The Ultimate Worldbuilding Template And Guide (200+ prompts, questions, and checklist)

Why Worldbuilding Matters

Every iconic setting was thought up by someone who took the time to figure out different elements of how that world worked. From the oceans of One Piece to the epics vistas of The Lord of the Rings, to the planets of Star Trek, these settings are filled with details that mark cultures, history, and landscapes. Even in a setting rooted in contemporary reality, how the world works becomes an important element of making a setting feel lived in and real.

That doesn’t mean worldbuilding should be a priority over crafting a compelling narrative, but they work incredibly well together. Taking time to figure out how your world works and writing down those details can lead to important revelations later when you feel you’re ready to move into writing stories within that setting.

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Worldbuilding Checklist

Your checklist for deciding how ready your setting is to share with the internet can vary based on personal preferences and the nature of the project. Consider this checklist more of a quick start guide of things to consider before opening up your setting to the eyes of users on CharacterHub and the internet as a whole. Consider this simple checklist as your worldbuilding worksheet, where you can do as much or as little as you feel you need to.

• 🔲Setting Geography

• 🔲Setting Cultures

• 🔲Setting Rules (ie. magic, science, etc.)

• 🔲Setting Beliefs

• 🔲Setting History (very broadly speaking, not comprehensive)

Providing a decent amount of information regarding those five criteria means that your setting should be in a pretty good state to be shared. Consider these questions as features for a profile for your setting, much like you would use a questionnaire to develop a detailed character profile.

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Using These Questions

Not every question on this list may be relevant to your setting. Use your best judgment to decide which questions you feel make the most sense to answer about your setting when you build your projects and worlds on CharacterHub. For example, a setting based on super-science may not need to tackle questions on magic.

However, while you can answer as many or few of these questions as you wish, you can always use them as ways to approach topics you hadn’t normally considered about your setting. For example, questions involving law and economics may not immediately come to mind when creating a fantasy setting, but can be incredibly important. You never know how exactly inspiration may strike.

Questions about the Physical World

These questions cover geography, biodiversity, and transportation in a setting.

Environment and Landscapes

1. What is the dominant climate of the region?
2. How do the seasons affect daily life?
3. What are the main geographical features of the area?
4. Are there any unique flora or fauna?
5. Are there any significant natural landmarks or wonders?
6. How do cultures adapt to the natural environment?
7. Are there any natural disasters common in the area?
8. How do geography and terrain influence travel and trade?
9. What resources are abundant or scarce?
10. How have humans or other species altered the environment?

Exploration and Discovery

1. What are the unexplored regions of the world?
2. Who are the famous explorers?
3. What motivates people to explore?
4. How do people prepare for exploration?
5. What are the major discoveries and their impacts?
6. How do different cultures view exploration?
7. What role do maps and navigation play?
8. Are there any legendary places or treasures?
9. How do people document and share discoveries?
10. What are the dangers and challenges of exploration?

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Travel and Transportation

1. What are the common modes of transportation?
2. How do people navigate and map their world?
3. What are the major trade routes and hubs?
4. How do cultures handle long-distance travel?
5. What are the dangers and challenges of travel?
6. How do different cultures approach transportation?
7. What role do explorers and travelers play?
8. How has transportation evolved in the history of the setting?
9. What are the economic impacts of travel?
10. How do people manage and maintain transportation networks?

Species and Races

1. How many sentient species exist in the setting?
2. What sort of animals exist in the setting?
3. What domesticated animals exist in the setting?
4. What animals exist as pets?
5. What is the most iconic animal of the setting?
6. How many unique races exist in the setting?
7. Are there races who are known for certain industries?
8. Do the races of the setting share a common ancestry?
9. Which races established the first civilization?
10. Which race is considered the “youngest” in the setting?

Questions about the Metaphysical World

How does your world work behind the curtain? Is magic an element of day-to-day life, or are the laws of the world dictated by the laws of science? How do these elements intertwine with faith and philosophy?

