Worldbuilding seems like a tremendous task, and it certainly can be. It involves a lot of planning to bring the world to life with little details. A unique world that dazzles and draws in the readers.
That’s what you want.
However, how can you do this? And who should you be looking at that successfully crafted worlds that many people have come to enjoy?
Table of Contents
Here are 7 Books That Have Immersive World Building
Stay till the end to see how you can create an amazing world for your characters.
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. |
1Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1 of 7)
FREE Kindle Addition or £5 Paperback – FREE Audiobook
(click the image for an up-close look on amazon or Here)
Escape to Hogwarts with the unmissable series that has sparked a lifelong reading journey for children and families all over the world. The magic starts here.
Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry’s eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The magic starts here!
These editions of the classic and internationally bestselling Harry Potter series feature thrilling jacket artwork by award-winning illustrator Jonny Duddle. They are the perfect starting point for anyone who’s ready to lose themselves in the greatest children’s story of all time.
2 The Grisha trilogy – Shadow and Bone: Book 1
£4.99 Kindle Addition or £6.55 Paperback – FREE Audiobook
(click the image for an up-close look on amazon or Here)
The Grishaverse will be coming to Netflix soon with Shadow and Bone, an original series!*
Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold – a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.
Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite – and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.
As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.
Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems.
3 The Best of All Possible Worlds
£3.99 Kindle Addition or £8.19 Paperback – FREE Audiobook
(click the image for an up-close look on amazon or Here)
This is a story of hope. Grace Delarua, a civil servant with the government of Cygnus Beta, remembers when the Sadiri arrived on their planet, a galactic hinterland for pioneers and refugees.
This is a story of survival. Dllenahkh, leader of the small group of Sadiri settlers on Cygnus Beta, remembers the cool strong blues and gentle sunlight of his home world. He also remembers the moment he was told his planet was destroyed.
This is a story of love. Now they must work together to rebuild his decimated population by searching for the last surviving members of his race.
This is a story about finding the best of all possible worlds.
4 A Wrinkle in Time
£3.99 Kindle Addition or £5.94 Paperback – FREE Audiobook
(click the image for an up-close look on amazon or Here)
Meg always felt she was different and when she and her little brother Charles Murry go searching for their lost father, they find themselves travelling on a dangerous journey through a ‘wrinkle in time’.
As the cosmic evil forces of darkness threaten to swallow the universe, Meg must overcome her insecurities and channel all her inner strengths – her stubbornness, anger and ultimately her love – to save her family.
An exciting mixture of fantasy and science fiction, which all the way through is dominated by the funny and mysterious trio of guardian angels known as Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which, A Wrinkle in Time is an empowering story about the battle between good and evil and the power of love.
5 The Chronicles of Narnia (1 of 7)
£1.99 Kindle Addition or £5.35 Paperback – FREE Audiobook
(click the image for an up-close look on amazon or Here)
Narnia… a land frozen in eternal winter… a country waiting to be set free.
Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change… and a great sacrifice.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second book in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, a series that has become part of the canon of classic literature, drawing readers of all ages into a magical land with unforgettable characters for over fifty years. This is a stand-alone read, but if you would like to explore more of the Narnian realm, pick up The Horse and His Boy, the third book in The Chronicles of Narnia.
6 Off To Be The Wizard Book 2.0 (1 of 6)
£1.99 Kindle Addition or £4.99 Paperback (click the image for an up-close look on amazon or Here)
Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard.
What could possibly go wrong?
An American hacker in King Arthur’s court, Martin must now train to become a full-fledged master of his powers, discover the truth behind the ancient wizard Merlin…and not, y’know, die or anything.
7 Lord of the rings (1 of 3)
£3.99 Kindle Addition or £6.29 Paperback – FREE Audiobook
(click the image for an up-close look on amazon or Here)
In a sleepy village in the Shire, a young hobbit is entrusted with an immense task. He must make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ruling Ring of Power – the only thing that prevents the Dark Lord Sauron’s evil dominion.
How Can You Make Immserive World Building?
There is so much thinking, writing and rewriting that goes into every detail of your story.
As A Writer myself, I have struggled with making my written worlds realistic and enticing.
The information I found to do just that was not enough.
To overcome plot holes and underdeveloped worlds, I needed to create my own solution.
What I craved was a place to:
- Hold all my information together – instead of scattered notes
- Have a focused and linear line of what has happened in the world to shape its current form
- The current different types of people and details that separates them (disagrees, lifestyle, supernatural system, clothing etc)
To build a new world from scratch, I used my Worldbuilding Cheat Sheets.
(Click the image to see more)
This helped me create a visual (drawn) and written to encompass all the details I would need for my world creation.
What Does This WorldBuilding Bundle Include?
- Worldbuilding – a snapshot of how you would describe your world.
This is great for gathering ideas of what you want your world to include, but briefly, so that you can see overall if these components work well together.
- World History – cover everything that’s occurred in the past that is relevant to your current plot.
Now that you have an idea of what your story is about, you will have in mind some scenarios that will happen. Here is where you can work out how to connect current events to the past, giving a deeper- more meaningful reason(s), that draws in your readers.
- Supernatural System– what is it about your world that makes it different? Create details about your world to build that system.
This does not necessarily have to be about powers in the sense of superheroes. This can be what makes an individual or set of people different in your story that is central to your narrative. Are they smarter, devious, more chromosomes than normal etc.
- Time period and Clothing – we can’t forget about what time period this is to be set and it is a perfect way to draw
It can be hard to write about how you want your characters to look or dress as if you haven’t seen it first. That’s why I’ve added a visual element so you can make your characters and easily show their distinctions. Whether this is big baggy pants from a certain time period (relating to an already existing period or a newly crafted one).
Here is your place to be creative and show distinctions between for examples tribes, illustrating common elements in their clothing or skin decorating (tattoos, piercings).
- Language and Belief – Clearly layout what belief systems there are in this world and the multitude of languages your characters will face.
This can be a very important section, there are many stories that are guided by the beliefs or against beliefs. Being the switch that will cause war and terror or helping our characters grow, overcome or even save peoples lives.
On the other hand, it can play a small yet still vital role that can alter the direction of your story. Belief may also be only considered informative thing of the past.
Whichever you choose, these will be impactful on your story and it is extremely helpful to write and keep for continuity.
(click the image to see the product)
I have made a solution for myself to help overcome these issues, and I’d love to share them with you too!
Especially those who are starting to write a book and aren’t quite sure where to start or want they may need, this would be a great place to begin!
Find the WorldBuild Cheat Sheets in my resources, along with other great bundles to help you on your writing journey!