How to Create & Use a Worldbuilding Bible

[@edheldude]

As a novel editor your work must be very _rewording_.

[@ender4344]

Ba dum tss

[@jennybarrier]

Love it! 🤣🤣🤣

[@therealbahamut]

Quite a powerful tool we've been given here. I think I may use a combo tactic here: filling out what I can in the builder bible in advance, then filling in the gaps as I go. I'm in a weird position where I know a lot of key things about my story that are kind of...disjointed; a few key things are stuck in a vacuum and need a world fleshed out around them. This should help inform those decisions. Thank you, Ellen.

[@EllenBrock]

Hey Guys! 1:42 Choosing whether to fill out your worldbuilding bible in advance or as you go. 4:57 Tips for using your worldbuilding bible to avoid plot holes and ease the editing process. FREE WORLDBUILDING TEMPLATE: ellenbrockediting.com/worldbuilding-bible-template/ Worldbuilding was one of my most requested topics for this year's Novel Boot Camp. I wasn't sure what you guys wanted to know so I thought I'd start with the basics (creating a worldbuilding bible) and then move on to some more specific issues later in the week. Thanks so much for watching and sharing! Your support means so much to me!

[@liamflynn1120]

This is actually super useful for DnD campaigns! I'm going to use it for a homebrew I've been working on for some friends! :D

[@georgerobins4110]

Oooo I might do that

[@SebastianSeanCrow]

One thing you said I don't like is to not build up the entirety of the world in detail of the details aren't relevant to the plot. To me, part of creating a believable world is to ground it in little details. By spending hours and hours on the world alone, you create an entire universe that can be believable and that your audience can keep going back to to enjoy. While you don't have to mention everything if you're doing a written novel, thinking about the world your story takes place in can help you apply your characters and story to said world.

[@jchinckley]

The problem here is you end up like me. 40+ years later and not one novel to show for it. What I think she means is this: don't wait until you finish worldbuilding to start working on your novel. Many people write at least their first novel and then go back to fill in the gaps in their worldbuilding only to then return to the novel and revise it. The story can have a huge impact on how your world must work and so very little can be crammed into the novel itself without bogging it down and boring some readers. So, yes, keep working on your worldbuilding, but not to the exclusion of your writing actual stories/novels. Another good way into "good" worldbuilding is character creation. What kind of world/setting/place does this character come from? What would it have to be like in order for this character to be/become the person/thing she/he is? The best story concepts come from combining previous ideas you had. (This is my experience and was also mentioned by Orson Scott Card in his book "How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy," which I recommend). So it can be (not necessarily is...) counterproductive to work only on worldbuilding until you finish "the world." Plus you just won't think of some things until after your protagonist has encountered something he/she wasn't prepared for, done something you weren't prepared for, etc. Then you'll have to go back and fix your "world bible" to ensure whatever it was is either possible or normal for your world.

[@claysk350]

An overbuilt world often leads to a boring story. Characters and their arcs are what matters. The most generic world ever with fun and unique characters will always trump a well built unique world with flat characters. Additionally overbuilding your world can box you in when it comes to telling the story. You may hit a walls where you want to do something with your story but the world will not allow it. By creating too many limits prematurely you may place limits upon yourself creatively. Your world should be in service to the plot, it should not prevent the plot from happening.

[@VABJMJ]

​@@claysk350 I disagree. There are many stories that can be argued to have been "overbuilt" and are masterpiece stories. Also I don't think limitations are a problem for creativity, but the very stuff creativity springs from. A limitless story with no constraints usually lends itself to a very lackluster, confusing and uninteresting story. Painting a portrait is the art of removing light that bounces off of the white canvas, not adding light :P What you remove is as important as what you put into a story.

[@lucyamclarenauthor]

I’ve just discovered your channel and, having recently decided that I’m going to stop procrastinating and finally attempt to write a book, it is just so insightful! Thank you ☺️💜

[@Poisonedblade]

I wrote a fantasy world atlas that ended up being 120 pages, before I started writing.

[@jchinckley]

I've been working on mine (mostly mentally) for 30+ years (40+ in some aspects) and don't think I have 120 pages yet. Though I probably should. My worldbuilding is the basis of at least as many novels as I could ever even conceive in a single lifetime.

[@florbengorben7651]

@@jchinckley oh, yeah! I have a world I've been working on for about 2-3 years, and my favorite thing is thinking about the countless stories to spin about the various aspects and areas of my world. So fun! I hope you write something eventually, if that's what you're going for. I hope to one day release a collection of short stories about little areas of the world.

