7 Questions to Elevate Your Story Universe Through Worldbuilding

Whether you're crafting a high-fantasy realm or a dystopian future, the worlds you create serve as the stage upon which your characters act and your story unfolds. But how do you go beyond the basics to create a world that's not just believable but captivating? Through worldbuilding of course!

Make sure you understand the fundamentals of worldbuilding, which we have gone over previously.

Once you have read that blog, it's time to delve deeper. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore seven pivotal questions that will take your worldbuilding skills to the next level.

How is This World Similar to Other Worlds?

No matter how original your world is, there will be aspects that you draw from real life.

Love epic fantasies?

Did you know that the Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin is inspired by the historical The War of the Roses event and people in that era? Did you also know that many cities and places are based on real-world equivalents? Here are just a few:

• Braavos draws from Venice

• Valyria is like the Roman Empire

• Spain inspired Dorne

You can certainly draw inspiration from the real world, but research is critical. One of the key reasons why so many writers fail to impress an audience is because they take a specific culture and then fail to either make it original or make it true to the source. An excellent example of this is when an author tries to draw inspiration from Dia de Los Muertos or Day of the Dead.

Suppose you use this as the basis for a place called “Dead Town.” It has sugar skulls, altars, strings of colorful paper and lights, etc. Your audience is going to know this is derived from Mexican culture.

If you do not make your story unique enough, you will need to be true to life so that you do not offend an entire group of people. So, be honest with yourself about what inspires this world, and then work to make this world three-dimensional.

What is the Backstory of your World?

When I say backstory, I mean the history.

Don’t worry; you do not have to think in scientific terms, nor do you have to back to the beginning of your world’s universe. You do not have to be that existential with it.

Think of questions like:

• How did the current government gain control?

• What are the big historical events that shaped this world?

For instance, consider the present-day United States.

• What would you say some of the most significant movements are since 1776?

• What about since 2008?

• 2001?

These moments matter, as does how your world came to be. A good exercise is to make a list of historical and environmental notes that affect your world and reference them while writing. Some writers even include an entire database for their world, including maps, charts, etc.

Though you certainly do not have to go to this extreme to make a believable world. You also do not need to have all this exposition in your piece unless you are writing a high fantasy or hard science fiction, but you need to understand why your world is the way it is. Taking these steps will also help you plan your novel from start to finish.

What is Its Basic Infrastructure?

Once you understand the backstory of your world, you then need to start asking yourself infrastructure questions.

Like so:

• What kind of food do the people eat?

• Are there different types of people?

• What kind of weather happens during the summer?

• Are there even distinct seasons?

Too often, especially for fantasy and science fiction, a popular trope is to have two moons but have the world behave precisely like our planet, which only has one moon. You can certainly get away with this, and for me as a reader, I don’t think I would even mind. However, there are some readers that are bothered by inconsistencies like this. If something is illogical, it may take them out of the narrative completely.

Again, you do not have to have a degree in science to flesh out your world fully.

However, you need to start thinking critically about how and why your world works the way it does.

Take food, for instance. Suppose that your world is set on a lush, rainforest type planet. You decide to have your characters eating lots and lots of meats. Sure, meat can exist in this environment since there are plenty of animals around.

However, hunting is labor-intensive. It takes lots of energy and time to go trekking through the thick, sweltering jungles. Thus, it would be more realistic for your culture to eat more fruits, vegetables, and fish than it would be for them to eat a large, hoofed animal every day.

Ultimately, it depends on your personal preference and what type of readers you cater to. You can be extremely factual and logical in your worldbuilding, or you can create a suspension of disbelief. In other words, if you feel like your readers can handle when something doesn’t make sense, then your infrastructure can be a little fantasy-based or illlogical.

What People, Plants, and Animals Live There?

Too often, writers focus on only the main characters and their customs. However, to make a rich, easy digestible world, you need to understand what living things exist in this place.

Let’s ask some more questions:

• Are there social groups outside of the society your main characters interact with?

• What kind of plants exists in this world?

• What about the animals that live there?

You do not have to get so detailed that you think about the microorganisms that exist in tandem with other living creatures but think about the environment. As a reader, I love when I read more about the world, especially what interesting animals and creatures might live there.

For instance, The Hunger Game series mentions more than just mockingjays, but other genetically created animals. That part of the story always made me feel immersed in the world.

What is the Culture?

Now we can ask cultural questions:

• What language does your society speak?

• Do they have any religions?

• What about multiple faiths?

• Is it a patriarchal society?

• Matriarchal?

• Or is there true equality between all genders?

There are so many aspects of culture that can be explored, and the more you devote time to figuring out the nuances of culture, the more realistic your society will be. This is also why each character’s point of view matters; there is multiple lenses that affect your story.

To help you, make a list of as many aspects of culture as you can think of. You can also turn to online educational sites or do your research with a book. I have even found old anthropology books that have been helpful. You can then write down how your society addresses these aspects.

For instance:

• If there are multiple religions, what is the dominant one?

• How did these religions form?

• What are their differences, etc.?

You may find yourself going down a rabbit hole, but the more you understand these nuances the better! Of course, this is a subset of culture, but I do think it is essential to think of how society is structured with more detail.

How is the government-run?

• Is there a monarchy?

• Do the people vote?

• If there is a monarchy, is it based on lineage?

• Or did the current monarch kill the former ruler?

• What about the family unit?

• Who is the head of the household?

• Are children born to parents, or are they given to them by a government agency?

Think about how your main characters fit into this society’s structure and what happens to the community at large when rules are broken.

Why Are Things Happening Now?

Perhaps the most important question you can ask yourself about worldbuilding is why the events in your story are happening at this moment in time and in this place.

For instance:

• If the government is corrupt in your story, then what is the final push that will cause civilians to rebel?

• Is the uprising caused by the death of a beloved leader?

• Is it caused by the new limitation of food or resources? Think about the reasons why these events occur.

Worldbuilding In Writing

Worldbuilding is more than just the setting in your story; it's a character in its own right. By asking these seven questions, you're not just filling in details—you're breathing life into your fictional universe.

So go ahead, have fun with it!

With these tools at your disposal, the worlds you create will not only be rich and immersive but also unforgettable. Each scene you create will become much more dynamic for your readers.

Happy worldbuilding!

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