Technology and Science

1. What level of technology exists?
2. How do people communicate over long distances?
3. What are the major scientific discoveries?
4. How does technology impact daily life?
5. Are there any notable inventors or scientists?
6. How is education approached and valued?
7. What are the ethical considerations of technology?
8. How do different cultures view science and technology?
9. What role does innovation play in society?
10. How do people use and harness energy?
11. What is their technology level in terms of historical, Earthly comparison (ie. Industrial Era, Silicon Era)?

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Magic and the Supernatural

1. Is there magic in this world?
2. How is magic accessed and controlled?
3. What are the limitations and costs of using magic?
4. Who can use magic and how do they learn?
5. How does magic impact society and technology?
6. Are there magical creatures or beings?
7. What role do supernatural forces play in daily life?
8. How do people view and interact with magic users?
9. Are there any famous spells or magical artifacts?
10. What are the dangers and benefits of using magic?
11. Are there any specific words or actions associated with casting magic?
12. Is there a hierarchy of types of magic?
13. Is magic an innate element in individuals or a learned and practiced skill?

Health and Medicine

1. What are the common diseases and illnesses?
2. How do people treat and prevent diseases?
3. Who are the healers and medical practitioners?
4. What are the major medical discoveries?
5. How do people view health and wellness?
6. What role do herbs and natural remedies play?
7. How do different cultures approach medicine?
8. What are the major health challenges?
9. How is medical knowledge shared and preserved?
10. Are there any famous healers or medical institutions?
11. What is the most significant health crisis that occurred in the setting?
12. How is personal hygiene approached in the setting?
13. What is the understanding of nutrition to cultures in the setting?
14. Is healing primarily achieved through magic or science?

Religion and Spirituality

1. What are the major religions or belief systems?
2. How do religious practices influence daily life?
3. Who are the deities or spiritual leaders?
4. What are the sacred texts or teachings?
5. How do people worship and where?
6. Are there religious conflicts or harmonies?
7. What are the religious festivals and rituals?
8. How do different religions coexist?
9. What role do faith and spirituality play in governance?
10. Are there prophecies or religious predictions?
11. Are the deities real individuals who have interacted with people historically?
12. Is it possible to imprison or destroy a god in this setting?
13. Are gods ascended individuals of the setting’s cultures or beings from another world?

Questions about the Cultural World

How do the cultures of your setting record their history? Have you ever considered the trappings of culture for your setting? Elements like economics, law and justice, and art all factor into making a setting much more interesting and feel more developed.

History and Events

1. What major historical events shaped the world?
2. Who are the notable historical figures and what did they do?
3. What cultural traditions are unique to this world?
4. How do cultures celebrate important events?
5. What are the myths and legends of this world?
6. How are different cultures represented and respected?
7. How do historical conflicts impact current events?
8. What role do ancestors and heritage play in daily life?
9. How is history recorded and remembered?
10. Are there any lost or ancient civilizations?
11. How debated are certain historical events by scholars in the setting?

Society and Government

1. What is the form of government or rule?
2. How are laws created and enforced?
3. Who holds power and how is it obtained?
4. What are the social classes or hierarchies?
5. How is justice administered?
6. What rights and freedoms do people have?
7. How is wealth distributed?
8. Are there any secret societies or underground movements?
9. How do different regions or factions interact?
10. What are the major political conflicts?
11. Are there political uprisings or resistance movements?
12. What is the current state of world conflict?

Law and Order

1. How are laws created and enforced?
2. What are the major laws and legal principles?
3. Who are the lawmakers and enforcers?
4. How do people view justice and punishment?
5. What is the court system like?
6. How are disputes resolved?
7. Are there any famous legal cases?
8. How do different cultures approach law and order?
9. What is the most controversial decision made regarding the law in the setting?
10. What are the common crimes and punishments?
11. Are there famous figures in the area of law and crime?
12. How do people ensure fairness and equality?

