Let’s talk about world-building, writers!

Over the past few weeks, we’ve broken down several key world-building elements here on the blog, including the development of fictional cultures, languages, and magic systems — all to celebrate the arrival of World-Building Warrior, our latest writing workbook here at Well-Storied.

Today, however, I’d like to talk less about how to develop your fictional world and more about the common pitfalls that threaten to derail many writers’ world-building success. Shall we dive in?

Abracadabra, alakazam! Let’s talk about crafting magic systems today, writers.

Though not every speculative fiction story needs be threaded with magic, adding a few fantastical powers to your story world can be a fun way to liven up the narrative. In many cases, magical powers also symbolize bigger themes, serving as a vehicle for conversations about privilege, oppression, pride, and other compelling topics.

No matter your approach, building an original and believable magic system requires a good amount of time and care. Let’s work together today to gift our characters some incredible powers, shall we?

Let’s face it: Tolkien set the bar pretty high as far as constructed languages go. 

Whether you’ve considered outlining an entire conlang (that’s world-building slang for “constructed language”) or are simply looking to use a few invented words to liven up your story world, knowing how best to approach the construction of a fictional language is daunting to say the least. 

Is the use of conlang really necessary? How much detail should you put into crafting your fictional language? And how in the world can you incorporate it in a way that feels natural and believable to readers? Let’s talk about all this and more in today’s article, writer!

Let's dive deep into the world-building process, shall we?

Whether you're crafting an entire story world or delving into an alternative or fantastical reality here on Earth, developing fully-realized fictional cultures is key to fantastic world-building. But cultures are rather complex, nebulous beasts. Their ever-evolving nature can make them especially tricky to nail down.

So, what elements define culture? And just how much time and attention should you put into creating your own? Let's discuss all this and more in today's breakdown, writers!

If there's anything I've learned as a writer, it's that building a fictional world is easier said than done.

When well-developed, a fictional world feels realistic and approachable, even if it contains otherworldly elements such as magic or time travel. But behind the approachable facade lies the blood, sweat, and tears of the world's creator, who hand-crafted everything from its geography, religions, cultures, technologies, political systems, and more. 

Each of these elements affects how the story's characters see and experience their world, and so writers who are looking to craft incredible fictional worlds of their own can't afford to skimp on the details. But just what details should be considered? Let's break them down in today's introductory guide to world-building!