[@angryretailbanker5103]

Not quite a world bible, but I'm outlining a superhero fantasy series (started in July). I have 124 pages and I'm only maybe a quarter of the way done! To be fair, it's character bios, descriptions of the major factions/organizations, a history of the universe, and detailed episode synopses for each episode (it's gonna be a serial structured in a season/episode format). I have most of my character bios done as well as my history of the universe, but still some major organizations to write about as well as only two of the five (maybe six) seasons completed. What's good though is that my episode details function as sorta/kinda first drafts for pretty much the entire series. When I'm ready to start ACTUALLY writing, I'll be able to hit the ground running as I'll have all the events of each episode (sometimes down to the details of a conversation or fight choreography) ready to go.

[@Poisonedblade]

@@angryretailbanker5103 That's awesome. Frontloading pre-production is a good idea. There's less re-writes of full chapters and if you are working on a series, you don't need as much time between books. (GRRM, Rothfuss) I've also got a 35 page outline and a 30 page character doc. But even with all of this, I realized my characters are still too shallow. I'm working on them this week.

[@muneshyne5757]

I plan to create a world that I can add to endlessly. I'm not an author, DM, or anything like that, I just want to use world building itself as a hobby. Your template is very helpful for me to get started :)

[@xchrishawkx]

I'm finding the world building template useful to review before I start writing a scene. I just look down the list for topics and things that will be present in the scene and mentally get a picture of it all before I start writing. It's helping with immersion I'm finding.

[@TriGoldenProductions]

Oh God, I love you! I just found this channel yesterday (started with a few of your older videos.) and can't get enough of it. Every video that I've watched so far is insightful and full of information.

[@MrFredward24]

ellen thanks so much for posting all these videos. youre honestly one of the best writing advice-givers on youtube and its a damn shame you dont have more subs. very professional and concise stuff, again thanks

[@FelipedeArica]

Ellen you are a blessing, i love your channel and is a huge help for all of us whos dreams want to get on pages. Muchas gracias Ellen, eres lo mejor y tu pasión por lo que haces se transmite.

[@rkbelmont1138]

I have a bible in Google Drive Word docs which I can review on my phone or laptop whenever I need it. I have separate folders for concepts, characters, timeline, geography. I need to setup everything so I avoid any kind of redundancy. At the beginning I just filled the most elemental stuff: the main characters, the geography and political distribution. I write each chapter by hand, my ideas flow better by hand than by computer. When I transcribe from hand to computer, that's where I'm updating the bible.

[@milalalou]

Amazing video, thank you so much! This is very helpful :)

[@ZS-dr7bi]

I have been binge watching all of your videos and it has opened my eyes to the mistakes I have been making as a newbie writer, and to the ways I can fix those mistakes. Thank you so much for these treasure troves!

[@JustXavier]

That Worldbuilding template looks SO GOOD! *THANK YOU.*

[@negyt7665]

Just discovered your channel while bored in a hospital and trying to find some inspiration to Jumpstart my writing again. Love this video and I absolutely love the template! Thank you so much for being so kind.

[@deidrajnay4697]

This was beneficial to consider even though I’m not writing sci-fi/fantasy. Using/drawing maps is also helpful for me to really bring the geographical aspects of my story to life and place myself in the setting. Thanks! This is a wonderful channel. I wish my school day teachers would have been as educational.

[@C4ptainRedbeard]

once again, Thank you SO MUCH for all of this helpful content! I (finally) started putting my story to paper a couple months ago and accidentally created a whole new world ( Cue Aladdin soundtrack); but between your videos and Chris Fox's videos, I've been able to organize my thoughts and information. Thank you Ellen!

[@avisian8063]

Honestly every video on your channel is gold, Ellen. I hope your plans to make more go well. I'm sharing your videos every chance I get

[@EllenBrock]

Wow, thank you!

[@avisian8063]

@@EllenBrock my pleasure

[@Scott_Burton]

I have not submitted my works for publication, I have a tendency to work on a story for a while, then stop, let it percolate in the back of my head for a while, then come back to it. Maintaining a world building bible will likely be helpful to me, as if I'm writing a scene several months later, some of the details may have changed in my mind from what I've written before. I tend to start with an event I want to happen, build forward from it toward the resolution, as well as back build from it to reach that scene. My fleshing out the story over time and weaving it together likely means I really do need to do this, as I can build a more consistent story in the process of weaving these segments into a coherent whole.