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Economics and Trade

1. What is the primary currency?
2. What are the main industries and sources of income?
3. How do people trade and conduct business?
4. What goods are considered valuable?
5. How do supply and demand affect the economy?
6. Are there any major trade routes or hubs?
7. How do economic policies impact the populace?
8. What role do merchants and traders play?
9. How do people earn a living?
10. Are there any interesting competing currencies?
11. Are economics digital or backed by hard currency in the setting?
12. What are the economic challenges facing the world?

Arts and Culture

1. What forms of art are most popular?
2. Who are the renowned artists and performers?
3. How do people entertain themselves?
4. What are the major cultural events and festivals?
5. How do art and entertainment reflect society?
6. What role do storytelling and literature play?
7. How is art preserved and celebrated?
8. Are there any taboo or controversial forms of art?
9. Does art carry any magical power in the setting?
10. What are some significant artistic contributions to the setting?
11. How do different cultures express themselves creatively?
12. What is the economic impact of the arts?

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Language and Communication

1. What are the primary languages spoken?
2. How do dialects and accents vary?
3. What is the written language like?
4. How do people communicate non-verbally?
5. Are there any lost or secret languages?
6. How do different cultures interact linguistically?
7. Are there any forbidden texts among cultures?
8. What role do translators and interpreters play?
9. How is language used to express identity and culture?
10. Are there any famous literary works or authors?
11. How does technology impact communication?
12. What are some thematically important words to the story in your setting?
13. Any unique terminology to your setting?

Daily Life

1. What is a typical day like for an average person?
2. What are the common professions and trades?
3. Does your setting feature unique lifestyles around unusual geography?
4. How do people dress and adorn themselves?
5. What are the typical family structures?
6. How are children raised and educated?
7. What are the common foods and meals?
8. How do people travel and move around?
9. What are the common leisure activities?
10. What industries are available for possible business owners?
11. How do people view and approach health and wellness?
12. What are the customs around birth, marriage, and death?
13. Do cultures in the setting have a concept of retirement?

Social Relationships and Structures

1. How do people form and maintain relationships?
2. What are the common family structures?
3. How do different cultures view marriage and partnership?
4. What role do friendships and alliances play?
5. How do people handle social conflicts?
6. What are the common social norms and taboos?
7. How are gender and sexual identities handled in the setting?
8. Are there unique social terms to the setting?
9. How is gender fluidity approached in the setting?
10. How do people view and approach love and romance?
11. What role do social gatherings and events play?
12. Are there unique social bonds to the setting?
13. How do people manage social hierarchies and status?
14. How do people navigate and maintain community ties?

Conflict and War

1. What are the major conflicts and wars?
2. How are wars fought and won?
3. What weapons and tactics are used?
4. Who are the notable military leaders?
5. How do conflicts impact civilians?
6. What are the causes of war?
7. How do different factions or nations view conflict?
8. What role do spies and intelligence play?
9. How are soldiers trained and treated?
10. Has your setting experienced a cold war?
11. Are proxy wars an element of your setting?
12. What are the aftermath and consequences of war?

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Spotlighting Worldbuilding on CharacterHub

Figuring out the finer details of your worldbuilding can be an essential step to taking any creative project and developing it into something a little more cohesive and impactful. Just as figuring out a character's traits helps to make a character unique, figuring out the traits of a setting helps that setting to stand out.

Of course, you could just write down all these details into an increasingly bloated document on your Google Drive, but consider CharacterHub for a moment. Beyond being the ultimate character organizer, CharacterHub allows you to manage your entire projects. Simply take your story world and use the same profile process for characters to record essential information about your setting. You can even create image galleries with maps, concepts, and more. Even better, your OCs can be slotted into those story worlds, keeping everything together through a hub. 

Kind of like a… CharacterHub!

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