Regardless of whether your story uses a world full of fantasy-filled adventures or one as mundane as our own, there’s an art to world-building.

And it’s an art that can be overwhelming for writers who’ve never created a world before, or ones attempting their biggest yet—such as a foray into a book series.

But world-building will benefit any story, no matter the genre, so it’s not something to shy away from. You can make it as big or as small as your creativity allows. Just start with these basics…

World-Building Basics

Real World Vs Made Up

The first rule of world-building is deciding where it’s set.

Are you going to root your book in the real world or make it up? Once you’ve decided, carry it throughout your planning and story.

With real world rules, some of the work is done for you. The reader knows how that world works…