Episode 191 3 Methods to create your fantasy world

Today's Topic Creating a fantasy story from a world

I have been asked several times what is the best way to start a new world building project? The problem is that is not one good way to start. However, in general, there are three good ways to construct a fictional world.

The 3 Methods of worldbuilding

In this week’s episode, we will walk you through how to figure out the best way to build your world. You will end up with one of these methods.

Backwards
Top-Down
Hybrid

The Backwards method of worldbuilding

I do not mean it is backwards or wrong to use this method, stop being such a wordsmith. I mean work backwards to develop your world. Take the settings that you want to tell stories in and work backward in history, so do not evolve but devolve your world.

I really like working backwards if I know how I want the world to look at some point of the story. I use it to give the world some historical details and more cultural depth and I know when I am done when I get to prehistory and I have covered all the basics of worldbuilding.

Top-Down method of worldbuilding

Top-Down is typically the method people think about world-building. You pick a point of time and evolve the history to a certain place and time you want to tell the story in your world. You can start from the beginning of time or better yet in the prehistoric period of your world and evolve the world in increasing detail to flesh out the frame for your story.

The Hybrid method of worldbuilding

This is probably the most likely version to be used. You will go back and forth in time depending on the topic until you have fleshed out the frame for your story.

Why should I world build more than the exact time and place for my story?

There might not be a need. However, it will help connect you better to the world and give you access to a certain depth that will make your world feel like it could really exist outside of the story making it feel naturalistic. It also helps create a framework for you to tell more stories in your world later if you wish.

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The bigger benefit for me was increased focus. It was another major issue of mine. However, that is a story for a different day.

Get the stories and hear the tips in this episode of the Worldbuilder’s Anvil Podcast

Listen to Michael and I as we go into this critical topic.

Podcast Show Flow

Episode 135 And Episode 136 Ask before you start
Figure out the central frame for your framework
- Know your 9 Framework Elements Worldbuilding Basics Breakdown
  1. Rules Like Technology and Magic is the filter for each of your Basic topics
  2. Places
  3. Religion
  4. Language
  5. Races
  6. Culture
  7. States
  8. Faces
  9. Timeline your world to the current time
    1. Old School Tech

Figure out if you want different with Races, Cultures, States

Are Religions culturally based? Or are there a certain number of religions?
Figure out how to build your world

Do you know how your setting looks (Before after a period of time)?
1. Work backwards from the time of your storytelling?
2. Add in Faces and Rules as needed
Do you want to know some elements of your setting, but it is not complete? Or you have inspiration, but no actual element?
1. Mainly top down, except for rules or faces
2. Start in a prehistory before cultures collide and start evolving your cultures
3. More Density the closer you are to present?
Do you just want to worldbuild?
1. Top down from where you want to start