the menu below:

What Is Worldbuilding

So, what is worldbuilding?

We can define worldbuilding in fantasy as the process of constructing an imaginary world that’s different to the real world, though sometimes it can exist within a real-world setting.

An example of a unique, secondary fantasy world would be Middle Earth. The world of Harry Potter would be an example of a setting that involves constructing a fantasy world within our own.

Though the creation of fantastical lands has been around for centuries if not thousands of years, the term “worldbuilding” was only first coined in the 1965 book Edgar Rice Burroughs: Master of Adventure by RA Lupoff.

It’s since developed into a hobby for some people, a passion to pursue in their free time, and a staple in genre of writing fantasy.

Hard vs. Soft Worldbuilding:

• Hard Worldbuilding is meticulous and detailed. Every aspect of the world, from its geography to its laws of magic, is defined and logical. This method ensures consistency and immersion, as readers can trust that the world’s rules are unwavering. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth is a prime example, where languages, histories, and cultures are intricately crafted.
• Soft Worldbuilding is more flexible and broad. It provides a sense of the world without delving into exhaustive detail. This allows for a more fluid narrative where the focus is on the story rather than the specifics of the world. An example is the Star Wars universe, where not every planet or species is fully explained, leaving room for imagination and expansion.

Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Worldbuilding:

• Top-Down Worldbuilding starts with the big picture: you create continents, countries, and large-scale histories first. This macro approach helps in establishing a coherent and expansive world framework. From there, you can drill down into specifics like cities, cultures, and characters.
• Bottom-Up Worldbuilding begins at the micro level: you start with small, specific elements such as a single town or character. These details are then expanded upon, gradually building outwards to create a larger world. This method allows for more organic growth and can make individual elements feel deeply interconnected and personal.

An Audio Explainer

If you’d like to get a deeper understanding of what worldbuilding is, check out the panel discussion I hosted with bestselling fantasy author Stephen Aryan.

Released on The Fantasy Writers’ Toolshed podcast, we discussed all aspects of creating secondary worlds, as well as hosting an FAQ on world-building to offer answers to all of your burning questions. You can watch it on YouTube here.

How Much Worldbuilding Do I Need To Do?

The amount of worldbuilding you need to do depends on the type of fantasy you’re writing and the role the setting plays in your story. The key is finding a balance between creating a believable, immersive world and focusing on the story you’re telling. Here’s how to approach it:

Fantasy Set In Our World

If your story is set in our world with fantastical elements—like American Gods or The Hunger Games—your worldbuilding focuses on blending the familiar with the extraordinary. Start by asking:

1. What’s different? Identify the elements that distinguish your world from reality. Is it magic, supernatural beings, advanced technology, or dystopian changes?
2. How does it fit? Consider how these differences coexist with real-world systems, like governments, economies, or daily life. Does the world know about them, or are they hidden?
3. What’s changed? If your world is dystopian or altered, how did it get that way? Think about the events, catastrophes, or discoveries that reshaped society.
4. What are the rules? Define the limitations and logic of your fantastical elements. Magic, for instance, might require energy or carry risks.
5. What’s familiar? Decide which aspects of reality remain unchanged. Familiar elements ground your world and help readers relate to it.
6. How does it serve the story? Focus only on what impacts your plot, characters, or themes. Excess details can overwhelm rather than enhance.

Secondary World Fantasy

If you’re creating a completely new world—like The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars—you have more freedom but also more responsibility. Here are your guiding questions:

1. What’s the core concept? Start with your story’s needs. Is this a war-torn land, a magical utopia, or a mysterious frontier? Build outward from that.
2. How does the world function? Think about its geography, ecosystems, and climate. How do these shape the cultures, economies, and technologies?
3. Who lives there? Create societies with unique beliefs, customs, and systems of power. What values or conflicts define them?
4. What’s unique? Highlight what makes your world unforgettable. Are there floating cities, magical creatures, or ancient artifacts?
5. What are the limitations? Even in fantastical worlds, consistency matters. Define the rules of magic, politics, and physics to keep things believable.
6. What’s relevant? Build as much as you need to support your story. Not every detail needs to be revealed to the reader—just enough to make the world feel alive.

