S25E3 - A Guide to Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding is one of those things that we at Writing Roots (especially Leigh) can talk about for a very, very long time. There is so much that goes into the process of creating the world of a book, even if that book is based in modern Earth. You need to consider things like the history of the place and culture, the languages, and the geography. If you create a magic system or have advanced technology, that only adds to what you have to track. It can be difficult to keep all of those straight, or even to remember to consider all of them, as you set about writing.

That's why we've created the guide to worldbuilding. Leigh and Ley explain as many of the elements involved in the worldbuilding process as they could fit within a 10-minute(ish) episode. This episode will be a companion to the workbook we will be releasing soon. We divided the book into sections, such as the natural world, government, religion, and magic. Each of those sections includes prompts for what to consider along with plenty of space to add and develop your own ideas.

This workbook will be just one in a series we’ll release through the month. Each book is designed to help you plot, build, and write. If you’re a plotter, you’ll probably find the books more helpful before you write. Pantsers can use them to chart and track as they work on their stories. This series, though, is built in a way to help you even if you don’t get the book. You’ll get all the information you need in each episode to help you build your own version, whether it’s about worldbuilding, branding, or creating your own writing prompts.

First aired October 11, 2021.

For additional information about worldbuilding, check out these episodes:
- S1E6 - Worldbuilding: The World Around You
- S1E7 - Worldbuilding: Fantasy and Magic
- S3 - Writing What You Don't Know
- S15 - Monster Mash
- S18BE - Pearls from the Masters: Brandon Sanderson
- S24E1 - Storytelling in Prehistoric Times
- S24E2 - Stories of Gods and Fate
- S24E9 - Futuristic and Dystopian Stories

Our first workbooks are now available! Check them out here.