When you're building your fantasy worlds, you'll want to consider a few more things than just the kingdom's name and its ruler. To make your fantasy worlds feel realistic and textured, you can consider sprinkling in all sorts of details that give it its own identity.
You don’t need to think about all these aspects if you don’t think they’re relevant to your story! Pick and choose as you like - it’s meant to be fun!
If you want a more step-by-step approach to building your own fantasy worlds, check out the Fantasy Worldbuilding Workbook that's helped hundreds of writers to build their own detailed worlds from scratch. With reference tables and fillable worksheets, you'll be able to keep track of all your fantasy kingdoms to avoid plot holes as you write.
"This has been SO helpful for my preptober shenanigans! This workbook includes so many details I hadn't even considered for my fantasy world and I'm so glad I can have all of my information in one place for Nano. Definitely a must have for epic/high fantasy writers!"
– Alex, Fantasy Writer in a review of the Fantasy Worldbuilding Workbook
History & Culture
- Origin myths and legends: Folklore, myths and legends
- Major historical events: Wars, revolutions, and other turning points.
- Different cultures and civilisations: Their languages, customs, beliefs, and technologies. How do they coexist?
- Political systems: Monarchies, republics, theocracies, or something else?
- Social structures: Classes, hierarchies, and the distribution of power.
Gods & Religion
- Pantheon: Who are the gods and what do they represent? How do they intersect?
- Worship practices: How are the gods worshipped and what are the consequences of not doing so? Where do people worship? Does the church impact the law?
- Demons, spirits, and other supernatural beings: Their nature, motivations, and interactions with mortals.
Geography
- Continents and islands: Their size, shape, and distribution.
- Mountain ranges and valleys: Their impact on climate, trade routes, defence, & cultural isolation.
- Rivers, lakes, and oceans: Their role in transportation, trade, and culture.
- Weather patterns & climate: Seasonal changes, extreme weather events, and their influence on society.
Magic
- Origin of magic: Is it a natural force, a gift from the gods, a learned skill, etc.?
- Who can use magic?: Naturally, ability-wise, and legally
- Magical items: Artefacts, potions, and enchanted objects.
- Level of technology: Is it medieval, industrial, or something else? How does magic impact that?
- Limitations: What limitations does magic have? (e.g. you need a wand to cast spells / it weakens you)
