Worldbuilding as plotbuilding

Many. I enjoy world building and to me it helps me get my creative plot juices flowing. I take the "cool things/races" locations etc, of my world and say I want to include this in my story. It helps me flesh oht ny story, though I think it is important to have a plot somewhat defined and in the background, because otherwise it's a while bunch of stuff that you want to tell/show the reader, but the story itself isn't very good. I've learned that I have many many ideas that I want to show the reader. The problem is that it would require a massive world, and a long series, and/or going out of my way in the actual story to include my ideas and such. I've learned that there is a point where I have to say, this is too much of a distraction, or it doesn't matter enough to keep it in the story. The story matters more than the "cool ideas" that you want to put in it. There is such a thing as too much in world building

 

Hi,

Personally I'm a pantster, so this happens a lot of the time in one form or another for me. Mostly though I develop my plot on on the basis firstly of the character and his situation - ie who is he and what mess is he in, and world build is sort of the framework underneath it all holding everything together. So in Callum which I just finished, my MC is a minor enchanter, kidnapped by the Fae and stolen back to their realm wanting to go home. The world build is going on all around him as he wanders this strange land, unable to speak the language, trying to get home. And then I threw in some badly misfiring spells - one of which turns him into an elf maiden - allowing him to wander through the towns and start to interact. That allowed me to explore this realm through his / her eyes, and delve deeper into the world build.

I think what I'm saying is that for me all three things, character and plot and world build, work and grow together. Maybe the first two are a little more in the driver's seat, but often the world build is the thing that turns the plot upside down. It's usually because all through the book until a certain point of been describing the world and its oddities, but not thus far explaining why those oddities are as they are. Then when I do, those oddities explain the actions of the characters in a whole new light, and turn the story upside down in a massive plot twist. This happens a lot more often in epic fantasy than it does in urban fantasy or sci fi - at least for me. I assume because the world building is so much more extensive.

Cheers, Greg.

 

I agree. The plot and world building go hand in hand. I think either can be done separately, but it won't be as well done if both are done together. The world should compliment/complete the plot, and the plot should do the same. The world is where the plot is so it's just as important, but the plot is why the world is relevant, so the plot is just as important. Writing both must be done with an idea of the other.

 

I think the one that should get priority is world building, because the plot is so heavily influenced by the world It is set in. The world should change if needed to fit the plot, but the plot shouldnt be priority, because if it is, the world will be more flimsy, only having structure sround the plot. I also think it's easier to come up with a plot/add to a plot when you have a world to help you. E.g. in such and such place there is the such and such weapon and so Mr. Such and such needs to go there so he can defeat the king of such and such. The plot is more influenced by the world, than the other way around

 

There are no new plots, but endleas room for new settings. Putting old plots into new settings is what makes new interesting stories.
Thougj a fresh setting can be done very well with pretty little worldbuilding. The Witcher series is a good example of a world with very few historical or cultural details and made up almost entirely of old generic elements. The only thing that is new is the political setup and the way people interact in that world. And even those are not terribly original, but still different enough to make for a fresh story.

 

I always start with characters creation. When the characters are ready I just have to figure out how would these people interact with each other and at this point I already have some basic plot. When I have some basic plot I know what other characters I need. When I have enough characters I just have to create a world where these characters can believably live.