World building is one of the most distinctive elements of fantasy and science fiction writing. It’s what separates the genre from all others.

It involves creating lands like Middle-Earth and Westeros, dragons and ogres and unicorns, and elves and dwarves and everything in between.

World building is so important to the fantasy genre that it quite simply couldn’t exist without it. But, as we’ll see, it’s a difficult task. And that’s why below you can find a great world building template that you can download for free to help bring order to the chaos.

You can also find some of the best tips and advice available, find a questionnaire to help prompt your ideas, discover lots of sources of inspiration, and the answers to some burning questions.

There are also lots of links to other awesome resources on worldbuilding.

A template is just the start; there’s so much to learn and the journey is both fulfilling and interesting. Let’s dive in.

What Is A World Building Template?

A world building template is a tool that’s designed to help writers, authors and gamers create their own fictional world.

As we’ll see below, it breaks up the world building process into a simpler form. All you need to do is provide answers to straightforward questions and record your answers and ideas in a document.

Let’s look at why it’s helpful to use a template for world building.

Is It Helpful To Start With A World Building Template?

As a creator of fictional worlds, you may already be aware of the challenges you face, some of which we’ve discussed in this guide. A question I often get asked is whether or not it’s helpful to begin with a fantasy world building template before you even start jotting ideas down. The answer is yes and no.

First, let’s look at the positive side. If you decide to use a template or checklist then chances are you’re going to contain all of that key information in one document. In not having a point of organisation you risk noting something down and losing it or failing to remember it accurately (it happens all the time).

The flip side is that you may find yourself fettered creatively. In working from a series of prompts, there’s a chance you’ll fall into the trap of following that world building template rigidly. You may not stray far from the questions posed and that could impact your ability to come up with something new and original.

With that said, if you’re aware of this risk before you begin creating and keep it in your conscious mind, you can use these worldbuilding prompts as a foundation that you can then play around with and change.

Click Here For More Worldbuilding Resources

a dramatic image of a fantasy world floating in the air created by using a world building template

Download A Free World Building Template

To help you with this sometimes chaotic process, I’ve created a world building template that you can download for free.

Allowing you to be more organised, this template breaks up your process into two key considerations: the physical world, and the cultural world.

It then offers prompts for the most fundamental aspects of your world, such as:

  • Are there mountains?
  • Are there any landmarks?
  • What’s the current fashion trend?
  • What’s the position on civil rights?
  • What kind of jobs do people do?

Complete this and you’ll have everything you need to begin writing your novel.

Click Here To View And Download The World building Template (opens in a Google Sheets file. You can download it as a PDF or excel spreadsheet)

How Do I Use A Template For World Building

This world building template serves as a mini questionnaire. You’ll be asked to define a range of different physical and cultural settings, with each one helping you grow and develop your fantasy world.

Let’s take a look at what it offers:

a screenshot of a worldbuilding template

As you can see, it gives you an aspect of your society’s culture, such as technology or folklore, and asks you to add details to it.

The best thing about this worldbuilding template is that it’s a document that remains very much alive as you write your story. It’s something you’ll keep going back to, adding new stuff or tweaking ideas you’ve already jotted down.

And there’s nothing better than having this document at your side when it comes to editing. With everything codified in one place, you don’t need to scramble through pages to find the name of a character or place; it’s all there, saving you precious time and causing fewer distractions.

100+ World Building Questions For Your Template

While my world building template provides a foundation, it’s very easy to keep developing and expanding it to meet your needs. The easiest way to do this is to answer more worldbuilding questions. They serve as prompts for you to consider different aspects of your world, like the food or the climate.

You don’t need to answer every single question you may see in a list, just the ones that you feel are relevant to your story, or where ideas jump out at you.

To that end, I’ve included some questions below you can ask yourself when putting together your world building template.

