Worrying about Worldbuilding: Learning to Love the Lore
- Natasha Langridge-Thorpe
- Jul 24
- 13 min read
Worldbuilding is essential for understanding the rules of your story, the history, and how characters interact within their environment. Whether you're creating a fantasy realm, a dystopian city, or a small town, the world of your story shapes everything that happens within it. A well-crafted world not only supports your narrative; it deepens it by influencing your characters' choices. It also invites the audience to fully immerse themselves in the narrative. The more tangible the world feels, the more invested they become.
Successfully crafting your world involves developing an environment that doesn't just serve as a backdrop, but as an integral, dynamic component of the narrative.
But... I used to have a very complicated relationship with worldbuilding.
The Struggle to Shape a Universe
I didn't exactly hate worldbuilding, but I certainly found it challenging. The process seemed overwhelming and confusing. I often worried about whether I was doing it "right." My eagerness to delve into the characters and plot made me see worldbuilding as a hurdle that could slow me down or hinder the actual storytelling. After all, creating worlds involved managing countless rules and details. I was concerned about making mistakes or contradictions in my scripts that might disrupt the reader's immersion.
I also found it difficult to determine where to start. Which part of the world do I build first? Do I focus on its visual appearance, or do I prioritise the political aspects? I felt lost, and worldbuilding began to seem like dull research rather than an exciting creative process.
When Characters Aren't Enough
I came up with an idea for a murder mystery set in hell, called Better the Devil You Know (2025). Since I always start writing by developing characters, I was excited to dive into creating their personalities, examining their relationships, and determining the killer’s motive. With these elements established, I felt prepared to begin writing the script.
But as I began, something felt off. I wasn’t thrilled with how the story was coming together. I kept revising scenes. At first, it was just normal tweaks, but soon it became too frequent. The writing process slowed down completely.
Eventually, I realised what was missing: the world itself. I'd decided that the story would be set in hell, but beyond that, I hadn’t defined what “hell” actually meant in this context. The concept of hell can vary wildly, and I hadn't built a clear vision of what kind of hell my characters were inhabiting. Without that foundation, the story lacked cohesion. I needed to figure out what this version of hell looked like, how it worked, and what it meant for the story I was trying to tell.
Visual Appearance
I've always been a visual learner, and I tend to remember things best by linking them to images I create in my mind. Back in school and even during my driving theory test, I would draw simple pictures to represent key concepts I needed to remember. This technique didn’t just help with memorisation; it gave me a deeper understanding of the material by placing it in a visual context. With that in mind, I realised the best way to begin my story was by visualising and describing the main exterior setting. In this case, hell, known in my story as 'The Second Realm'.
Colour Palettes
Gold or silver? Orange or blue? Ashen skies or white, fluffy clouds?
Initially, these choices might appear to be solely aesthetic, but they hold significance in worldbuilding.
Colour palettes establish tone, reinforce themes, and guide the audience's emotional response to a setting. In developing 'The Second Realm', I realised that colour wasn't just a stylistic choice; it was a storytelling tool. I chose warm tones like reds, oranges, and golds to evoke the intensity and heat traditionally associated with hell. However, I also wanted to add depth and contrast with deep blacks. These dark elements, like black demon horns and the shadowy appearance of my fictional 'hell beasts', created a more layered and menacing atmosphere. Initially, I imagined a stereotypical red sky, but since red was the dominant colour of the murderer's outfit, I switched to an ashen grey. This not only enhanced the eerie, foreboding tone of the world, but it also made the killer stand out visually.
As I moved on to interior spaces, I carried the same level of intentionality into the design. The Demon Palace, for example, is a crimson-red structure guarded by a gold iron gate, reinforcing the power and regality of this realm. Inside, I envisioned vaulted ceilings that fade into darkness, golden chandeliers, and stone pillars etched with glowing vines to blend grandeur with a sense of the supernatural. The golden, spike-crowned throne at the top of a grand staircase serves as a focal point, anchoring the scene with symbolism and visual drama. In short, colour isn't just decoration; it's a vital part of building a world that feels authentic and narratively purposeful.
