Essential Worldbuilding Questions: Where to Start & Why Here?

Part 2 of 4 - Worldbuilding for Every Story

This is the second post in my series on worldbuilding across genres. In the previous post, I introduced the concept of worldbuilding and why it matters for all fiction writers, not just those creating fantasy worlds. Today, we'll explore the first two essential worldbuilding questions that will help you create a rich, immersive world for your story.

Question #1: Where Do We Start?

My answer is: the beginning. After all, I have it on good authority that it’s a very good place to start.

But what does "the beginning" actually mean when it comes to worldbuilding? It depends largely on your genre and time period, but essentially, it means that you should figure out what is unique about this place and time that readers need to understand for your story to make sense.

Let's explore what this means for different types of fiction:

For Historical Fiction

If you're writing a story that takes place in the past—whether it's romance, mystery, fantasy, or any other genre—you need to establish the rules, laws, and customs of the time period. Take Jane Austen's work as an example. For her stories to make sense to modern readers, we need to understand that women in her era:

• Couldn't own property

• Had limited career options

• Faced social ruin if found alone with a man

• Were economically dependent on marriage or family

Without establishing these realities, modern readers might wonder why Elizabeth Bennet doesn't just get a job instead of worrying about marriage prospects. The social stakes that drive the entire plot would be lost.

For Contemporary Fiction

Even in modern-day settings, culture, geography, and local norms create unique contexts that shape your story. A novel set in rural Montana will have different concerns, values, and constraints than one set in Paris or Sydney.

Consider how local politics, economic conditions, community attitudes, and even weather patterns might influence your characters and the challenges they face. What makes this specific place—your version of it—the only setting where your particular story could unfold?

For Speculative Fiction

For those writing fantasy, science fiction, or horror, you might start with:

• Geography: How does the physical landscape shape societies and conflicts?

• Climate and weather: What natural challenges exist in this world?

• Natural resources: How are resources distributed, and what conflicts arise from this?

• Origins of magic or technology: What are the rules and limitations? Where did these powers come from?

• Species and races: How did different beings evolve or come to exist?

In my own epic fantasy series, "Earthsinger Chronicles," the centuries-old conflict between two nations stemmed directly from geography: one country was resource-rich with lush farmland, while the other was a desert nation whose people were desperate for water and food. This fundamental geographical reality drove the entire plot and character dynamics.

Penelope’s First Amendment

Fantasy author and epic worldbuilder Brandon Sanderson, like so many SFF authors before him, has crafted “laws” related to his fiction. Sanderson’s First Law is "an author's ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic."

I'd like to propose my own amendment: Your ability to solve conflict in your story is directly proportional to how well the reader understands the solution, whether it's magical or not.

This applies across all genres. If your character's third act victory comes from knowledge of local politics in 1920s Chicago, or from understanding deep sea diving techniques, or from manipulating social media algorithms—the reader needs to understand these elements before the resolution.

Without this foundation, solutions feel like deus ex machina—the god in the machine descending to magically solve all problems. This kills tension and leaves readers unsatisfied.

Question #2: Why Is This the Only Place Where the Story Can Take Place?

It's common writing wisdom to set your story in the only place where it could possibly occur. If your settings are interchangeable—if your romance could happen just as easily in Boston as Barcelona—you're missing an opportunity to deepen your narrative and make your story unique.

Ask yourself:

• How can your world be a force of antagonism?

• How does the world nurture or strengthen your antagonist?

• Can the protagonist bend the world to their will?

Let's look at some examples across genres:

In Fantasy and Science Fiction

N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season features a world plagued by catastrophic seasonal changes that cause massive tectonic shifts. The magic system is based in geology, and characters can manipulate the earth. The climate and geology aren't just backdrop—they're intrinsic to the plot and character development.

In Naomi Novik's Uprooted, a malevolent forest requires magical intervention and a human sacrifice every ten years. Without this specific setting element, the entire premise would collapse.

In my own "Earthsinger Chronicles" series, which starts with Song of Blood & Stone, a mountain range separates two warring nations, making invasion difficult except through a single valley where all battles have historically taken place. The geography doesn't just influence the story—it makes the specific conflicts possible.

In Historical Fiction

Consider Netflix's Bridgerton series (and the books by Julia Quinn). The story absolutely requires a world where:

• Social acceptance is life or death

• Unmarried women and men being alone together causes scandal

• Women can't vote or own property

• Marriage is the primary path to security for women

These social conditions create the high stakes that drive the entire narrative. Set in modern day, the core conflicts would evaporate.

In Contemporary Fiction

Sally Thorne's workplace romance The Hating Game creates a world as small as a single company. The premise revolves around two publishing companies with different corporate cultures merging, creating tension between employees. The protagonists come from opposite sides of this merger and compete for the same promotion.

This microcosm—this specific workplace with its unique history and politics—is essential to the story. The romance couldn't unfold the same way in any other office.

Making Your Setting Irreplaceable

When worldbuilding is done well, your setting becomes as irreplaceable as your main character. Try this thought experiment: Could your story happen anywhere else? If the answer is yes, you may need to deepen your worldbuilding.

Consider how you might:

1. Create unique physical challenges that only exist in your setting

2. Establish social or cultural norms that directly create or complicate your central conflicts

3. Develop environmental factors (weather, geography, architecture) that influence character actions

4. Build institutions or systems (legal, educational, religious) that your characters must navigate

5. Design historical contexts that shape present-day attitudes and relationships

By making your setting irreplaceable, you'll create a story that feels uniquely yours—one that readers will remember long after they turn the final page.

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In the next entry in the series, we'll explore questions three and four of our essential worldbuilding framework: What do people value and cherish? and How do characters come into conflict? We'll examine how understanding cultural values creates opportunities for meaningful character development and organic conflict.

Want to get ahead on your worldbuilding journey? Download my free worldbuilding checklist from the subscriber library which includes access to my complete creative toolkit with story development workbooks, character templates, and more.

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