Prompt: Describe the steps that make up the world building methodology and its larger goals. Why would someone use world building as a tool? What does this process provide that other design methodologies do not?

The world building methodology is unique because it takes a retrospective approach towards storytelling. By saying this, I mean that the world building methodology tells us to first understand the complete setting and situation of a story before we actually begin to fabricate a narrative. The result is a world that is able to maintain its own story. From here on out, a multitude of intertwining stories can be created out of one wholesome and thoroughly analyzed world.

After having studied the world building methodology for an entire semester, I feel as though I have a good grasp on which aspects of my world I must figure out before starting to create a story. These aspects include architecture, urban planning, history, culture, language, government, economics, and industry. I find it very interesting that, no matter how hard someone tries, they might never be able to fully break away from creating a world that involves aspects of human life on earth. Every story and every world we create will be at least somewhat based off of our own personal experiences.

Despite this irreversible truth, the world building methodology gives storytellers the ability to create alternative worlds that embody a mixture of many aspects of human life, making them seem completely new. Therefore, I interpret the world building methodology to be a way for storytellers to discover new frontiers (mainly in terms of culture because the land does not physically exist). The methodology proves to be a valuable tool because it guides storytellers in their journey to finding these “new frontiers;” without the methodology, I imagine it would be hopeless, as if the storytellers were trying to discover new land without any sense of direction or experience. The methodology keeps storytellers safe on a path and does not let them create inconsistencies within their world or story.

Other design methodologies do not provide storytellers with the same level of guidance and retrospective-thinking as the world building design process. In comparison, they “throw” their storytellers “to the wolves,” meaning that they put the creative process right into their hands’ and see what comes out of it. On the other hand, the world building methodology makes sure that the storyteller is retracing their steps throughout the creative process.

It is also important to note that the world building methodology is so in-depth that it allows the storyteller to create a multitude of storytelling experiences from their world, as long as they followed the correct steps. Transmedia experiences stem from well-developed worlds; if the world is enticing enough, it will gain fans who will begin to feel a connection with it and create their own stories to become a part of the universe. In terms of practicality, this is an important marketing strategy for stories.

The goal of world building is to give the storyteller an organized thinking process—gathering their personal experiences and outside research, applying these discoveries towards a certain vision, and ultimately fabricating a world that appears to be entirely new. In my opinion, no other methodology gives its users the same level of intricacy.

Photo Credit: “Disney and More Artwork:” http://disneyandmoreartwork.blogspot.com/2009/07/tokyo-disney-sea-artwork-tribute-part_7392.html