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Obsidian for worldbuilding
- Thread starter d0glife
- Start date
pmmg
Myth Weaver
Isnt obsidian a subscription tool? I think it is. For me thats a no.
You can do everything it can do with out it. Last time i looked it was pretty much like scrivener. And scrivener was free.
But, you know, if its what keeps you going then…
You can do everything it can do with out it. Last time i looked it was pretty much like scrivener. And scrivener was free.
But, you know, if its what keeps you going then…
Software doesn't make worlds, people do.
What is it about the software you find to be especially useful?
What is it about the software you find to be especially useful?
Fyri
Inkling
Ohhhh... I thought you meant you were constructing a building in obsidian, the volcanic glass, for your world. Now I'm far less interested... 
Fyri
Inkling
I'm only interested if it is very cheap and lets me make quality maps.
pmmg
Myth Weaver
Yes, Obsidian is a writing tool, similar to scrivener and some others. It has a free version and a pay for version.
There's another thread on it somewhere. If I recall, looking into it, it makes you pay for features, and you'll have to subscribe if you go commercial.
There's another thread on it somewhere. If I recall, looking into it, it makes you pay for features, and you'll have to subscribe if you go commercial.
BrettElectric
New Member
Hey d0glife!
I also use Obsidian for worldbuilding and brainstorming for my novel! I think it's amazing.
It's a place for writing down EVERYTHING related to my book.
- Research on medieval history
- Notes on other fantasy books I have read
- Summaries of ancient literature and mythology
- Plot ideas
- Scene ideas
- Plot outlines
- Worldbuilding resources (research on geography or culture)
- Research on other languages
- Character ideas
- Resources on how to write (plot, theme, prose, character etc etc)
Because the tag, link and search functions are so good, I know I'll always be able to find those ideas again in a second.
I'm also using it as a wiki for my worldbuilding - a bit like wikipedia. So I can have a note on 'The Kingdom of Og', and inside when I mention 'King Og IV', I can have a link to a new note with all the info about that King, just like the in-text links in wikipedia. It's amazing.
I used to have a folder of word documents on my hard drive, with multiple folders inside, but it just got too difficult to navigate the folders and find anything. I'm sure there are other systems that allow you to tag and search your notes, but I certainly couldn't go back to my old system of word documents in folders.
Anyway, I just thought I'd share this to encourage you that there are other aspiring fantasy writers and worldbuilders out there using Obsidian. I think it's great!
I also use Obsidian for worldbuilding and brainstorming for my novel! I think it's amazing.
It's a place for writing down EVERYTHING related to my book.
- Research on medieval history
- Notes on other fantasy books I have read
- Summaries of ancient literature and mythology
- Plot ideas
- Scene ideas
- Plot outlines
- Worldbuilding resources (research on geography or culture)
- Research on other languages
- Character ideas
- Resources on how to write (plot, theme, prose, character etc etc)
Because the tag, link and search functions are so good, I know I'll always be able to find those ideas again in a second.
I'm also using it as a wiki for my worldbuilding - a bit like wikipedia. So I can have a note on 'The Kingdom of Og', and inside when I mention 'King Og IV', I can have a link to a new note with all the info about that King, just like the in-text links in wikipedia. It's amazing.
I used to have a folder of word documents on my hard drive, with multiple folders inside, but it just got too difficult to navigate the folders and find anything. I'm sure there are other systems that allow you to tag and search your notes, but I certainly couldn't go back to my old system of word documents in folders.
Anyway, I just thought I'd share this to encourage you that there are other aspiring fantasy writers and worldbuilders out there using Obsidian. I think it's great!
RawkusSpectre
Dreamer
...therefore you use?
RawkusSpectre
Dreamer
The desktop version looks great, but the app is lacking!Yes, Obsidian is a writing tool, similar to scrivener and some others. It has a free version and a pay for version.
There's another thread on it somewhere. If I recall, looking into it, it makes you pay for features, and you'll have to subscribe if you go commercial.
Fyri
Inkling
Nah. Very cheap was code for "free" and it is seemingly not free. I am le poor. I like your pfp tho. You know, my girlfriend turned into the moon.
BrettElectric
New Member
I've been using it for about 3 years, and never paid for it. You only need to pay if you want the sync feature, which I don't use. And there are workarounds anyway that let you sync for free.
Dylan
Troubadour
Oh, Obsidian is such a great choice for worldbuilding! It’s like having a digital brain for your world you can link ideas, create nested notes, and see how everything connects in a way that feels organic and intuitive. The graph view alone is a game-changer for visualizing how your characters, places, and events intertwine. Plus, the flexibility to add images, maps, and even timelines makes it feel like your world is coming to life right in front of you.
What’s cool about Obsidian is that it grows with your project. You can start small with just a few notes on your world’s history or magic system, and then slowly build out more complex layers as you go. And since everything’s linked, you’ll never lose track of that one obscure detail you came up with months ago (we’ve all been there).
If you’re diving into deep worldbuilding, I’d recommend using tags and folders to keep things organized like one folder for cultures, another for geography, and maybe a tag for “mythology” or “plot hooks.” That way, you can easily navigate your growing world without feeling overwhelmed.
xena
Scribe
Obsidian is great for worldbuilding, although it takes some adjusting to use for writing. However, I think it works well. For worldbuilding, it keeps characters, locations, lore, and everything else organized and easily accessible, and it's extremely easy to search for things.