You can also head here to find a big list of worldbuilding questions and prompts, including ones for characters and societies

Geography

  1. What is the overall shape of the world?
  2. How many continents are there, and what are their names?
  3. What are the major geographical features (mountain ranges, rivers, deserts, forests)?
  4. Are there any significant landmarks or natural wonders?
  5. What is the climate like in different regions?
  6. How do the seasons change, and do they affect the world differently in different regions?
  7. Are there any particularly dangerous or impassable regions?
  8. How does geography influence the distribution of resources?
  9. Are there any mythical or magical geographical features?
  10. How does the geography affect trade routes and transportation?
  11. What are the predominant types of flora and fauna in different regions?
  12. Are there any unique or fantastical ecosystems?
  13. How do people adapt to living in different geographical regions?
  14. How do geographical features influence the distribution of settlements?
  15. Are there any underground or underwater civilizations?

Weather

  1. What is the climate like in your world within your fictional universe? Is it hot, cold, or temperate? Does it vary by region?
  2. How many seasons does your world have?
  3. Do your magic systems affect the weather?
  4. Are there any natural phenomena that affect the weather, such as seasonal winds or monsoons?
  5. Are there any magical or supernatural forces that affect the weather, such as the actions of powerful wizards or gods? For example, you may have a soft magic system set in a dystopian world.
  6. Are there any unique weather patterns or phenomena in your world, such as storms of fire or lightning?
  7. How do the inhabitants of your world cope with extreme weather conditions, such as droughts or blizzards?
  8. How does the weather affect the economy and daily life of your world’s inhabitants, such as farming or transportation?
  9. Are there any cultural or religious beliefs related to the weather, such as rain dances or offerings to weather gods?
  10. How does the weather impact the conflict or politics of your world, such as in times of war or natural disasters?
  11. How has the weather changed over time in your world, and what factors have contributed to those changes?
  12. How do your characters perceive and react to the weather, and how does it shape their personality and experiences?

People And Populations

  1. What are the major races or species in the world?
  2. How do these races/species interact with each other?
  3. What is the overall population of the world?
  4. How is the population distributed across different regions?
  5. What are the major cities and settlements?
  6. How do people make a living in different regions?
  7. What are the social structures in different societies (monarchy, democracy, tribal, etc.)?
  8. Are there any marginalized or oppressed groups?
  9. What languages are spoken in different regions?
  10. How do people communicate over long distances?
  11. What are the major religions or belief systems?
  12. How do these religions influence society and culture?
  13. What are the major cultural taboos?
  14. How do people view magic and magical creatures?
  15. Are there any secret societies or organizations?
  16. How do people view outsiders or foreigners?
  17. Are there any major conflicts or wars happening?
  18. What is the overall level of technology in the world?
  19. Are there any significant historical events that have shaped the world?

Animals

  1. What kinds of animals exist in your world? Are there any that are unique to your world?
  2. How are the animals similar or different to animals found in the real world?
  3. Are there any magical or supernatural or mythical creatures in your entirely new world, such as unicorns or dragons? You could draw inspiration from some stories found in our own folklore.
  4. How do the animals fit into the ecosystem of your world? What role do they play in the food chain?
  5. Are there any predators that pose a threat to the inhabitants of your world, and how do they defend themselves?
  6. How do the animals impact the culture or society of your world? Are they revered or feared by the inhabitants?
  7. Are there any creatures that are domesticated or used for transportation or labor, and how are they trained or controlled?
  8. Are there any animals that have special abilities or powers, such as the ability to communicate with humans or to change shape?
  9. How have the animals of your world evolved or adapted to their environment over time?
  10. How do your characters interact with the animals of your world, and how do these interactions shape the character’s personalities and experiences?

Politics

  1. What form of government exists in your world, such as a monarchy, democracy, or dictatorship?
  2. How is the government structured, and who holds power? Are there any checks and balances in place?
  3. How is the government perceived by the inhabitants of your world, and is it seen as legitimate or corrupt?
  4. Are there any unique political ideologies?
  5. Are there any political factions or interest groups in your world, and how do they influence the government? Do all politicans have a formal education or are they working class too?
  6. How do different regions, belief systems or ethnic groups in your world interact politically, and are there any conflicts or tensions?
  7. Are there any laws or regulations that are unique to your world, and how are they enforced? In a hard magic system, regulation could be a key feature.
  8. How does the government collect taxes, and what is the money used for? Are they used for public construction schemes like in real world locations?
  9. How does the government interact with other nations or kingdoms, and are there any alliances or wars?
  10. Are there any political or social movements in your world, and how are they received by the government and the public? Think about magic users and how their magical powers could sway things.
  11. How does the politics of your world impact the daily lives of its inhabitants, and how do they react to it? Is there a rich history of politics in their lives?

