Worldbuilding consists of two parts:
The Big Blocks - these are like the walls and floors that construct a house
The Rich Details - this is like looking at your world through a zoom lens
The following is what I would consider the 'Big Blocks'. Feel free to use only what refers to your world and delete the rest.
The Natural World
Name
Stars, suns, moons, and planets
Is it Earth, an Earth-like world, an alternate history Earth, or a completely alien planet?
If it is an alternate history, what is the specific historical point of departure where this world split off from the history of the primary world? How long ago did this happen; how much has changed and will it continue to change as a result?
If this planet is not Earth, how does it differ physically from Earth?
Comparable size, composition, density, gravity, ratio of land to water, atmosphere, any satellites, rings, unsuspected alien satellites, #suns, #planets in the system?
Describe the sky during the day, during the night.
Are there spectacular constellations, comets, nebulae, or other astronomical phenomena visible during either?
Oceans and/or major bodies of water
Mountains, woods, and/or other prominent features of the landscape
How much land is temperate? Equatorial? Polar?
Are there forests?
Are there tropical areas?
Are there grasslands? Plains?
Common plants
Rare plants
Poisonous and/or medicinal plants
What natural resources are available in different regions?
Which natural resources are scarce?
Common animals/creatures
Rare animals/creatures
What are the birds like?
What are the small animals like?
What are the large animals like?
Are there any domesticated animals?
Are there intelligent animals, perhaps nearing the threshold of awareness and personhood?
Are the laws of nature/physics different to Earth? Elaborate.
Philosophical and metaphysical ideas inspired by this world
Cultural
Do people live in happiness or fear?
Does the culture value strength or compassion more highly?
Does the culture value wealth or generosity more highly?
What are the common superstitions?
Concept of right and wrong
Differences between cultures
What colors are associated with power? Virtue? Death?
Do average people believe old tales, or do they dismiss some that have a basis in fact?
What place do various kinds of traditional stories have in society? Are they the primary means of passing on everything a young person needs to learn, or is folklore being pushed aside and replace by 'proper' science and history? Of is folklore itself come to be 'proper' in its own right?
Locations
Natural formations
Monuments
Government buildings/castles
Train stations/airports/subways/launch pads/highways
Is there public transport?
Is social mobility easy or hard?
Shops/stores
Houses/apartments
Countries/states/cities/planets
Do most people live in rural or urban areas?
How are the continents laid out?
How are the countries laid out?
Travel
Restrictions on travel
Dangerous locations
Luxury/vacation locations
Immigration/emigration
Travel times between locations
Common methods of travel
Affordability of travel
Architecture and Infrastructure
Common building materials
Expensive building materials
Appearance and layout of typical houses
Appearance and layout of expensive houses
Appearance and layout of typical shops/stores
Streets and sidewalks (brick, cobblestone, dirt, etc.)
Availability of plumbing and sewage
Garbage collection
Distribution of energy
Burial practices
Medicine
Curable diseases
Incurable diseases
Common diseases
Rare diseases
Availability of medicine
Cost of medicine
Legal drugs/potions/substances
Illegal drugs/potions/substances
Is there any centralized healthcare?
YOU ARE READING
Resources to Better Writing (ReOrganizing & Editing)
Non-FictionI have done a considerable amount of research over the years in order to improve my writing abilities. Decided it might be a good time to share them with all the writers on Wattpad. I hope it helps. Enjoy!
