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Reposted (with alterations) from June 9, 2008.

I have tried several times to build worlds and, while I can successfully complete (to the extent that worldbuilding is ever complete) that stage, I am never able to transition into the next stage: actually writing within the world that I’ve created. What inevitably happens is that I end up with such a complex world that I don’t feel there’s room for any story-telling left. All the benefits of fantasy, of being able to shape the entire world to suit the needs of the story, are gone because the world is established. This essentially stifles my writing – the exact opposite of what worldbuilding is meant to do!

This is something I am experiencing now with my latest world. This time, I tried to make it as realistic as possible. There are gods and magic and mythical beasts, but everything works. The world is also very close to the real world in the sense that all my cultures are heavily based on various real world cultures (with a few variations caused by different histories). My intention in doing this was to create something that was complex enough, but also flexible enough, that I would have room to write.

Well, I’ve now reached the point where I can write a story I’ve been kicking around in my head for eons. Unfortunately, I am finding myself having to tweak the story to fit the world. I created the entire world so that I would have a framework in which to tell this story and am now finding myself needing to abandon central portions of the story to fit the world. This is just all wrong!

I’ve learned that there are two-types of worldbuilding:

1. Worldbuilding to provide scaffolding for a story.
2. Worldbuilding because it’s fun and is a fantastic way to learn about the real world.
3. Worldbuilding to role-play. (I don’t count this because I have no experience here. I really cannot comment.)

I have come to believe that it’s incredibly important to decide your purpose before starting any worldbuilding project because it will save you a lot of time and tears later on. The methodology you might use will be quite different, for example:

1. When worldbuilding for a story, plan the story out first. Your first step will be to find the most appropriate tone for your story and to plan our your world accordingly. For example, an adventure story will need lots of monsters (whether they be human or otherwise) for your heroes to fight. A gothic horror may require some elements of the supernatural, scary landscapes, and oodles of dark castles hidden away in woods prowled by wolves and haunted by the ghosts of unrequited lovers. You will also need to figure out what details will be necessary in your world to match the story. For example, a story about racism will need two visibly different races. If you want your character to escape a certain predicament due to a legal loophole, you will need a legal system that allows that loophole to be present – not to mention a society that upholds the letter of the law even if the judge/jury’s personal bias would prefer a conviction. After that, it’s all about mutual evolution – allowing the world to inform the smaller details of the story and visa versa.
2. If you are worldbuilding for fun, you don’t need to worry so much about what would work in a story. Rather, you have more freedom to let loose and create something with a more stand-alone beauty. You will also have more time to spend on the smaller details of your world. For example, I once chronicled the names and brief biographies of every ruler for one of my countries going back two thousand years!

Obviously, your intentions can change as you go along. A world you created just for fun may inspire you and a great story may come from it. Similarly, a world you created for a particular story may take on a life of its own even after you’ve finished or abandoned the original story. But my point is more about immediate goals – determining your needs when embarking on a new project and focus more on catering those particular needs.

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