How much is too much worldbuilding?

[Ban]

I don't believe there is such a thing as too much worldbuilding, but too much worldshowing certainly does exist. Your world may well be your primary interest, but in each individual story set in that world, the story must take precedence. If your display of the world unduly interferes with the reading experience, it's time to focus on the narrative.

 

[pmmg]

You know you have too much world building if the AI cant keep up.

 

[MSadiq]

You know you have too much world building if the AI cant keep up.

AI isn't even that great at present you accurate info. It straight up makes up information, gives wrong sources, and misidentifies information. A while back, I presented it with poetry, which it ascribed to a poet that lived around 300 years after the poem was composed and the styles are quite distinct of those periods. It's like conflating Brandon Sanderson with Edgar Allen Poe in terms of how different the presentation is.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Fortunately, words have no power in my magic system, LMAO.

If it makes you feel better, I 'kind' of invented a 'god' language in my story. But it's not really fleshed out either.
The stuff that the reader is meant to know (say two characters are speaking in it) is translated for reading.
The stuff that's irrelevant is just letters, numbers and symbols in a random, incomprehensible order, I thought of using a cipher but I don't want it to be 'cracked' (some swears will be made 'family friendly' with the god language, think Qbert when he dies.) so it's just random nonsense with no 'meaning' lol heck, the same symbol doesn't even equate to the same letter. The Joke is that god tongue is mentally incomprehensible to the human mind. (except for like, the three or four characters who natively speak it, but they aren't fluent in it like the gods are)

 

[pmmg]

I don't believe there is such a thing as too much worldbuilding,

When even Ban thinks its too much...

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

When even Ban thinks its too much...

When Ban hires 3 more people to do it for them so they have more time to work on lore books.

 

[Miles Lacey]

You know you've done too much world building when investors from the United Arab Emirates ask to invest in your (imaginary) country. That actually happened to me!

 

[GeLo Near The Goliath]

There's no such thing. It's just illusion, to limit your writing abilities. If you are not starting from writing how your world came to be and from there history for millions of years, you better rethink your ways.

 

[TheCrystallineEntity]

When you start reducing the size of your planets, because like most creators, you don't understand scale and made them too big.

 

[pmmg]

I dont think this thread can stay with its purpose.

Why would anyone want to limit your abilities?

 

[Meema]

On a related note, you maybe talking about your current WIP too much when:

your friend asks you if you're bringing your MC as your +1 to their wedding...
...and they don't need to ask about dietary requirements

Your partner suddenly changes your nick name to the antagonist in your WIP

I wish I had a family member who would LISTEN when I talk about my writing.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

I wish I had a family member who would LISTEN when I talk about my writing.

Bruh same, my parent's 'listen' but they do the fake 'nod and smile' listening. And it's pretty obvious they don't really care.
And to make it worse they occasionally joke about how much money my book is gonna make them.
With that attitude they aren't getting a CENT. (Maybe if it blows up like Harry Potter or Twilight did, but somehow I don't see that happening on my first book haha)

 

[Meema]

Bruh same, my parent's 'listen' but they do the fake 'nod and smile' listening. And it's pretty obvious they don't really care.
And to make it worse they occasionally joke about how much money my book is gonna make them.
With that attitude they aren't getting a CENT. (Maybe if it blows up like Harry Potter or Twilight did, but somehow I don't see that happening on my first book haha)

LOL - my adult children are the same. Some things DO transcend generations, don't they? I'm with you - with that attitude, they can whistle for money. Or wait till I'm dead for it. THAT is one of the benefits of aging. As far as first books go, according to my reliable source, self-published first books don't sell nearly as well as those that follow. If it's a series you're writing, good; they seem to do well in the fantasy/romantasy sphere.

 

[pmmg]

Meh...my fam and friends have not shared my interest. I regret including them in on it. But...plug on I will.

I am hoping on the future, but the cover artist needs to come though...........

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

LOL - my adult children are the same. Some things DO transcend generations, don't they? I'm with you - with that attitude, they can whistle for money. Or wait till I'm dead for it. THAT is one of the benefits of aging. As far as first books go, according to my reliable source, self-published first books don't sell nearly as well as those that follow. If it's a series you're writing, good; they seem to do well in the fantasy/romantasy sphere.

One of em is a series (though I don't think it will last 12+ books like harry potter lol) and one of them is a 'one shot' (with maybe a sequel/epilogue story bout the main character's daughter) They're both somewhat romance stories but they're both comedies at their core, one of which is a very self aware satire. And you don't have to be 'in the gaming sphere' to understand most of the jokes. (I can think of a few non gamers might not get, but those are few and far between.) Thankfully one of them immediately sets the tone out the gate, and shows how 'self aware' the characters are going to be throughout.

I'm pretty sure my parents are only joking (We joke about it together sometimes) but it feels kinda toxic when they do it I dunno.

There's also a few much shorter stories I plan to turn into games, and while games are Tricky? If they blow up, they BLOW up, especially if they go viral on the youtube let's play scene. Get someone like Markiplier or something to play it and boom lol

Meh...my fam and friends have not shared my interest. I regret including them in on it. But...plug on I will.

I am hoping on the future, but the cover artist needs to come though...........

Are you fine with stick figures? I can cook with those lol

 

[pmmg]

I think I have stick figures covered. I should have gone the Dick and Jane route.

 

[Meema]

One of em is a series (though I don't think it will last 12+ books like harry potter lol) and one of them is a 'one shot' (with maybe a sequel/epilogue story bout the main character's daughter) They're both somewhat romance stories but they're both comedies at their core, one of which is a very self aware satire. And you don't have to be 'in the gaming sphere' to understand most of the jokes. (I can think of a few non gamers might not get, but those are few and far between.) Thankfully one of them immediately sets the tone out the gate, and shows how 'self aware' the characters are going to be throughout.

I'm pretty sure my parents are only joking (We joke about it together sometimes) but it feels kinda toxic when they do it I dunno.

There's also a few much shorter stories I plan to turn into games, and while games are Tricky? If they blow up, they BLOW up, especially if they go viral on the youtube let's play scene. Get someone like Markiplier or something to play it and boom lol


Are you fine with stick figures? I can cook with those lol

Ahhhhh, now I'm intrigued. I've been a gamer since Scott Adam's text adventure games of the 70s. I don't play much anymore unless it's Animal Crossing (even Katamari hurts my hands), but since both my sons and my son in law are gamers, I'm not out of the loop. I can PC game if it's not too hectic. I has a sad there are no more Portal games. My son did get me a copy of Diplomacy Is Not an Option, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.