Hybrid Worlds

If your world straddles the line between reality and fantasy—like Harry Potter or The Night Circus—you’ll need to strike a careful balance:

1. Where do the worlds intersect? Define how the fantastical interacts with the real. Is there a secret magical society, or does everyone know about the fantastical elements?
2. What rules apply where? Are the rules of magic or fantasy consistent across both worlds, or do they change depending on the setting?
3. What’s hidden, and why? If your fantasy elements are secret, decide how they’ve remained concealed and what risks exposure brings.
4. What transitions matter? Consider how your characters move between worlds. Do these transitions create tension or reveal something important?
5. How do the fantastical elements affect the real world? Explore the ripple effects—cultural, political, or emotional—that fantasy brings to reality.
6. What drives the story? Focus your worldbuilding on the elements that heighten conflict or deepen themes.

How To Start Worldbuilding

If you want to know how to start worldbuilding, a good place to turn is the advice of professional authors.

Bestselling fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson has over the years shared fantastic worldbuilding tips and advice. He recommends splitting the process of creating your fictional world into two settings—physical and cultural.

This simple method gives you vital structure, allowing you to focus your considerations on specific things. And you do so in order. Here’s an overview of Sanderson’s process:

1. Begin with the physical settings
2. Then consider the cultural elements

For example, when considering physical settings, all we’re thinking about is the likes of climate, mountains, rivers, oceans and so on. Once you have that base sorted, you can turn to the cultural settings, which is basically everything influenced by man, such as laws, rights, eating habits, fashion sense and the like. You can learn all about it in the video below.

In short, Sanderson’s method is by far the easiest way to start worldbuilding. You can watch the full BYU lecture here.

To make that process even easier, I’ve created a template that you can download for free by clicking the link below.

Next, let’s look at how to conduct physical worldbuilding.

Creating Your Physical World

The physical side of your world is everything that nature creates. To approach this stage of the process, it helps to use questions or prompts to help you build each physical layer, from the bottom of the deepest ocean right up to the peak of the highest mountain.

Climate and Weather

• What is the general climate of your world? Is it temperate, arid, tropical, polar, or something else?
• Are there extreme weather patterns (e.g., monsoons, tornadoes, blizzards)? If so, how often do they occur?
• How does the climate vary across different regions? Are there deserts next to lush forests, or is the geography consistent?
• Are there magical or supernatural phenomena that influence the weather, such as storms caused by a deity’s anger?
• How do the inhabitants adapt to the climate? What clothing, architecture, or behaviors are influenced by the weather?
• Does the weather play a role in the world’s culture, myths, or daily life?

Geography

• What major landforms define your world (e.g., mountains, plains, plateaus)?
• Are there any unique or fantastical geographical features, like floating islands or endless chasms?
• How do natural barriers (e.g., mountain ranges, rivers) affect travel, trade, or interaction between regions?
• Are there sacred or cursed places tied to the geography? What legends surround them?
• How are the continents or regions shaped? Are they connected by land bridges, split by seas, or floating in space?
• How accessible is the world’s geography to its inhabitants? Are there unexplored or forbidden areas?

Water Sources

• Are there significant bodies of water, like oceans, seas, lakes, or rivers? How do they shape life and culture?
• Does your world have unique water systems, such as glowing lakes, rivers of lava, or magical springs?
• How do water sources impact settlements? Are towns built along rivers or near lakes?
• Are there any legendary or mystical waters, like a Fountain of Youth or cursed swamps?
• How do the tides, currents, or underwater landscapes influence life above and below water?
• Is water abundant, scarce, or unevenly distributed? How do inhabitants deal with its availability?

Flora and Fauna

• What types of plants dominate the landscape? Are there magical or otherworldly species?
• What kinds of animals live in your world? Are they mundane, mythical, or a mix of both?
• How do the flora and fauna interact with the inhabitants? Are they used for food, transportation, or defense?
• Are there apex predators, migratory species, or symbiotic relationships unique to your world?
• Do certain creatures or plants have cultural, religious, or economic significance?
• How do ecosystems vary by region, and how does this diversity affect the inhabitants?

Natural Resources

• What are the primary natural resources (e.g., minerals, wood, magical crystals)? Where are they located?
• Are there any unique or fantastical resources, like star-metal or life-giving plants?
• How are resources harvested or extracted? Is it done sustainably or destructively?
• Do certain regions or groups have monopolies on specific resources, causing trade or conflict?
• How do inhabitants use resources for survival, trade, or war?
• Are there depleted areas that reflect the overuse or misuse of natural resources?

