If I could go back in time, these are the 7 things I wish I knew about worldbuilding.

(It would have saved me a lot of wasted time and effort.)

1. Reading about similar worlds is the best inspiration

Reading is by far the best way to get inspired, and one of the best ways is to learn about how other authors do it. You'll always find something you never thought about before to incorporate into your own ideas.

2. Keep the scope of your world manageable

If you only plan on writing about one nation, building an entire planet all at once is going to be overwhelming. Narrow down your field of view so you

3. Focus on the areas you want to write about first

Worldbuilding is most important for the stories you're currently writing. If you're not ready to write about the mermaids deep in the ocean, don't do it! Notes are always fine, but developing an area of your world that you aren't ready to write about will make it harder to stay focused on the story in front of you.

4. Follow your inspiration

Always take a few minutes to work on the aspects of your world that are most exciting to you at the moment, even if you're only dashing off a few notes. Your motivation will go up for all your writing!

5. A few well-developed pieces are easier to work with than many underdeveloped ones

Creating fully developed information makes it easy to connect areas of your world. As a bonus, this creates depth for readers if they have access to your notes!

6. More pieces means less writer's block

When your worldbuilding is more for your own benefit and not readers, it can often be helpful to write a little about a lot of things, at least when you're getting started. That way, it's easier to find something you're excited about expanding on!

7. Don't let anyone tell you what's right or wrong about building your world

While the tips I've listed may help, there really is no right or wrong way to create the world you're dreaming of. The most important thing you can do is have fun!