Writing Fantasy

Middle Earth

Hello again!

https://www.novel-software.com/theultimateworldbuildingquestionnaire

*AMAZING video by Jenna Moreci above*

Worldbuilding is by far my favorite part of the fantasy writing process. Just the idea of making an entirely new world from scratch where you literally control every little detail is incredible.

Anytime I make a new world, I LOVE to use Novel Factory's Ultimate World Building Questionnaire to get me started.

Below I have the entire questionnaire and have bolded questions I think are crucial for the basis of world-building. You can write them down in a journal or document and fill out as much as you deem necessary. You can also go into as little or as much detail as you wish.

*also you can fill every single question if you want, I just bolded ones that personally are important to me*

Physics/Nature

Are the laws of nature/physics different from earth? Elaborate.
Are there multiple suns/moons?
Describe the sky during the day.
Describe the night sky.
What is the climate like? <— only fill this out for the places your characters are going to visit. And when writing, don't just say what the climate is, describe it 😉
What is the weather like?
What are the seasons like? How many / how long?
What are the birds like?
What are the small animals like?
What are the large animals like?

Geography and Natural Resources

How are the continents laid out?
How are the countries laid out?
How much land is temperate, equatorial, or polar?
Are there forests?
Are there tropical areas? Are there grasslands/plains?
What natural resources are available in different regions?
Which natural resources are scarce? <— this is very important if in your story your characters have to trade.

Magic and Religion

Does magic exist?
What constrains it?
What can magic not do?
Do people believe in one God, many or none?
Is there more than one religion?
Do people make sacrifices to the gods?
Do an elite control religion/magic or is it accessible to all?
Are there any magical creatures? Describe them.
To what extent is magic a learned skill or an innate talent?
Is magic a specialist, elite skill or is it used easily by commoners?
What is the price/cost of using magic?
Do magicians need to meet any specific criteria? Be celibate? Go through a ritual?
Does magic require tools and props? (Wands, staffs, etc. or can people just use their hands)
How is one magician stronger than another?
Can magic be combined to increase its strength?
What defeats magic?
Is magic admired/respected/feared/something else?
Is any magic illegal?
What is magic generally used for?
What are temples like? <— if your story revolves around gods

Population

Are there non-human sentient species? Describe them.
Did the people evolve on this planet or come from elsewhere?
What is the relationship between the different species?
Where and when did civilization begin? (Only answer this if it is integral to the story and your characters need to travel to this place where civilization began)
What is the total population (of the planet / the country / the city, etc.)
What is the level of technology (stone age, hi tech)?

Language and Gestures
(Use this section to play around with different languages to create something new! My favorites to combine are Latin, Gaelic, Irish, and Galician)