Before I get into the nitty gritty, I would like to preface and say that this is not an all inclusive list. Nor will I hit every facet of each world building consideration. There will always be overlap between the different considerations.
You may feel that one is more important than the other, and that's OK. Unless you are creating a world with an tyrannical government, you may not care to include politics in your book. But you can always bring it down to your character's level; perhaps they live in an HOA, and the HOA president is a jerk. Maybe there is too much "politics" in your character's work place. You don't need to cover every consideration listed to make your world immersive.
You also don't need to spend paragraphs-pages trying to get all the information into the book. You don't need your entire civilization's history coughgeorgemartincough. A few well placed sentences sprinkled through out the book can do just as much as an entire page outlining the structure of your world's government. Remember, sometimes less can be more.
Let's get into it!
POLITICAL:
What type of government does your society have?
-Democracy
-Theocracy (Run by religion)
-Stratocracy (run by military)
-Dictatorship/ Tyrannical
-Monarchy
-No central government, but small pockets of civilization
How do leaders obtain power?
-Passed down through bloodline
-Elected officials
-Appointed by government head (i.e. king, dictator, etc.)
-Through a holy ceremony/ chosen by gods/ through violent means
How do those in power use their power?
-Altruistic: want to help the people and put programs in place to serve the people
- Use military to ensure cooperation
-Enact laws and policies that cause fear and cooperation
-For personal gain and greed
If writing about a corrupt/evil government, what is their reasoning?
-Following religious dogma
-Believe they are superior to others
-Race (ethnicity or in a fantasy realm, the different races/species)
-Bloodline
-Religion
-Their moral compass makes them feel they are ridding the world of evil/good
How does magic/technology fit?
-Only certain people have magic/technology
-Those with magic are hunted by the government
Geography
-What type of terrain does your country have? (desert, forest, mountains)
-How does the topography effect how your government operates?
-Are there any resources that your government hoards or gives out sparingly?
This list is not inclusive, just something for you to think about when writing your book. If you feel the scope may be too big for the story you are telling, you can always bring it down to your character's level.
Remember, your character is impacted by the world, and in turn, impacts the world. They don't need to be "the chosen one" to make a difference. They may be another cog in the machine, but if they were gone, that machine may not work properly. Their words and actions have an impact on the people closest to them. Something small may have a ripple affect, and by the end of the story, one small action or word could potentially have major consequences. They may be the unintentional spark that ignites a movement.
If you have any questions/comments, please feel free to shoot me an email.
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