Let me tell you a story. There once was a princess, known for her beauty. She had eyes like cut onyx, hair glittering with rubies and garnets and the darkest stars from the midnight sky. She desired nothing other than to be left alone. Her father arranged three suitors to vie for her hand: a … Continue reading Folklore

As any fantasy reader knows, the fun thing about magic systems is that they can be almost anything. The terrifying thing about magic systems, as any fantasy writer knows, is that they can be almost anything, and your job is to choose what that anything is. So let’s start with the easy part. What really … Continue reading Magic Systems

There’s a line in Hannah Kent’s 2014 novel Burial Rites that describes the windows of a 19th century farmhouse. Instead of glass in the panes, stretched, veiny sheep bladders protect this Icelandic family from wintry elements. Kent paints a stark picture of rural Iceland circa 1828 using such descriptions—imagine dried seaweed stuffing your pillows!—and it … Continue reading Worlds are Built with Small, Specific, Unexpected Details

Every character has their own unique psychology — that’s why it’s so fun to dive into their heads! But no one’s worldview is created in a vacuum: the world around us directly affects our personalities, traits, and current mental state. So imagine something totally far-fetched: A country teetering on the edge of dictatorship. Small accidents lead … Continue reading Perspective in Worldbuilding

Linguistics IS worldbuilding Yeah, I said it. Linguistics is worldbuilding. In the real world, we understand and create through language. Everything we do is filtered through various forms of communication, so every aspect of our lives is built on how we talk about those things. Likewise, every bit of worldbuilding you do in your fictional world, whether … Continue reading Worldbuilding and Linguistics

Writing science fiction can be intimidating. The technology alone presents such a huge challenge that many of us give up on our early drafts. Even with careful research, we worry our invented tech will fall flat. Here are a few tips for creating a richer fictional world with technology in mind. This list is by … Continue reading Technology in Worldbuilding

Nature is weird. Let’s get that out of the way. The universe we live in is full of odd things growing odder by the day, but these curiosities aren’t confined to the ocean depths or deep space. The human body—and the fantastical history that comes with it—is a weird unto itself that rivals even the … Continue reading Bad Air, Good Writing: An Argument for the Consideration of Medical History when World Building

Hi Rosiee! Thanks for inviting us to the Be Your Own Mentor blog. We’re so excited to delve deeper into the following topic … economic worldbuilding!  Let’s get started! Maybe you’ve heard of the book The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain. A little known book, right? Well, if you do know it, then … Continue reading Economic Worldbuilding: How Class, Economy, and Money Affects Your Characters

Worldbuilding is a complex balancing act. Every piece of your world affects the others in unique ways kind of like an electrical circuit; they all have to be just right in order for the light to turn on. Because of this, it is absolutely key to treat every piece of worldbuilding with precision and purpose. … Continue reading Worldbuilding Ripple Effects: Steering Social Worldbuilding with Purpose

Figuring out the politics of the world you’re creating can be a thorn in your side, but its a hugely useful tool for making your world feel real and lived-in. The best stories don’t feel like they’re happening in a vacuum, they feel like one thread being followed in a tapestry, a handful of people … Continue reading Political Worldbuilding