[@Maggophonie]

I'm unreasonably happy that you're back making these videos. Don't overextend yourself, though! I, and I guess most others too, would be much happier to see you once or twice a week on the regular, than four videos weekly, which exhaust you after a month or so. Anyway, great to have you back!

[@bro-rm5xo]

Thank you so much! I am currently stuck in this phase and this will certainly help. Keep up the good work!

[@donney3389]

Thank you for the template

[@torva360]

I'm really glad I found this channel. Good, simple, and surprising tips in all the videos I've seen so far. Definitely going to visit the website when I have a novel to edit.

[@delightoftheendless111]

Thanks for the tips and template! I have something more like a Worldbuilding Scratch Paper with notes scribbled at random, so the template is going to be super helpful.

[@TomorrowWeLive]

The problem, as you identified, with this for me is its so easy to get sidetracked with world building, rather than actually writing, and also the backstory starts determining the plot, rather than the other way around.

[@Naamtok]

This is very helpful, and a great way to combine endless on places, history, magic systems etc. Now the historical timeline to go now Thank you.

[@dylanmcconnell409]

Nice to see you making new videos.

[@illumANark]

I'm impressed how many ads I was willing to tolerate to reward this information, thank you.

[@mochaninja]

Great video and super helpful! Glad I watched this and didn't just dive right in to the template. Thanks so much for sharing all this knowledge!

[@DarkAvatar1313]

Thank you, for your video. I am not writing a novel but your advice is useful for a gamemaster of a RPG as well.

[@Kntrytnt]

Honesly I love seeing what people's storyworld bibles look like. You can learn a lot about how someone thinks and writes from their SWB. I highly recommend seeing how other writers organize their information.

[@SpicePrincess1890]

Focusing in on worldbuilding "too much" isn't inherently a bad thing. While it might prove to be a disraction from finishing your actual novel, all that work isn't for nothing. You can use it to create new companion stories set in the same world, using other information you developed about the world that might not be featured in the first/original story. Also!! To add on to yout first tip about logic-checking your worldbuilding...there are actually entire facebook groups centered around worldbuilding, full of people who just create worlds for the sake of creating them and many of the people in these groups actually love to talk about the tedious logistics that many writers and artists might find "boring" in the worldbuilding process. So you could join a few of these groups and get feedback from people there as well.

[@TheDing1701]

Very helpful, very well done, very genuine! Thanks 3 years on!

[@CreepyCrow6]

I'm worldbuilding not specially for a story, but for create an alternative world where I can explore all kind of ideas and thoughts and also trying to come up with original stuff (that's reeaaalllyy hard, specially basic stuff like trying to find a believable way of transport avoiding wheels or easy alternatives like levitation magic or that kind of things without create something totally alien to the viewer) and all of that have to make sense for any kind of media, so I have to think on game mechanics for the "magic" and technology. It's hard work and it will take time, but I'm very satisfied with the progress I'm making, and it's giving me a lot of material that helps me to guide a story that I've been stuck with.

[@lambdaweaponscache5394]

I’ve been creating a world for four years now, and i never knew how common of a dilemma it is to become stuck within the creative stage. Thank you for showing me that Im not an odd one out and that everyone finds their own method of world building :D

[@lanatherana157]

Once again, amazing tips and advice!

[@vampbat]

This is the first vid of yours I've seen. I'm so glad I found your channel!!

[@Corlwow]

The template is great, good tool to cover lots of things potentially missed, thanks :).

[@EllenBrock]

I'm glad you like it! I had fun brainstorming all the elements of worldbuilding.

[@NIKONGUY1960]

Working on a Television series. This will come in handy. Thank you.

[@tzisorey]

I have spent, probably, 5 years now working on my world. I justify that because it's not just a single story, but a collection of them, and (soon) an ongoing webcomic.

[@ender4344]

How's it going? :D

[@tzisorey]

@@ender4344 Refining the artwork for a Chapter 0, and scripting for Chapter 1 now - and desperately trying to figure out how to get ComicPress to behave itself before I pull my hair out ;)

[@ender4344]

Tzisorey Tigerwuf sounds like you're doing pretty well! I hope you get that ComicPress working soon haha. Good luck! :D

[@tzisorey]

@@ender4344 Thanks!

