My top three tips for world-building

[Matt Devitt]

My first, and biggest, tip is: make a world that is inspiring, not real. We all have seen Earth and the beauty that inhabits it. So, oftentimes, when people turn to fantasy, they expect something different. You still want to keep the reins on everything, and not create something that's so hard to keep up with that readers put down your book in confusion, but keep your audience on their toes.
Second: a world has much more to it than the species that inhabit it and the biomes in it. Lore is the single biggest thing that will bring your world to life. To put it simply, imagine Earth without any history. You didn't know what happened before you, how we got here, the sacrifices that were made, the wars that were fought, and everything else that took place before us. That would be a sad, boring world that no one would want to live in.
Third: explore the world. If you create an amazing beauty world but only stay in one place, then you're throwing opportunity out the window. Force your story to travel to different parts of the world. It makes the story more interesting, but it also adds a ton to the world-building.

 

[Kassandra]

Thank you for the tips.
As I write my first book, it's also my first time building a world on such a large scale.
Recently, I realized I was so caught up on getting my characters to X destination that I completely disregarded parts of the world building in order to get them there faster. But that's no fun. It's not about what I want but about the characters' journey and how that world assists or inhibits their goals.

 

[pmmg]

Matt makes some good points. Id say it as dont neglect that the world itself is a character. It needs its own heart.

Since the subject came up, please see. Goldie’s Guide to World Building. Here at a theatre near you!