Clothing And Fashion

  1. What materials are commonly used for clothing in your world, such as leather, fur, or silk?
  2. How do the climate and geography of your world influence the style of clothing worn by its inhabitants?
  3. Are there any cultural or religious beliefs that affect the clothing worn by the inhabitants of your world?
  4. Are there any social classes or ranks that are reflected in the clothing worn by the inhabitants of your world, such as nobility or peasants?
  5. Are there any professions or occupations that have a distinct style of clothing, such as warriors or scholars?
  6. Are there any fashion trends or styles that are popular in your world, and how do they change over time?
  7. How is clothing made and distributed in your world, and who is responsible for its creation?
  8. Are there any taboos or restrictions on clothing, such as certain colors or styles being forbidden?
  9. How do the characters in your story use clothing to express their personality or status, and how do others react to their clothing choices?
  10. How does the clothing of your world impact the economy or trade, and are certain materials or styles more valuable or sought after than others?

Culture

  1. What are the major holidays and festivals?
  2. What are the major forms of art (music, literature, visual arts)?
  3. How do people entertain themselves?
  4. What are the major sports or games?
  5. What is the fashion like in different regions?
  6. What are the major culinary traditions?
  7. How do people celebrate major life events (births, weddings, funerals)?
  8. What are the major superstitions or beliefs about luck?
  9. How do people greet each other?
  10. What are the major taboos or social faux pas?
  11. What is the education system like?
  12. How do people view family and relationships?
  13. What are the major coming-of-age rituals?
  14. How do people view gender and sexuality?
  15. What are the major forms of government?
  16. How do people view authority and leadership?

Magic Systems

  1. What is the source of magic in the world?
  2. How do people learn to use magic?
  3. Are there any restrictions or limitations on magic?
  4. What are the major types or schools of magic?
  5. How does magic affect daily life?
  6. Are there any magical artifacts or objects of power?
  7. How do people view magic users in society?
  8. Are there any magical creatures or beings?
  9. How do people protect themselves against magic?
  10. Are there any magical illnesses or curses?
  11. How does magic influence technology and innovation?
  12. Are there any magical laws or regulations?
  13. How do people view technology versus magic?
  14. Are there any magical phenomena that occur regularly?
  15. How do people use magic in warfare?
  16. Are there any ancient magical civilizations or ruins?
  17. How do people view the balance between magic and nature?
  18. Are there any magical substances or materials?
  19. How do people view the ethics of using magic?
  20. How does magic influence the economy?

Remember, this isn’t an exhaustive list, but they’ll provide you with a solid foundation for your world building template. And it can help if you’re writing both fantasy and science fiction.

a fantasy warrior sitting upon the back of a dragon in a fantasy world

Find More Inspiration For Creating A Fictional World

Finding inspiration for the fantasy worldbuilding process can be tough. With so many elements to create, there’s a lot of research to carry out. We may not have an awful lot of time on our hands to do that research, and that’s why I created a bunch of guides that provide all the key information that you need. You can find these guides at the end of this section.

Something else you can do to get inspiration for your world building process is to read a wide range of fantasy books. You can see how authors like Adrian Tchaikovsky utilise insects to inspire his world in the Shadows of the Apt series, or how I used a dependency on magic to shape how people appear in my novel, Pariah’s Lament.

I also recommend getting out and exploring the world around you. Nature can be awe-inspiring and may give you great ideas for your settings. You could stumble upon castles or explore the sites of famous battles. Going to your local museums can provoke ideas for stories and fantasy worlds.

More World Building Guides

Below you can find links to some guides that may give you more worldbuilding ideas:

And if you have any feedback about this world building template, please get in touch!

Richie Billing
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