Maps & Floorplans
Establishing a physical layout is important for making the world feel real and lived-in. It provides you and the audience with a mental map to navigate the story. For example, knowing how different physical spaces are connected and how characters navigate through them adds depth and cohesion to the narrative.
For instance, in Better the Devil you Know, the murder mystery is primarily set within the walls of the Demon Palace. I knew I needed to establish a general layout of the space. For instance, what the palace would look like, how it was structured, and what kinds of rooms it would contain.
Having a clear sense of the architecture was essential for tracking the physical movements of the characters, including the murderer. By mapping out the interior, I could better understand where everyone was at any given moment, how they might cross paths (or avoid each other), and how the setting itself could influence the unfolding mystery.
I didn’t feel confident enough in my drawing skills to create a full, hand-drawn floor plan, so I looked for alternative options. One tool I found especially helpful was a website called Floor Plan Creator, which allowed me to design a floor plan for each level of the palace. I wasn’t focused on getting every measurement exactly right. Instead, my goal was to build a general sense of the layout. Keeping the process more flexible took any pressure off to get the palace to look perfect and helped me focus more on the story flow and spatial logic.
I also created basic descriptions for each room on each floor:
Main Hall: Where parties/events are mainly hosted and includes a small set of stairs leading to King Kalmeroth's throne. This is also the place where a royal demon is murdered for the first time.
Fourth Floor Corridor: Unlike the first and second floor corridors, this corridor is narrower. This floor is also used for guests that stay at the palace, who are deemed "less important" than the demon royal family members. The narrow hallway limits movement and access, which reinforces their "lower-class" position. In terms of being chased by the killer, this corridor is the worst one to get stuck in due to how claustrophobic it feels. I chose to design this floor this way to reflect both the tension of the murder plot (especially since my protagonist's bedroom is on this floor) and the underlying class divisions within The Second Realm.
Creating a floor plan is beneficial when your story includes several scenes set in the same location. It helps maintain logical continuity, avoiding errors like swapping the kitchen with the bathroom or forgetting the location of a hidden room.
By designing a floor plan, you establish control over the physical logic of your setting, enhancing the consistency and appeal of your writing.
Physical Traits
The first thing that people notice about someone is their appearance. Unfortunately, this can lead to harsh judgments and assumptions about others based on what they look like. However, when it comes to writing characters, describing physical traits gives the audience a clear picture of what the character looks like and make them easier to remember.
If your story features a large group of characters, giving each one unique physical characteristics can aid your audience in distinguishing between them. Think about times when you've watched a TV show and can envision a character but can't recall their name. You might describe the character's physical traits to someone else, who immediately knows which character you're talking about based on your description.
A character's appearance can often reflect the world they come from. For instance, some characters could have weathered skin from sun exposure or a muscular build from climbing cliffs every day. These details link the character to their environment, boosting the believability of the world and its characters. For example, my story is mainly set in hell. Therefore, the majority of characters have black horns and black wings as a physical demon trait.
In certain situations, physical characteristics can affect social dynamics, similar to real life. A character's gender, skin colour, disability, or distinctive features may lead to discrimination or misunderstanding. This can introduce conflict and realism to interactions. In this sense, a character's appearance can shape their identity and highlight themes like prejudice versus privilege. For instance, my story uses eye color to differentiate between various types of demons:
Green = Earth-born
Red = Hell-born
Gold = Royal-born
My protagonist, Alandra, has striking green eyes. This is an unusual trait that sets her apart from the other characters she interacts with. In her world, this feature marks her as an 'earth-born' demon, a status viewed as lower-class by society. Her physical characteristics aren't just for decoration: they influence how others treat her.
