Writing.Com General Discussion

Worldbuilding can be as extensive as you like. I know some writers who have a decent sized novella of the worlds they have created.

As to how much of this you need to put into your story, my personal recommendation is only what is necessary for the story to be told and to set it. I know not everyone agrees with this here at WdC, but info-dumps of world-building put most readers off, and giving details about things that have no bearing on the action just pad the word count and little else, apart from slowing the narrative.

I offered only a little world-building in my dragon novel, and even then my beta readers have indicated some of it just bogged down the story. So I will get rid of it.

I have a story with a publisher at the moment (96k words - so a novel) and it is set on a world I had to invent. I drew my map, named everything, did a history of the world, developed over 100 creatures... and used maybe 10% of it in the actual story. I know it, and it enables me to keep my world consistent, even if the reader does not know that the ice caps melted and the sea rose ridiculously, and is now retreating as the poles once more freeze. Doesn't have a bearing on my tasle, so why include it? It's already 96k words long.