[@Vi12three45]

Woah, so more like 8 years now I've come across this comment? Woah! I've been working on my world for over 3 years now and it can be incredibly rewarding to worldbuild for the sake of worldbuilding sometimes; it allows me to put cool ideas into my world and gives me a huge stockpile of ideas for future short stories or plots.

[@guitarovich]

Thank you so much, i love these videos! Great advice!

[@spinafire]

All of my yes! This is exactly what I have been attempting to do.

[@articuno8565]

I've been working on a novel for almost a decade. I have a story/world and could vocally tell it, but putting it down on paper has been very difficult for me. Recently discovered your vids and it's helping me tremendously! Thanks. PS: You have very pretty eyes!

[@eve4832]

Your videos are so helpful and just seem to make my head fill with new ideas, thank you very much for sharing your knowledge :)

[@apriltaylor8923]

Your videos are always so helpful!

[@kashizedan]

I write to build worlds (i.e. testrun them, see how things work, see what makes sense and add more layers to them) to then make more engaging, realistic and believable settings in Roleplaying. With your Template, I have just gained another tool. Currently, I am using a Wiki-system to keep track of one of my projects =)

[@KeyClavis]

I'll agree. World bibles and world building are critical as a first step. I started with a world concept, decided on people and cultures to populate my world, then built a timeline. All the other details get filled in as needed or when I have time. Doing a timeline for the past four thousand years left me with a LOT of story ideas I hadn't expected from the process. It also points out issues with culture that might not be obvious since it's something you have to take into account. Cultural reactions to events can dictate the outcome and further development. BTW - OneNote or Evernote is great for a world bible since you can add pictures, maps, spreadsheets/tables and links to illustrate. It's SO cool when the story just jumps out and mugs you! Just filling out the timeline left me with a dozen stories and more are being added all the time. After all, it's kind of cool when your character says "We don't know for sure how the dragons disappeared because a few hundred years ago, the Mad Kind burned the archives." It gives your story a sense of history, but it also lets you write the story of the Mad King's rise to power, the burning of the archive, and his overthrow by an angry populace. Or vice versa if the Mad King came first. A timeline is one of the best tools I know for comeing up with a story... at least in a fantasy or science-fiction setting. Not so good for a murder mystery unless you're thinking a CSI type timeline. :-)

[@MrParkerman6]

*crucial as a first step. Not critical.

[@anewchapter8142]

Thank you so much for this list!

[@JordanBlythe]

Thank you for your content, it is very helpful and the production quality is high. Easy to watch and easy to listen to while I'm working!

[@jolynnnoire3886]

This is great. I'm writing a Contemporary, so a lot of it doesn't apply, but it's good to have certain things researched for the area and organized correctly :)

[@sam6kamel]

welcome back my friend i really missed your videos :-)

[@stxrlightdrexms]

I think the last two tips at the end of this video were definitely not the tips that we as writers get to hear often from these online resources. No. 1 being finding a critique partner for the worldbuilding process, so they can point out if something is a miss, illogical or irrelevant. This tip was also given by one of my author friends, Victoria Liiv- author of Angels Around Us [women's fiction] & Other World [fantasy fiction], while taking her interview. The second tip is also precious as gold that I've never heard of and it's definitely going to be helpful. ❤

[@taemanai5887]

I know I'm super late to watching this video but this has been a fantastic resource. Thank you so much!

[@LagusLykamo]

Love all your videos, very inspiring advice, thank you for the time you put on sharing your knowledge ❤

[@xandershroom]

The list you made is the perfect thing I need! Though I feel like I might be one of the very few who only worldbuilds for the sake of worldbuilding, no novels, D&D, orrrr anything like that :,)

[@matthewmuir8884]

Great video. Funny enough; I was combining both methods before I even saw this video, largely because of my inexperience at writing and worldbuilding. One way that writing the magic in advance helped me occurred when I planned out a scene where a hero is poisoned using the poison found in a yew tree. I looked online, and found out that the poison in a yew tree is a cytotoxin: it poisons the body by destroying cells. I looked back to see if there was a way the character could survive, and, as it turned out, the healing magic in my book series regenerates cells.

[@filipepassos-coelho6661]

this is so much what I needed ATM! thank you a mil!

[@psych_chick]

Love your videos. So helpful. Thanks!

[@mnola4742]

Great template, thank you!

