World-building is a crucial aspect of storytelling that cannot be overlooked, regardless of the genre or style of book you are writing. Whether you are creating an entirely new universe or setting your story in an established historical period, a thorough understanding and detailed mental model of the world are indispensable. This process involves asking a series of "what if" questions that lead to explosive changes and rich, immersive settings. In this blog post, we will delve into the importance of world-building, methods to achieve it, and why it is essential for every writer.
The Power of World-Building: Crafting Universes That Breathe
The Power of World-Building: Crafting Universes That Breathe
Introduction
World-building is a cornerstone of compelling storytelling, regardless of genre. Whether you're sculpting an alien world or portraying the intricacies of a historical era, a rich, layered setting serves as the framework upon which characters live, breathe, and evolve. Far more than just a backdrop, a thoughtfully constructed world informs every part of your narrative—from plot mechanics to character motivations.
In Manah Wars: Glimmer in the Darkness, this is exemplified through the vivid creation of Alteria—a planet not much larger than Earth, tidally locked to its star Usil. The consequences of this cosmic "what if" ripple throughout the story in surprising, grounded, and deeply imaginative ways.
The Necessity of World-Building
World-building gives your story weight, texture, and meaning. It establishes the logic of the world so that readers intuitively understand what is possible—and what is not. Without it, characters act in a vacuum, and conflict lacks stakes. As Brandon Sanderson aptly puts it, “The best settings are like characters in their own right” (Sanderson, 2010).
Manah Wars brings this to life by establishing a world in which light and dark are not merely metaphorical—they are literal. The scorched daylight side of Alteria and the frozen night side force its inhabitants to cluster along the twilight zone, shaping societal structures, resource struggles, and personal identities.
World-Building in Established vs. Invented Settings
If you're writing in an existing historical or real-world setting, your focus shifts from invention to mastery. But with fantasy or science fiction, you must imagine every detail—then maintain consistency.
In Manah Wars, I build an ecosystem. From the mystical forest of Sylvinar to the volcanic lands of Ras’Fahem, each region is imbued with its own climate, mythology, and geopolitical implications. The tension between regions like Concordia and Shefar is not just a subplot—it’s woven into the fabric of the planet's geography and history.
Methods of World-Building
1. The “What If” Catalyst
Everything begins with a question. In Manah Wars, the core “what if” is: What if the planet was tidally locked to its star? This immediately defines light, dark, survival, conflict, and technological need.
“One side of the planet is always in daylight, while the other is in perpetual darkness... Life saturates the surface in all its forms and various sentient beings including Humans who steer the future of this cosmic home.”
This core premise then drives hundreds of small “what ifs” across culture, environment, magic, and conflict.
2. Layered Questions for Depth
Build your world like a spiral staircase: one "what if" leads to another. For example:
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What if each region adapted differently to the extremes of heat and cold?
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What if a magical energy—manah—was unevenly distributed across the planet?
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What if political power was determined by a society’s ability to control or conserve manah?
This layering makes Alteria feel not just lived-in but alive.
Base Principles and Fundamental Change
Rather than making superficial tweaks to Earth, I go deeper—questioning physics, society, and even metaphysics. The result is a world where the tension between the cosmic forces of Nai and Akh directly informs the setting’s ecosystem, history, and magic systems.
The presence of Roj’ah manah—destructive, primal energy linked to Akh—creates tension around identity, fear, and fate. Aedan’s red eyes mark him as other in a society shaped by myth and fear. This seemingly small character detail becomes a lens for exploring wider metaphysical and racial themes.
Practical Tips from Alteria
Research Extensively
Even fantastical worlds must be coherent. I draw from astronomy, anthropology, and even spiritual texts to make Alteria scientifically plausible and culturally rich.
Create a Tangible History
From the Great Manah Wars to the fall of Eerak, Alteria’s history informs everything from national grudges to personal trauma. A single offhand reference to a past event can suggest centuries of complexity.
Use Geography to Build Culture
The twilight zone between Alteria’s extremes becomes a place of survival, trade, and friction. The inhabitants of the icy dark side worship Nai and value wisdom, while those closer to the light may interpret manah through militaristic or technological lenses.
Define the Rules—and Stick to Them
From teleportation via beacon bracelets to the laws of phylacteries governing mage control, Alteria’s systems are tightly integrated and consistently applied across the narrative.
Let the World Shape the Characters
Characters in Manah Wars don’t just live in Alteria—they’re shaped by it. Aedan’s tribal Sa’ami roots, Maya’s political cunning, Grandor’s druidic wisdom—all are direct responses to the world around them.
Why World-Building Matters
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Immersion: Readers get lost in Alteria because its logic is intact. The smallest details—like the heat of Kalor or the scent of a Sylvinar festival—anchor the fantastical in the real.
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Conflict: The scarcity of manah and habitable land naturally generates tension.
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Innovation: The premise inspires devices like the beacon bracelet and rituals like The Trial of The Depths.
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Identity: World-building externalises inner conflict. Aedan’s struggle is a literal fight between dark and light—within and without.
The Writer’s Ratio
I believe that world-building precedes story. The plot becomes an inevitable consequence of the world. Aspiring writers should consider a ratio like 2:1 or even 10:1—world-building to writing. When the world is that detailed, writing the story becomes witnessing rather than inventing.
Conclusion
World-building isn’t window dressing—it’s the foundation of story, theme, and character. From asking bold "what if" questions to embedding myth, history, and consequence into every location and law, Manah Wars shows how a well-crafted world can elevate a narrative from entertaining to unforgettable.
So build your Alteria. Shape your Usil. Ask your what if—and let the world answer.
References
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Sanderson, B. (2010). Worldbuilding: How to Create a Detailed Universe for Your Fiction. Writing Excuses.
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Mantel, H. (2012). Bringing History to Life in Fiction. The Paris Review.
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Di Muro, D. A. (2024). Manah Wars: Glimmer in the Darkness.