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- #WORLD ANVIL EXAMPLES HOW TO#
- #WORLD ANVIL EXAMPLES PRO#
- #WORLD ANVIL EXAMPLES TV#
What does the geography of your world look like? Does it have special properties or features?. What are the fundamental differences in the natural laws of your world compared to Earth?. Magic, flying islands, ice worlds, extra-long winters etc. Scene gets specific, nailing down the physical properties of your world (especially if different from our own Earth). A mysterious, new religion has been sweeping through the upper echelons of society. Rumors of a breakthrough in transportation technology are circling. A nearby country is on the brink of civil war. A blight which has been decimating crops, creating food shortages. A couple might directly relate to your plot, but others are there to make your world feel expansive and dynamic, and to reinforce your genre and tone. Here are some examples (there are even more on the meta page in World Anvil!)ĭrama sets your world in motion, creating a dynamic setting through current affairs. You might allude to a few others without expanding on them, and some issues won’t be relevant to your story at all. What are the recurring themes which reinforce the genre, mood and feel of your world?įocus: You can’t build EVERYTHING in your setting, or you’ll never write that novel! Focus helps you pick which areas you want to build in more detail (we suggest about five). What is your world’s mood? How does the world feel (character/reader experience)?. Theme: Genres, mood and tone, as well as the recurring themes and motifs you use to reinforce them, are excellent ways to start defining your setting. What is the hook or unique selling point of your setting? What makes it different?. What is your motivation for building this world?. Scope: Deciding why you’re building your setting is often the foundation for all your other choices! This creates a dynamic and cohesive world setting. Each section helps you establish critical information, and those answers will inform the next ones. The Worldbuilding Meta is divided into short sections of questions to help you flesh out your world logically. Later in the writing process, it inspires new ideas and even helps you pitch your setting to others! And if you’re writing with others, it’s critical to keep you on the same page. If you already have a setting, it helps you prioritize and streamline which elements are most important, and to avoid bloat or over-complexity.
It helps you keep track of the overarching themes and components as you build your world, and to make logical choices. So how do you develop the taste of an idea into an entire setting for a novel or series? Well, bring on the Worldbuilding Meta!Ī Worldbuilding Meta document is the big stuff, the most critical DNA of your setting. Ideas are all well and good, but writing is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. And reading back over your old thoughts is sometimes enough to inspire you for a brand new setting! But once you have your inspiration-what on earth are you supposed to do with it? Worldbuilding Meta Keeping a writing notebook is a great way to hold onto inspiration until you’re ready to take the next step. And occasionally, a plot walks into your brain with a setting-or a least a few fragments of one-attached. The desire to dig into a new genre-sci fi, steampunk or epic fantasy-is also a great place to start.
#WORLD ANVIL EXAMPLES TV#
Sometimes a setting idea can come from a dream, flash fiction, a TV show or game, a character, or from a magic system you’ve been toying with. Brandon Sanderson describes a drive in foggy weather as his inspiration for Mistborn.
Let’s start at the beginning-that flash of inspiration.
#WORLD ANVIL EXAMPLES HOW TO#
The good news is that you can easily create your own rich, unique setting, and in this post I’ll tell you how to start! Getting inspiration! How do I start worldbuilding? It’s one of the most commonly asked questions in our community, and one which even seasoned professionals ask! After all, creating epic settings like those of The Expanse, Game of Thrones, or Mistborn can seem like an overwhelming task-but they all start from the same place: the fragment of an idea, carefully grown into something extraordinary.
#WORLD ANVIL EXAMPLES PRO#
Today, World Anvil is here to share some pro tips for worldbuilding basics! World Anvil, a 2021 NaNoWriMo sponsor, helps you develop and organize your characters, plot, and world setting. Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events.