[@mygeekdom4414]

There is a way I always thought of blending the two ways to use the bible. It basically looks like this: 1. Come up with a basic outline of the story 2. Develop some basic points to enter into the bible. Enter only those items which directly address issues brought up by the outline generated in step 1. 2A Start writing your story. 3. When an issue comes up reference the bible with the assumption that the resolution to the issue is already documented (ie. prewritten bible). If the answer is in your bible, then this process ends. Continue writing. If the answer is not, then go to step 4. 4. If the issue is not resolved in the bible as written, then come up with new entries that resolve that issue. An interesting way to tell if this is done properly is as the story progresses, stopping at step 3 should become more and more comment with less need for step 4.

[@TheTongueTwisler]

I used to be really bad about worldbuilding, whereas I'd spend forever building the world and never writing. But now, I usually don't start worldbuilding until I've got some semblance of a plot and I've started writing. Then, I just keep adding slowly and slowly as I work on the story. It works well for the most part.

[@Grifiki]

"You are 'My World, My Life, My All ."

[@moonblaire88]

I like your long hair! 😍 Thanks to this, I am really having a hard time to build my fantasy world. It's damn hard, but I found myself keep thinking of it. Haha. I think, I really love writing.

[@lizls]

Thank you very much! Your video has helped me a lot! Keep with the good job :D

[@j.devore]

This is so helpful! Thank you so much for the template! I didn't think about any of this beforehand so all of my worldbuilding info is scattered through the episodes (I made an audiodrama). Since I'm going to try and novelize it, now I have to go back and jot everything down so it stays consistent. T_T I was wondering, though, do you have a favorite program to use? Do you use Evernote or Scrivener? Do you print out your stuff and keep it up on a bulletin board or in a binder?

[@princekalender2154]

Loved your video!

[@ampethosguy]

Thank you, I never thought to compile a compendium of world building elements, now question what if I wanted to go into exhaustive detail for the case that I say want to not only write these elements into a story but use them in a D&D session or even use/reuse some elements in later or prequel installments of my story?

[@emiliahyde1297]

I have a massive series of books that I don't plan on publishing until they're all done. And pretty much I wrote the first one, referenced a historical event in universe, then wrote a story set then, and kept repeating, all the time filling out the universe and stuff, worked alright until I lost passion in it after about 10 years.

[@yegr7763]

I think I might include a general overview of major events in mine

[@dtcecilia1762]

Thank you ellen!

[@veronicadidato]

"This is not fun" ... I think it's the best part :P Either way, great list and tips for those who are struggling with their world building ^^

[@nohero23]

As a P&P DM this advice helps a lot. Thanks.

[@Gaia_Gaistar]

I need to do this for a future series i've been thinking of doing. It's set in modern times but will require some heavy world building stuff. I should at least flesh it out so I don't write myself into a corner or contradict myself.

[@Langkowski]

What do you think about movies vs novels? For instance, Pixar (and now Disney after it bought Pixar) often use the "fake intro" scene before the camera suddenly pulls back and it was all just a trick to attempt to hook the audience (Bolt, Zootopia and Toy Story 3 ). I just feel there is so much you can get away with in movies that you wouldn't get away with in novels.

[@vizuz]

Thanks, your videos are great. Helpful and clear advice for aspiring writers, you explain it so well. Not a fan of the jump cuts in your videos though.

[@ianlachey1726]

Thx, I’ll be using this in dnd campaign

[@Leto85]

So first: outline the book (or series), so that it's easier to see what is important to be researched to add in the Worldbuilding Bible to prevent working out parts of the world that will never make it into the book. Funny, I had no idea the term for this was Bible, but it makes sense. I typed in 'Writing organizing story world' into KZbin and the result screamed 'Worldbuilding Bible' to me, with this video on top.

[@mrwitty4166]

Great video! Thanks!

[@ogrehaslayers605]

Thank you! I thought I was OK at this after years of gamemastering for RPGs... And Im OK. But I m8ssed so much.

[@johnjacobjingleheimerschmi2895]

Video begins at 2:00

[@ATXTube]

Thank you

[@robertswritingchallenge7381]

I worry about writing a story Bible that will take away the time I should be using on writing the story. I like the idea of adding to the Bible as I write the stories. This will allow me to add important information that has to stay the same throughout the series.

[@Selisu1]

Tip two. Tip two is sooooo important.