Celestial Features

• How many moons, suns, or stars are visible in the sky? Do they follow unusual patterns?
• Are there astronomical events, like eclipses or meteor showers, that have cultural or magical significance?
• Does the positioning of celestial bodies influence the tides, magic, or timekeeping?
• Are there myths, religions, or sciences centered around the stars or planets?
• How does the length of a day, year, or seasons differ from Earth’s? How does this impact life?
• Are there otherworldly phenomena, like floating constellations or auroras caused by magic?

Human-Made Structures and Settlements

• What are the primary types of settlements (e.g., cities, villages, nomadic camps)? What defines their architecture?
• Are there monumental structures, like castles, temples, or ancient ruins? What purpose do they serve?
• How are settlements connected? Are there roads, bridges, or magical portals?
• Are there remnants of older civilizations, like crumbled towers or buried cities?
• How do settlements adapt to the geography? Are there cliffside towns, underwater cities, or forest villages?
• Are there regions known for their unique structures, like floating palaces or maze-like fortresses?

Energy and Forces

• What powers the world’s technology or magic? Is it based on natural energy, mystical forces, or something else?
• Are there visible manifestations of energy, like glowing veins in the ground or storms of raw magic?
• How do inhabitants harness energy? Are there devices, rituals, or machines that channel it?
• Are there dangers associated with energy sources, such as radiation, depletion, or corruption?
• How does energy use shape the environment or settlements? Are there industrial areas or sacred energy sites?
• Does energy create conflicts or alliances between different regions or species?

Try Making A Map

Worldbuilding with a map is a great way to visualize and organize the different elements of your fantasy world. Here are some tips for beginning the fantasy worldbuilding process with a map:

• Start with the basics – Begin by sketching out the basic shape and layout of your world, including the locations of oceans, mountains, and other geographical features.
• Add in natural features – Include natural features such as forests, rivers, and other landmarks that might be important to the story or the characters.
• Add in basic political boundaries – Once you have the basic layout, start adding in the boundaries of different countries, kingdoms, and other political entities.
• Add in rough locations of cities and towns – Place the major cities and towns in your world, and think about how they might be connected by roads or other transportation methods.
• Add in details – As you work on your map, add in more details such as mountain ranges, islands, and other geographical features.
• Consider the climate – Think about how the climate and weather patterns might affect the different regions of your world.
• Revise and edit – As you work on your map, don’t be afraid to make changes and revisions as needed.
• Use different colors and symbols – Use different colors and symbols to indicate different types of terrain or other features.
• Have fun and be creative – Worldbuilding is a fun and creative process, so don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild as you create your map.

A map is a great tool for fantasy worldbuilding and it allows you to see the big picture, but it’s important to remember that it’s not the only tool. Once you have a solid map, you can start fleshing out the details, creating characters, cultures, and stories that will fill the world you’ve created.

Building The Cultures Of Your World

A good method that many fantasy writers adopt is the process of asking worldbuilding questions.

Using prompts like this can give you structure and focus for what is one of the biggest and toughest challenges you’ll navigate.

Let’s take a look at some examples. What you can read below are just a smattering of questions provided by the Science Fiction And Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA):

Magic Systems

• Is there anything magic cannot do?
• Is there a limit to magical power?
• How do people try to evade this limit? This can prove to be one of the more interesting fantastical elements of your story.
• Do magic wielders pay a price for their abilities, such as studying, celibacy, or an early death?
• Are miracles and magic distinct?

I also have some worldbuilding questions of my own that you may find useful:

Politics

• Who are the ruling class?
• Who governs—an elected government, a monarch, a tyrant?
• What unites people politically, e.g. a sense of justice, or corrupted beliefs built on racism?
• Are people politically motivated enough to act, such as protesting or rioting?
• Has there been a world war that has influenced how politics is condcted now? For example, it could be more amicable or more hostile.

Food

• What is the staple food item in people’s diet? If they live by rivers or the coast, fish will no doubt play a part.
• Is food easily grown? Is there a abundance of natural resources that people can rely on for food? Or does it have to be imported?
• Are there any local delicacies or favourite foods?
• Are there any famous dishes?

Commerce

• What currency do people use? Or are there several types of currency?
• What are the coins like (or their equivalent) that people use?
• How do people earn their money? Think jobs, careers, professions (honest and dishonest)
• What do people like to spend their money on?
• Do people use anything in place of currency, such as paying in kind or in favors?

