How to Start Worldbuilding in 3 Clear Steps
You’re trying to understand how to start worldbuilding.
You’ve got a few plot ideas, a heroine with a tragic backstory, maybe even a villain with a killer aesthetic.
But where does it all take place?
Cue the panic. The blank map. The blinking cursor. The urge to scroll Pinterest for medieval outfit inspo instead of doing the actual work (guilty).
Figuring out how to start worldbuilding can feel overwhelming, especially when your imagination won’t shut up about nine kingdoms, a banned magic, and immortal beings.
But here’s the good news: you don’t have to build everything. You just have to build the right things, in the right order.
Let’s break down exactly how to worldbuild for a novel (or a series) without getting stuck in lore purgatory.
Worldbuilder’s paralysis is real, but avoidable
Fantasy writers tend to fall into one of two traps:
Build nothing and wing it.
Build everything and write nothing.
The second one is more dangerous. I call it worldbuilder’s paralysis, aka spending months (or years) creating languages, kingdoms, and animal taxonomies for a story you haven’t started writing.
The truth? You only need enough worldbuilding to support your story.
That’s why this post on how to start worldbuilding is designed to help you build strategically, starting with what your story needs now, and layering depth over time.
Phase 1: Start with your story’s foundation
Before you sketch a single map or build a fantasy economy, anchor yourself with your story’s immediate needs.
Ask these:
Where does your story begin, physically?
Who holds power in that space and why?
What major forces (magic, politics, class, war) shape the protagonist’s life?
What conflicts drive the plot forward?
You don’t need to know how magic works in every country. You need to know how it works where your main character lives and how it affects their goals and obstacles.
This is the foundation phase. Your goal isn’t to define the whole world, it’s to define the specific slice your characters interact with in the first few chapters.
The 80/20 rule of worldbuilding
Here’s something that took me way too long to learn:
80% of your worldbuilding will never appear on the page.
And that’s okay.
Your job isn’t to show everything. It’s to build just enough depth that readers feel like the rest exists off-page—and that’s where the iceberg method comes in.
Your reader sees the tip: what’s described, referenced, or experienced. But you—the author—know the deeper stuff. Even if it never comes up directly, it informs every detail you do include.
The 80/20 rule and the iceberg method go hand-in-hand. One helps you prioritize what to focus on (the 20% that actually impacts your plot). The other helps you decide what to reveal (just the tip of the iceberg).
If you’re still unsure how to start worldbuilding in a way that feels manageable, this method gives you permission to let go of perfection and focus on what supports the story.
Here’s a snippet from Brandon Sanderson, author of the Mistborn series, on the topic:
Phase 2: Connect the dots
Once your foundational elements are in place, move into integration.
Now’s the time to ask:
How does my magic system shape political power?
How do cultural beliefs affect character relationships?
What historical events still influence the present?
This is where your world starts to feel cohesive, instead of like a bunch of disconnected ideas.
Your world’s elements should interact. If magic is outlawed, how is that enforced? If your city sits on a trade route, how does that influence culture or cuisine? This web of cause and effect is what separates decent worldbuilding from great worldbuilding.
The essential pillars
If you’re wondering how to worldbuild for a novel from scratch, start with these five categories. You don’t need to go deep in all of them, but you should understand how each one affects your story.
Geography – What’s the terrain like? How do cities form around it? How does climate shape culture?
Politics – Who rules, who resents it, and how is power maintained?
Magic (or tech) – What exists, who controls it, and what are the consequences?
Culture – How do people live, dress, speak, marry, die? What do they value? Fear?
History – What past events still echo? What scars remain?
Even if you're unsure exactly how to start worldbuilding, this checklist will keep you focused on what actually matters.
Worldbuilding bibles (aka how to keep your world from falling apart)
There comes a point where you’ll contradict yourself. Trust me.
You’ll forget whether House Virell hates or allies with the priesthood. You’ll change the rules of teleportation without meaning to.
The fix: Create a worldbuilding bible.
It doesn’t need to be pretty. It just needs to track:
Your magic system (rules, costs, limits)
Political systems + power structures
Cultural norms, taboos, and class dynamics
Key locations, events, and figures
Trade, religion, and technology (if relevant)
Whether you use Google Docs, Scrivener, a spreadsheet, or my own Notion Worldbuilding & Story Planner Template, doesn’t matter.