[@SWEmanque]

I disagree with you regarding not having to set rules for spells or magic. You don't have to outline every possible spell, but you need to determine the magic behind it. If you don't the use of magic will be either inconsistent or illogical. Take Harry Potter (which I love) for example, time and time again the Death Eaters who are all highly skilled and willing to kill choose not to use Avada Kedavra even when they are out to kill and even if they have used it or other unforgivable curses before. This is higly illogical as Avada Kedavra cannot be blocked. We also get inconsistent labeling of spells, only one killing curse is unforgivable although there are several that can be used to kill. Even the LOTR series has this problem. Gandalf doesn't use his magic in most situations, when he does it is ususally more for fun than anything else, but sometimes he uses very powerfull magic. There is no clear reason as to why he uses it when he uses it.

[@khatack]

Precisely this. When dealing with magic, I'd recommend you come up with a general ruleset on how magic works instead of creating every single spell from ground up separately. A good system will allow you to create the desired spells on the fly. What powers the magic in the world? Is it a natural energy, and if it is, how does it behave naturally? Does it flow like water, is it a weave that vibrates, is it some sort of extradimensional force? If the magic comes from a deity or deities, then how does it happen? Does the deity simply answer to the spells, or is magical power some sort of gift it grants to its priests? Establish rules on what the magic can and cannot do, and establishing rules on *how* the magic works as a phenomenon in your world will help you do that. Once you understand the magic of your world, it'll be easy to maintain consistency, and to imagine the many possibilities your magic system allows from the plot point of view.

[@xmrschonxlol5148]

It is explained when it comes to lotr. Therr is a magic limit when it comes to using magic in Middle-Earth, which Gandalf crossed fightimg Balrog. Thats why he died. But he was sent again by Valars, more powerful to completr his task.

[@khatack]

It is 'explained' in extended fiction, not the book itself, which makes your point kinda moot.

[@crm8241]

As far as the death eaters using Avada Kedavra all the time is because there are a few things that need to be taken into account. 1) they have to mean it to the point of hating the target to death. It's established in he series (mostly indirectly) that to cast a curse they really have to mean it otherwise it won't work correctly. If the caster doesn't really want to kill the target then there are other spells that should be used instead. 2) they might miss. In a team attack where friendly fire may occure Avada Kedavra may hit a fellow Death Eater which would be bad. 3) in the final war they were A) attacking a bunch of children B) didn't want to spill magic blood since it's a waste (Voldemort said so himself) and C) several death eaters had children on the other side. So I'd imagine it would be hard to wholeheartedly want to kill in that situation.

[@aronnemcsik]

SWEmanque I strongly recommend you to watch Hello future me video about Soft magic system and Hard magic system that will help you understand and use the right rules in your magic world! Hope these videos been useful to you to understand the magic worlds better.

[@ElJorro]

Thank You!

[@jamesalexander1441]

The writer/director of Bright on Netflix REALLY needed one of these.....

[@matttale7918]

Currently in the process of making a immersive worldbuilding bible. Which also sorta acts as an outline??? Even though the world I'm currently creating is an apocalyptic sci fi Earth. Stuff like religion, fruits, medicinal herbs, animals and education are going to be quite helpful :D

[@mateusoliveira2776]

lol i am a reaaaallllyy bad writer but i do love making worlds. i use a software called dokuwiki, it allows you to make a wiki like site so it's really good for organization. you can use the "bible" things as a guide to the pages of the wiki! i love it, thnx

[@katecrawford7605]

Can you do a video about getting into the publishing industry ? Love your videos - very helpful 💕💜👍

[@Mac_an_Mheiriceanaigh]

I just read a series I loved recently (can't remember the name or the author, though... I love a lot of series ;-) ) and it really suffered from one of the pitfalls you mentioned which was that as the individual books and the series went on random spells or capabilities or technologies would be randomly introduced as a sort of deus ex machina that would save the main characters or suddenly create a new drama or challenge. It was very jarring... The author even used an appendix to explain them!! Give me a sec and I will look on goodreads... Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas and sequels

[@williamribardo3736]