Fashion

• What types of fabrics and materials are commonly used to create clothing in this world? Are there any unique or special materials that are only found in certain regions?
• How does the climate affect the types of clothing that are worn in different parts of the world?
• What are some of the current fashion trends in the world? How do they vary by culture or social class?
• Are there any specific fashion-related customs or traditions in this world? For example, are there certain occasions where certain types of clothing are worn?
• How does the technology level of this world affect the way clothing is made or designed? Are there any advanced technologies that are used in the fashion industry?
• Are there any restrictions or laws regarding clothing or fashion in this world?
• How does the economy of this world affect the fashion industry? Are there any luxury fashion brands or designers?
• Are there any unique accessories or jewelry worn in this world? How are they made?
• How does the status or hierarchy of people in society affects the fashion they wear?
• Are there any religious or moral implications related to fashion in this world?

Religion

• What are the dominant religions in this world? Are there any polytheistic or monotheistic beliefs?
• How do the different religions in this world interact with one another? Is there religious tolerance or intolerance?
• Are there any religious or spiritual practices that are unique to this world?
• How do the religious beliefs of this world affect the political and social structures of the society?
• Are there any religious texts, holy sites, or religious artifacts that are important to the different religions of this world?
• How do the religious beliefs of this world affect the daily lives of the people? For example, are there any religious holidays or customs?
• Are there any religious leaders or figures that are important to the different religions of this world?
• Are there any religious or spiritual elements in the world that are not part of any organized religion?
• How does the technology level of this world affect religion?
• Are there any religious-based magical practices in the world? How do they differ from other types of magic?

I highly recommend checking out the list of worldbuilding questions by the SFWA. It’s far more comprehensive than what I can include here, and written by some of the finest creators of fantasy worlds around.

Learn More From Worldbuilding Books

Something that’s helped me out more than anything else is reading world-building books.

Now there’s a real variety of books that you can devour to help you research and learn methods and approaches to creating fantasy worlds.

Here’s a quick list of some of the best books I’ve read that specifically focus on worldbuilding:

• A Fantasy Writers’ Handbook
• 30 Days Of Worldbuilding
• On Writing And Worldbuilding
• The Fantasy Fiction Formula

You can also check out books about history, philosophy, psychology and sociology. I also recommend reading novels or stories set in a similar type of world to your own. This can help provoke new ideas.

How Much Worldbuilding Should I Do Before I Start Writing?

The best answer I can offer is to build what you need to tell the story. 

Sometimes writers can get bogged down in the creation of the world. Knowing many writers who love to build worlds and draw maps, I know how easy it is for the worldbuilding bug to take over. I’ve succumbed in the past. When all you do is think of new things to design. New histories to forge. Cultures to create and origin stories to craft and explain it all. You find yourself locked in a W-hole where you live and breath the world and yearn for more. Of course the reader needs to know how these special leather straps are made. Duhhh. 

But that’s not to say that time has been wasted. Not at all. Every little detail empowers your storytelling. Down the line, there may come the perfect moment to reveal that the candles in the castle are in fact made from the wax of a dragon’s ear. But forcing that detail when it’s not necessary or wanted can ruin it. 

The keyword here is necessary. It’s the word that has come to define my approach to worldbuilding. 

If you sense that the worldbuilding process is beginning to take precedence over your desire to pen down your story, it’s a good moment to transition into the writing phase.

How Do You Reveal The Details Of A World In A Way Readers Love?

Next up in our guide, we look at some great ways to reveal your world. Let’s start with one of the most important and foundational approaches: the iceberg.

The Iceberg

Of all the tools in this worldbuilding guide, I think this could be the most important. Many readers complain about info dumps in fantasy books. In many cases, the problem can be resolved by following an approach called the iceberg.

The philosophy of the iceberg is to reveal a little of your world while holding back much more. Just like with an iceberg, we merely see its tip, while beneath the water the bulk of its mass lingers.

In essence, we’re showing instead of telling the reader about the world through a little keyhole, teasing them so they want to beat down the door and see everything else.

