So I figured because I’ve built several worlds from the ground up in my Shattered Soul series, I would provide some tips I’ve learned from Creative Writing classes and from general writing tips I’ve received.

The first thing I’ve been told when building your own world is to not overkill the reader with information about said world. When I first started writing Elements of Lightning, I opened the book explaining everything about how the world worked and how the Elements work. That was bad. You need to pace out the world building.

Next thing that really helped me was to outline your world. There are thousands of writing outline templates you can use. My first creative writing class had one that had different boxes for setting, notable places, weather, cities, and of course the name. The teacher in that class stressed the importance of naming characters and places. The name can give life to the world.

Another thing I wish I knew early on was to draw a map. Doesn’t need to be amazing. Having the visual in front of you can help you build a world. Having the map near you as you write to reference is a great practice. You can even make revisions to it as you continue to build your world.

If you a fan of dialogue, characters are a great way to build a world. I’m a huge fan of dialogue over description. I prefer for my characters to paint the picture, rather than directly telling the reader in description.

Speaking of characters, creating an outline for your characters is another great assist in world building. Your characters have a huge part to play in the world around them.

Lastly, think of what you would do in your world. If you thought about what you would do with your characters and your world, it becomes more real to the reader.

Hope these tips help like they have me! Remember to keep writing!