When we're working on world building, we can create a world in any way that we want. The reader must believe it! So what are the biggest barriers to a believable world? In this video I go over: 1. Rule Fudging 2. Not Using Your Own Rules 3. The World Being Too Static 4. Not Considering Interconnections Success might mean different things. But who doesn’t want to taste success? In order to obtain success, however, we do need to cross some barriers. So, what’s the greatest barrier to success? The biggest barrier to your success is fear. Period! It’s the fear of failing. It’s the fear of losing money. I've noticed that when the uses of fudging are discussed, by far the most commonly invoked reason for fudging is avoiding premature PC death. Is it? Might wanna post your sources. Because imo most fudging occurs when rule of cool and combat difficulty issues (too hard or too easy) occur. Fate points. Oh boy, this again. A time with robust, option. 5 Steps to Making Your Own Rules. 1. Get connected. Sit and meditate. Pause, get comfortable, and listen to yourself regularly to cultivate intuition. Your highest purpose is resting right inside of you. Tap in, have a listen, and allow your intuition to expand. 2. Shed what's not serving you. Make a list. Imagine if everywhere you looked - even in the dark - you saw static, as if the entire world were an untuned analogue TV. For people with a mysterious condition called “visual snow,” that’s the frustrating, often agonizing daily reality: endless static, often accompanied by floating spots, bright flashes, trails of light, and other visual phenomena that make it hard to see or ... In other words, "you" is the subject of the main verb, speak, in the sentence so that "you" should be the subject of "considering". However, it should be noted that the word "considering" can be a preposition. In this case, you do not need to think of the subject. You might want to check dictionaries.

[@DarrellPursiful]

Any key questions one should ask an outsider reader of your worldbuilding bible?

[@EllenBrock]

Sure! Here are a few: Can you think of any other applications for a magic skill, piece of technology, etc.? Are there any plot holes or contradictions (in history, magic usage, etc.)? Is there anything that you simply can't suspend disbelief about? Is there anything that seems out of place or incongruous with the rest of the world? Do any of the explanations (world history, magic, technology, culture, etc.) seem implausible or silly?

[@DarrellPursiful]

Great stuff! Thanks!

[@maybeahuman4580]

I created a town in California. Its not really known by alot of people. This town has a mixture of different cultures so their traditions are different cultural traditions in one.

[@notsafeforchurch]

I've been binge-watching your videos today and while all of them have been very helpful this one, at least for me, has been the most helpful. Thanks for the worldbuilding bible, I like the organization it allows me to have and it actually has made me aware of an area or two that I hadn't thought of! I look forward to watching more!

[@thymicthymic]

Totally unrelated, but this was uploaded on my birthday :)

[@onenewworldmonkey]

Are you back??? Great. Hope all went well.

[@Shatterverse]

Yeah I use a mixed method. Still redesigned the magic system three times - and that's possessing extensive game design experience - and a key special mechanic twice (and I'm still not happy with it...)

[@stikibunn]

I have a question If I'm building a world and all I have is that I want the world to feel like a fantasy version of our world in the late 19th century would it be better for the worldbuilding bible to only mention things that are different to our world? There's lots of things that are mentioned in your template that I feel I would just fill out with "Our world's Europe but change the name of this location to Blah" or "Replace this real world culture with elves" or whatever. Do you have any tips on the sorts of things to consider that maybe your template wouldn't include. I honestly don't know where to start.

[@Melissa-wx4lu]

Personally I would do just that. Go through the template she provides or make your own bible and just mention the things that make your world different than the real world. As she says, keep your bible relevant to your story. No need to add things to it that have nothing to do with your story.

[@jessicalee333]

I'd say, since the fantasy 19th century is not where you live, you should at least run through the whole world-building process with the setting, whether things are different from our world, or the same, to make sure you know what the world was like then and can write it believably - though again there's no need to do that for details that won't come up in your story. If a character spends a scene walking along a street with shops and stops inside one, you'd better know what going into a 19th century shop was like, whether it's a magic potion shop, or a simple haberdasher.

[@williamozier918]

I would say consult the Law of Conservation of Detail. In other words, the only things from the 'real world' that should be in your bible are those things which will be used in your story. For example maybe you don't need the history of Britain, but if you say for example have Big Ben then you would probably want some history of Westminster Palace.

[@jchinckley]

Your biggest concern in a setting like you propose is what things do your characters notice? You should only show the reader things about your world that your character is going to notice. A well written character can only provide the information about the environment that he/she can perceive at any point in the plot. This is why some novels have more than one viewpoint character. It helps to both define and clarify the world and other characters in the story. So just, as you suspected, fill in the differences and note that other things are as they were in 19th century England/Europe/western world so that the differences are well-defined. This will both help you fill out the template and make it easier to find things when you need to refer to it.