Skills & Power Dynamics
Understanding the skills and power dynamics in your world can help you define how your world functions. This understanding can also help you identify who holds influence and what your characters can realistically do within that system. Power dynamics illustrate who's in control and how that control is maintained, whereas skills demonstrate how individuals survive, succeed, or rebel within that structure.
Power can refer to having magical abilities in a literal sense, or it can describe power imbalances present in your world. Consider which characters have power and which characters don't. Why do they or don't they have power?
Think about whether this power is inherited, earned, bought, or stolen. Does this character learn skills through tradition, forbidden books, or do they have a natural talent?
For instance, in Better the Devil you Know...
Who Has Power:
Royal Demons: Born with powers. They are trained from childhood, gaining prestige and control over lesser demons.
Common Demons: Rarely born with powers, but skilled in alchemy, weapon enchantment, potion-making, and binding spells.
Cloaked Figure/Unknown Killer's Powers & Skills
Summoning The Wraithbane: This weapon hums when demons are nearby and emits red smoke that physically weakens its victims. It is the only weapon capable of killing demons, including demon royalty.
However, the Wraithbane has a dark side: it can manipulate its wielder, intensifying their emotions and forging a binding connection. If the blade is ever destroyed, the user’s soul may be harmed as a consequence.
It's crucial to recognise that a character's skills and status affect what they can do, what they want to do, and the obstacles that they'll face. For instance, a character might be a talented sword fighter, but they don't have the royal status to actively change the power imbalances within their environment:
Alandra's Skills
Extremely skilled at sword fighting (even more skilled than King Kalmeroth and Prince Asmodei).
Very charismatic, which allows her to easily build relationships with others despite being earth-born.
Incredibly street-smart and sneaky in comparison to other characters who might be more academically intelligent.
Identifying the skills and power dynamics within your narrative will help you create a coherent world with grounded characters and meaningful conflict. Then you can create a believable system where character choices are impactful because the audience understands what's at stake, who's in charge, and what it costs to make changes.
Items & Technology
Regardless of the genre you're writing for, items and technology play a crucial role in worldbuilding because they influence how your characters live, interact, fight, travel, and think.
Even the most imaginative settings, like a fantastical land, need internal logic. Understanding what items or technology exist in your world can help you answer questions like:
How do people cook, communicate, or get around?
What weapons do they fight with?
What materials are common or rare?
How advanced is medicine, agriculture, or transportation?
The presence or absence of certain technologies, like electricity or plumbing, tells the audience a lot about the societal development of your world. Maybe your world has teleportation but doesn't have phones to help people easily communicate with each other. Ask yourself how these decisions affect your characters. For instance, one character could be in a difficult situation and need assistance from another but is unable to directly reach them due to the lack of phones. This could add tension to your story, and these details can help your world feel internally consistent.
In my story, I decided that no modern technology would exist. Instead, it's replaced with magical equivalents. This decision creates a unique setting that encourages fresh storytelling opportunities. Without familiar technology, the world feels more mysterious and unpredictable, inviting both characters and the audience to discover how magic shapes everyday life. For instance, instead of relying on cars or buses to travel from one realm to another, I created an ancient magical barrier dividing the First and Second Realm.
🩸 The Celestial Veil
An ancient magical barrier that divides the First and Second Realms. It appears as a shimmering curtain of light or swirling mist high in the sky. Those who try to pass through it without a magical blessing are burned.
To pass through the Celestial Veil, one must form a blood pact between realms. An angel and a demon must meet at the veil and combine their blood on the barrier itself.
This creates a magical and permanent bond between the angel and demon involved.
By substituting technology with magic, I can explore how the limits of magic affect the characters’ goals and conflicts. For example, in episode one of Better the Devil You Know, Seraph and Willow mention that they had to cross The Celestial Veil to get from The First Realm to The Second Realm. Once the audience discovers the rules about the veil, they could start to wonder who these two angels have a blood pact with. These rules also affect how Alandra, my protagonist, originally struggles to travel to The First Realm.
