How Travel Enhances Worldbuilding
Julian Alps, Slovenia
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
I’ve been very fortunate to have had a childhood filled with journeys that I will never forget. At the time of writing this blog, I’ve travelled to five continents, seventeen countries and twelve capital cities. The best part is that my list isn’t even a drop in the wide ocean of our world!
What I have seen, however, has inspired me in ways I could never have imagined just by sitting behind a desk, drowning in cups of tea whilst I catastrophise over another book idea! Behind every good story are thousands of lived, unique stories. With that in mind, here are five steps to incorporating travel experiences into your own worldbuilding.
#1 Set The Scene
A good novel demands a good setting. A fantasy demands a fantastic one! How do you achieve this?
Think of your favourite travel destination. What made it so special? Would it be suitable for your character arcs?E.g. I couldn’t choose just one! I wanted to tell a story about how a young man embraces adulthood through an odyssey of exposure to the wider world. The world of Indigo is made up of seven realms inspired by unique cultures/climates that are both familiar and memorable to me.
Have any places in particular inspired your story? If not, book a holiday! E.g. I was inspired by my travels around Central Europe and South Africa to write the Realms of Indigo™.
#2 Dig Deeper:
So, you’ve chosen a country or a few to inspire your world. Congratulations! The next step is to be selective. What specifically did you like/dislike about those places? Why were you drawn to memories of those places? What purpose do they serve in your story?
What’s your genre? Do these places serve your narrative/plot? E.g. The Realms of Indigo™ is a satirical fantasy series that parodies political polarisation, corruption and socio-political challenges akin to those in the real world. South Africa, though geographically stunning, exposed me to an underlying segregation of communities and Third World poverty that still exists in a post-apartheid country.
Did you grow personally from these travel experiences? Could you draw on those moments and weave them into your character arcs? E.g. I was lucky enough to travel across South-East Asia for six weeks as a young boy. That journey exposed me to various non-Western cultures and challenged my perception of what we consider ‘normal’ in a Eurocentric world. I wanted to reflect that journey and exposure through the eyes of Edmund Steed in my debut novel.
#3 Give Your World Character:
We’ve thought about how these places serve your narrative/plot; now we need to bring those places to life!
Is there some history to your chosen places? Is it national or local in scale? Have you been inspired by a country’s/countries’ history that could be woven into your worldbuilding? E.g. I was inspired by the history of Venice, Italy, to create the city of Romalis in my world of Indigo. I combined its existing romanticist vibe with its darker, less-well-known history of imperialism and oppression over Venetians and other peoples.
Did your places have local/national heroes, famous figures, statues, etc? Were there specific customs in parts of the country/countries you went to? E.g. In South Africa, there are statues of Nelson Mandela in nearly every major town/city. In Vienna, Austria, they love Mozart (who wouldn’t?!) In the Julian Alps, Slovenia, lies a wooden Orthodox church built by Russian POWs during WW1, who are commemorated there. These golden nuggets of history, big or small, add character to a place. When crafting the world of Indigo, I made an effort to think of regional customs, local stories, and famous characters lost to history.
Blyde River Canyon, South Africa
#4 Channel Your Inner Geographer:
How many times have you looked at a fantasy world map and thought, ‘Was the author on drugs when they made this??’ Probably, but that’s besides the point! It may sound tedious, but your world’s geography is part of what makes a world feel believable. The best part is, you dictate the rules in fantasy, but please be consistent!!
Grab a world map. Do it now! Look at it carefully. Focus on your chosen country/countries. Why are cities placed where they are? How have its people adapted to their natural environment? Why are deserts so sparse, yet coasts are bustling? E.g. I’m a nerd for geography and maps in case you haven’t noticed! Taking South Africa as an example, I travelled from sparsely populated, high-altitude plateaus (highveld) and rocky mountains to lush green savannas, either dotted with settlements or reserved for rich wildlife. Nowhere has just one standard biome. Places are diverse in culture and climate. It’s important to study your place’s geography for inspiration as you map out your world and how your mortals adapt to their surroundings.
5# Make It Your Own:
We all share this world together, but each of us experiences it in our own way. Wherever you have chosen in the real-world to apply to your fantasy, always remain true to yourself and share the journey seen through your eyes.
Always keep travelling and broadening your mind. Just when you think you know everything about this world, another ticket to a new corner comes along and upends your perspective! That’s why you should also keep writing about these experiences, because, like life, our stories should never stand still.
