How to Create Vivid Fantasy Worlds

We’ve all experienced that sudden spark of creativity, that moment when we see our magical worlds clearly in our heads and we rush to our computer to write. Being a fantasy writer is fun and exciting because we have complete freedom over the worlds we create. The only limit is our imagination! But, often, there is a disparity between what we see in our heads and what we write on the page. This can lead to frustration or doubt. But it’s possible to chisel those worlds through your writing. Here are five tips that will help you create vivid fantasy worlds. 

Visualize Your World Through Pinterest Boards.

When I get a new idea, I immediately open Pinterest. Then, I start creating an aesthetic for my story. This is very useful, especially when creating fantasy worlds. By designing a mood and aesthetic for your story, your characters and world will come to life. Compiling art that excites you will encourage you to define your world in your head and on the page. Visual prompts are wonderful and can incite you to write a scene or an entire chapter. For me, visual prompts are more useful than writing prompts because I immediately start asking questions, which leads me to my next tip.

Ask Questions.

When creating a completely different world, it is crucial to ask questions. Once you have an aesthetic, you will find that certain art will prompt you to ask questions such as “Why is this woman on a ship?” or “Who are they running from?”. These questions will trigger a domino effect that leads you to ask more questions. As you write down the answers, you will unveil the world buried in your imagination. It’s like going on a coffee date with your fantasy world! 

Listen to Music. 

Once I have a vivid image of my world, I turn to music to make it tangible. My favourite soundtrack is Ori and the Blind Forest, but you can find the one that works best for you. Also, D&D ambient soundtracks are wonderful. Depending on which scene you are writing, these will prompt you to write through the five senses. They will help you define the kinds of sounds, music and culture that exist in your world. 

Draw a Map.

Even if you are not an artist, drawing a map of your world is incredibly useful. It encourages you to situate your story. It also provides you with a sense of travelling distances, climate, culture and terrain. A map will also make you think about the politics of your world and how these might create conflicts throughout your story. You can draw your map by hand or there are websites where you can create a digital one.

Create Profiles for Each Location. 

When I write about a city or town that my characters are visiting, I tend to create a short profile for the location. This is a sheet where I describe the flora and fauna found in the area, the music you’d hear playing, the cultural practices and events happening at the time and what the weather is like. You can cross-reference this information by looking at your map and making sure it lines up with each geographical area. This is a fun way of finding out little details about your world. 

Creating a world is fun and exciting. I hope you found these tips useful and inspiring.