Worldbuilding: Questions To Consider

Worldbuilding: Questions to Consider

Government & authority:

Types of government: What type of government exists (monarchy, democracy, theocracy, etc.)? Is it centralised or decentralised?

Leadership: Who holds power and how is it acquired (inheritance, election, divine right, conquest)?

Law enforcement: Who enforces the laws (military, police, magical entities)?

Legal system: How are laws made, interpreted, and enforced? Are there courts, judges, or councils?

Laws:

Criminal laws: What constitutes a crime? What are the punishments?

Civil laws: How are disputes between individuals resolved?

Cultural norms: How do customs and traditions influence the laws?

Magic/supernatural: Are there laws governing the use of magic or interaction with supernatural beings?

Social structure:

Class/status: How is society divided (nobility, commoners, slaves)? Are there caste systems or social mobility?

Rights & freedoms: What rights do individuals have (speech, religion, property)?

Discrimination: Are there laws that protect or discriminate against certain groups (race, gender, species, culture)?

Economy & trade:

Currency: What is used as currency? Is it standardised?

Trade laws: Are there regulations on trade, tariffs, or embargoes?

Property laws: How is ownership determined and transferred? Are there inheritance laws?

Religion/belief systems:

Religious authority: What role does religion play in governance? Are religious leaders also political leaders?

Freedom of religion: Are citizens free to practice different religions? If not, which are taboo?

Holy laws: Are there laws based on religious texts or teachings?

Military & defense:

Standing army: Is there a professional military or a militia? Who serves, and how are they recruited?

War & peace: What are the laws regarding war, peace treaties, and diplomacy?

Weapons: Are there restrictions or laws regarding weapons for civilians? What is used as a weapon? Who has access to them?

Technology & magic:

Technological advancements: How advanced is the technology (medieval, steampunk, futuristic, etc.)?

Magical laws: Are there regulations on the use of magic, magical creatures, or artifacts?

Innovation & research: How are inventors and researchers treated? Are there laws protecting intellectual property?

Environmental/resource management:

Natural resources: How are resources like water, minerals, and forests managed and protected, if at all?

Environmental laws: Are there protections for the environment? How are they enforced? Are there consequences for violations?

Cultural & ethical considerations:

Cultural diversity: How does the law accommodate or suppress cultural diversity?

Ethics: What are the ethical foundations of the laws? Are there philosophical or moral principles that underpin them?

Traditions vs. change: Does the society balance tradition with progress? How?

Happy writing ❤

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no take this energy out I will cry.

The Old Guard was SO fucked up for being like “we’re all immortal with a single catch that any of our deaths could be the last.” Then have two of them being romantically involved for CENTURIES and every single time they die together, in the back of their minds, they wonder if the other is going to get back up with them.

How can this character be dead, if there are 40k stories on AO3 telling me otherwise?

OP is absolutely correct.

I just wanted to add:

Fanfiction is a dying art because people are taking advantage of our community and trying to sell it, which in some positive energy has allowed some in our community to get published properly, but in other aspects it sets a precedent to where it’s not as enjoyable as it used to be.

People are becoming more and more entitled to the free work, demanding to know when the next chapter is going to be released and even going as far to harass fanfic authors on their social media.

We do this for free and for fun. We appreciate being loved, being followed and having our stuff enjoyed.

oh and people who write fanfics are not "less talented" than people who write original works as their main source of income, by the way. fanfic writers aren't "all children going through a phase". they're writers who put in time, efforts and dedication just like any other writers, the only difference is that, instead of making their writing a career to earn themselves money, they write for free, out of pure passion, because they love the characters they're writing about so much that they're writing novel-length fics about them. you look uneducated af by using "fanfic writer" as an insult to imply fanfic writers aren't as valid or talented as writers who earn money from their works, especially when I've read so many fanfics that are a lot better and more professionally written than some best-selling books out there.