Last month we talked about how to get started writing a new fantasy novel. You now have your list of the storyworld elements you need for your story, but you still might feel overwhelmed. Where do you start when building an entirely new world? I have a couple tips.

1. Who you are, the life you’ve lived, and the things that inspire you matter.

I grew up in Alaska without electricity or running water. I think that’s why I like an older fantasy world more than the worlds in contemporary, urban, or science fantasy stories.

I grew up reading Nancy Drew, and I while I don’t write mysteries, I almost always have a mystery component to my stories. Things are getting discovered and revealed. Plot twists. Things like that.

When I first started writing, I was heavily influenced by Frank Peretti and Francine Rivers. I wanted to incorporate both supernatural and romance elements into my stories.

So, use what inspires you.

2. Find real-life situations and history that fascinates you.

Odds are, other people like it too. And these inspirations don’t have to match up, history-wise. It’s sometimes better if they don’t. This is a form of retelling, and it works very well in fantasy. Study each of these ideas hard, then pull from them. Take what you like. Meld them.

For example, I’ve been telling my readers for a few years now that I’ve been working on a Regency fantasy. But it’s not a historical fantasy that takes place during the Regency era. I’m using Regency elements, society, nobility, expectations, and I’m playing with them.

One of my magic systems is inspired by psychology and parenting and concepts of children growing up in a dysfunctional home. That’s part of my own life story, and I’ve always wanted to find a way to write about it. Doing so in fantasy is something that’s fairly unique. I think that combination is going to—at some point—be really interesting.

I’ve also been inspired by Brandon Sanderson’s magic in The Rithmatist with the idea that someone missed their chance to learn magic that so fascinates them.

I’m again using mystery elements—one of my characters is a soldier conducting an inquiry into attacks on the city. That mystery is the main plot arc of this story.

So, look to your own interests. Grab hold of the things that fascinate you right now. Even the things that upset you right now. Pull those elements and passions into your worldbuilding, and it will bring it to life.

3. Write short stories

One more thing you can do to help you get started if you’re feeling stuck is to write short stories. Don’t understand the magic system you want to create? Write a short story about a kid learning to do it. Or maybe write about an expert teaching a class on that magic. You can write short stories for all the aspects of your worldbuilding. Yes, it’s time consuming, but it will help you develop your world. And you might even come up with some characters or situations that you later incorporate into your story. Also, these short stories will be great extras to give your readers once your book comes out.

4. Build your characters and the storyworld together.

As you work, continually ask yourself, “How are the storyworld elements I chose important to the character arcs and the problems my characters are going to face in the story?” Seek out answers about your characters past and present.

How does your world help form who your characters grew up to be? How does your world affect your character’s lifestyle and personality now? Things like magic, occupations, government, the presence of mythical creatures—all of that will have an impact on your character’s formative years. Figuring out the backstory of your characters can help you flesh out your storyworld.

Are there social classes in your story? If so, where does your character fit? So many stories only write characters in the noble class. Maybe think about doing something different. Start at the bottom of society and work your way up to create characters from every class. If you’ve created new ethnicity. How do their cultural and social norms affect their personality?

Assignment Time!

Going back to tip 2, if you were to pull from three elements that are of great interest to you right now, what would those be? This could be a historical time period, a culture, an animal, a sport, an author whose book floored you—it could be anything. Remember mine were a Regency era-like setting, child psychology, and mystery. Share yours in the comments!