Access to certain items or technologies can also reflect power dynamics. Consider if you want to restrict specific technologies to the elite in your story. Think about what would happen if someone outside of the system gained access. Understanding how these items or technologies can be accessed in your story can help you build realistic worlds of privilege, rebellion, innovation, or oppression.
In my story, I use scrying mirrors for real-time communication or surveillance. However, they are expensive and limited to nobility or spies. Eventually, my protagonist gains access to one of these scrying mirrors after stealing one from the palace. This mirror helps Alandra uncover clues to help her find the identity of the murderer.
Choosing the items and technology that exist in your world adds depth, coherence, and internal logic to your story’s setting. These elements shape how people live, what they value, and how they interact with their environment and each other. Without a clear understanding of the tools and technologies at play, your world can feel superficial or inconsistent. However, when you define these aspects thoughtfully, your story becomes richer and far more immersive for your audience.
The Political Structure
Developing the political structure of your world is important because it defines how power is organised, challenged, and experienced by individuals and societies. Politics shape the world your characters live in and can deeply influence the plot, setting, and character motivations.
Consider who rules and obeys in your world. How are leaders chosen? Are they chosen by bloodline, strength, religion, wealth, or votes?
For instance, in my story, the royal hierarchy is as follows:
Current Ruler of The Second Realm: King Kalmeroth
Queen Consort: Dagaraz
Successor: Prince Asmodei
Current Ruler of the First Realm: Queen Cassiel
Successor: Prince Seraph
The successor to the throne in my story is usually chosen by bloodline. However, I created an exception in which the successor doesn't necessarily have to be born into the royal family:
Crownbind Oath
"A royal may pass the throne not by lineage, but by bond to the one whose blood has been mingled in a Crownbind Oath ."
If a royal forms a sacred blood pact with a non-royal and formally names them heir in a public rite, the pact magically transfers a portion of royal power and legitimacy.
The crownbind oath in my story introduces a loophole in the rigid tradition of bloodline succession. While the hierarchy remains deeply rooted in noble heritage, this magical rite allows for the transfer of royal power to a chosen heir regardless of their birth. This exception creates political instability and tension, as it challenges the legitimacy of traditional heirs and opens the throne to manipulation, rebellion, or unexpected alliances. By embedding this rule into the political structure, it not only adds complexity to the world but also sets the stage for conflict, power struggles, and shifting loyalties within the royal courts.
Think about what keeps this political structure running. Maybe it's fear, tradition, law, or loyalty. Answering these questions can help you ground your world in logic. It can also help your audience understand how things work and why they might break. After all, political systems affect nearly every part of life, such as class systems and laws, to how people perceive their identity.
Even if politics isn’t the main focus, a well-thought-out political system makes your world feel real. It gives your factions, nations, and leaders clear identities. A well-thought-out political structure can also explain alliances and tensions. For instance, in Better the Devil You Know, earth-born demons are seen as less valuable compared to hell-born demons. Therefore, they aren't treated as equals within The Second Realm.
Consider if your protagonist is trying to rise in a corrupt system or tear it down. Are they loyal to the crown, or hunted by it? Do they benefit from the status quo or suffer from it?
By answering these questions, you can make your political stakes clearer and the characters' choices feel more meaningful.
Developing your world’s political structure gives it coherence, conflict, and depth. It shapes everything from individual character arcs to epic-scale wars. Whether it’s a feudal empire or a magic-wielding theocracy, politics shows readers who has power, why it matters, and what’s at stake when that power is challenged.
Discovering the Power of Worldbuilding
Building my own world for my stories used to overwhelm me, and I saw it as a chore. It felt like a complicated layer that got in the way of the actual storytelling. However over time, I’ve come to see worldbuilding as much more than just creating the setting. It's the foundation that influences your story's rules, history, and character interactions. When done successfully, it transforms the environment into a living part of the narrative, inviting deeper immersion and investment from the audience.
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