Worldbuilding
Worldbuilding creates a foundation for your story, grounding your characters in a specific time, place or setting. Worldbuilding can encompass elements of a place’s history, customs, geography, weather, flora or fauna, architecture, technology, language, class system or rule of law - the list is endless. But it can also be as simple as altering aspects of your own world to fit the story.
While the story always comes first, worldbuilding can impact the narrative and guide the actions of the characters who inhabit it, so it’s important to consider early on. In addition, the world you create can provide a certain atmosphere or theme for your story. For example, dark and narrow spaces are commonly associated with threatening or restrictive atmospheres. Wide open or sunlit spaces create an atmosphere of freedom. The environment in which a character moves can also function as a means of characterisation. In that sense, if you approach worldbuilding in the same way that you would when creating a character—by understanding its features and nuances —then it will more likely ‘live’ on the page, and bring a sense of depth, dimension and tangibility for the reader.
I’ve listed below some resource links that may be helpful in guiding you through the process of worldbuilding. While these can be useful prompts, it’s best to focus on those that foster your story’s authenticity, rather than concerning yourself with all the elements raised as they may not all be applicable.
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-a-believable-world
An easy read and great starting point when considering the art of worldbuilding.
https://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions/
A well-regarded list of worldbuilding questions to consider by Patricia C. Wrede.
https://milanote.com/guide/worldbuilding
This is a helpful writing app that organises your research, ideas, characters and outline in one place.
http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/09/17/25-things-you-should-know-about-worldbuilding/
An interesting article that offers some insights into essential, yet less-often discussed worldbuilding elements.