What matters is having a single source of truth.
Subgenres matter: Not all fantasy needs the same depth
Worldbuilding isn't one-size-fits-all. Depending on what you write, your priorities shift.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
Epic fantasy
You need broad scope and deep politics. Geography, magic systems, and factions should be robust. Think Mistborn, Throne of Glass, The Poppy War.
Urban fantasy
Focus on how magic hides (or doesn’t) in the modern world. Worldbuilding hinges on secrecy, tension, and magical undercurrents. See this post on How to Write Urban Fantasy for more details.
Historical fantasy
Blend research with magic. You’re not just making things up, you’re inserting fantasy elements into real-world contexts.
The subgenre you’re writing in will affect how you start worldbuilding, so tailor your depth accordingly. Don’t overbuild where you don’t need to.
Common traps (that still get experienced writers)
“Everything must be original”
Not true. You don’t need to invent everything from scratch. Combine familiar elements in fresh ways. Tropes exist for a reason—they’re tools, not crutches.
“Throw in everything I love”
This is kitchen sink syndrome. Vampires, elves, time travel, dragon mechs. If they’re not tied to your story’s theme or conflict, cut them.
“Explain it all in chapter one”
Infodumps kill momentum. Let the world unfold through the characters’ eyes, action, dialogue, and consequences. Readers are smart, they’ll catch on.
Advanced layering
Once your basics are solid, go deeper by adding meaning:
Theme – If your story explores control vs. freedom, let that reflect in your magic system, political setup, and cultural values.
Memorable details – Readers remember the smell of a blood-soaked arena more than your seven-paragraph history of it.
Trope subversion – Subvert with purpose. Don’t make dragons pacifists just to be quirky. Do it because it says something about your world’s values or history.
This is how you create worlds readers feel, not just understand. And it’s a big part of mastering how to start worldbuilding that doesn’t feel generic or overdone.
Phase 3: Expand as you write
The best worldbuilding often happens mid-draft.
Your character walks into a temple? Now you design a religious hierarchy.
They need a bribe? Suddenly, you know what currency looks like.
That’s the expansion phase. Build as needed, but stay consistent.
Keep your worldbuilding bible updated. Don’t add new rules unless they follow existing logic.
And when in doubt, go back to your story’s theme and tone. That’s your north star.
TL;DR
- Foundation (Week 1–2): Build what your opening chapters need. No more.
- Integration (Week 3–4): Connect systems—make the world feel alive and cohesive.
- Expansion (Ongoing): Build in context, while writing. Update your bible as you go.
And if you want a system that helps you do all of this without drowning in tabs, check out my Notion Worldbuilding & Story Planning Template. I built it specifically to help fantasy writers like you stay organized, consistent, and inspired.
Frequently asked questions about how to start worldbuilding
How do I name places in my fantasy world without sounding cheesy?
Start with function and feel. Ask yourself: what kind of culture lives there? What language roots would they use? “Stormreach” might work for a coastal fortress, but not a peaceful farming village. Pull from real-world languages for inspiration—just mix and adapt so it feels original.
Do I need a map before I start writing my story?
Nope. A rough sketch is fine if it helps you visualize travel or conflict. But you don’t need a full Tolkien-style map at chapter one. Some writers build maps after the first draft, once they actually know where everything happens. Do what keeps you moving, not what slows you down.
What’s the difference between worldbuilding and setting?
Setting is the backdrop for a scene. Worldbuilding is everything that makes that setting make sense—its politics, history, religion, magic, etc. Think of setting as the stage, and worldbuilding as the entire backstage crew that makes it all work.
How do I keep my worldbuilding consistent across multiple books?
Use a worldbuilding bible from day one. Track the rules of your world like you’re preparing for continuity edits—because that’s exactly what you’ll need later. Before starting book two (or three or five), review what you’ve already established. Don’t trust memory. Memory lies.
Is there a way to test if my worldbuilding makes sense to readers?
Yes—drop hints early and see how beta readers react. If they’re confused, bored, or asking the wrong questions, that’s a sign your world needs clarification or trimming. The goal is curiosity, not confusion. And if you hear “this feels real,” you’ve nailed it.