It all sounds straightforward, but the practice is harder than the theory. Let’s look at some useful tips on how you can strike the right balance and avoid that info dump:

• By dropping hints. Show a little, then a little more, gradually removing the shroud surrounding your world.
• Brandon Sanderson uses the term ‘maid and butler dialogue’. This means that characters should discuss things they know about, but the reader does not. The reader is something of an observer and it’s up to them to learn what they can from the conversation.
• Another way of using dialogue is to drop in references to the wider world. For instance, if your fantasy world is called Nagoya, a character could say: “What in Nagoya are you talking about?”
• Or you could use metaphors or similes with things from your world, like the tallest peak in the land could be named Devil’s Rock, and a character could say: “He’s as bloody tall as Devil’s Rock.”
• Another way to reveal details is to feature a character that’s unfamiliar with the world around them. New sights, smells, sounds. They’re exploring with the reader, and then you can reveal the glorious details you long to share, like how each and every bloody flower smells.
• Try not to info dump! By this, I mean spewing onto the page every little detail that pops into your head. We’re all guilty of it. The reader doesn’t want to know the history of a city’s sewage system unless it’s pertinent to the tale.
• Watch out for repetition. When revealing a world it can be easy to labour points or refer to things more than once. Constant editing and critiques from trusted sources can help fix this.

They’re some quick tips. Let’s look in greater depth at some of the best methods you can use to reveal your world in ways readers love.

Knowing The Right Time To Share

One temptation for the worldbuilder is to foist upon the reader every detail of the backstory before the story actually begins. We’ve been over this in a previous chapter. In short, we spend lots of time building a world, all we then want to do is share those wonderful details.

However, the best way, according to Sanderson, is to be sparse with detail during the first few chapters, keeping the focus on the characters and generating empathy toward them. Reward the reader with little details as you go along, and later on, when everyone’s comfortable and engaged with the characters and plot, open the door to the wider world.

To recap, we’ve looked at ways of crafting a world, sources of inspiration for a world, and how to reveal the dreaded info dump.

To complete this worldbuilding checklist, we’re going to take a critical look at this oft-discussed aspect of writing fantasy.

Little And Often

One of the most effective methods of revealing a world in a natural way is to drip feed details into the story little and often. Like in the examples I’ve used above from Pariah’s Lament, I introduced snippets (a sentence or two) of details at relevant points throughout the story, like with children playing the fictitious game of lingas.

Following this approach is a great way of avoiding the dreaded info dump, which characteristically involves long passages of dull information.

There’s one exception to this rule and that applies to the earlier chapters of the story. Little and often is good here, but worldbuilding should be pared back, with priority given to introducing and developing the characters. Gradually, as the story progresses and the pace slows a little, details can be introduced more often.

Use Dialogue

Dialogue is a pretty effective way of revealing a fantasy world in a natural way, though again it can be abused and may lead to an info dump. You may be familiar with the kind I have in mind—that classic mentor figure spewing the history of the world in precise detail.

A more natural use of dialogue here can come in the form of conversations between characters—a much more dynamic and engaging way of learning more about your fantasy world. Characters can discuss facts and details, maybe even dispute or criticise them. A character who displays emotions tied to the world can help make it feel more lived in.

Another way of using dialogue to achieve natural worldbuilding is in the use of sayings. So, for instance, “What in Soria?” features quite a bit in my story. Similarly, songs and poems can also reveal more about the histories and cultures of a world without clobbering the reader over the head. Some fantastic books have made use of these, particularly Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire and Patrick Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicle.

Explorations And Adventures

As characters embark upon their adventures and quests, one of the most natural ways of revealing the world is to do so as they progress through it. Explain the stories behind towns and villages as the characters pass them by—it’s relevant, necessary and done in a natural way.

If you come across any significant landmarks, that’s another great opportunity to reveal the histories and cultures of your land at a relevant and natural point in your story.

The key to this approach is to simply place yourself in your character’s shoes. Understand what they know and think about how and when those details would come to mind if you were that character.

Use Different Perspectives

This is perhaps my favourite method of revealing a world. By introducing characters with very different perspectives, perhaps from different parts of the world, we can naturally reveal more about the cultures. For instance, you may have a priestess character within the story and also a mage of some kind. Both could have very different perspectives, which you can explore in a natural way, and one that’s interesting too, particularly if there’s a conflict between the differing points of view.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. They’re the things that work best for me and, it seems, what readers enjoy. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Before we wrap up this guide, I wanted to share quick answers to some questions I often get asked about building fantasy worlds. I hope they help.

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Richie Billing

Richie Billing writes fantasy fiction, historical fiction and stories of a darker nature. He's had over a dozen short stories published in various magazines and journals, with one adapted for BBC radio. In 2021 his debut novel, Pariah's Lament, an epic fantasy, was published by Of Metal and Magic. Richie also runs The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed, a podcast devoted to helping writers improve their craft.

Most nights you can find him up into the wee hours scribbling away or watching the NBA.

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