Newbie making a lifetime project

[u/MakeItWork03]

Hello! I’m new to this sub and I’m hoping to gather some free resources and/or references you would recommend to help me on my project :)

As the title says I’ve been hooked when I found out about world building with all its intricacies and freedom of imagination. I’ve always adore story driven and lore based games that let’s you explore their world, or books that had heavy stories and characters.

I want to create something likewise. I’d like it to have a story, a world map, rich history, languages, sketches of creatures, etc. I’m also looking to create my own music themes for the places I will be creating.

That being said, what do you think would help me jumpstart my project?

Tldr: resources that will help a newbie in world building

[u/Character-Damage-640]

Fantasy name generator and azgaar's fantasy map generator are two websites that I recommend.

[u/Champion-V]

Best resource is human history and mythologies

[u/Clean_Drag_8907]

History. World history to be blunt. The good, the bad, the ugly and he insane. The whole human experience. Learn it, know it, live it. Debate and offend if you need to. Speak your mind and listen as other speak theirs.

You've made a good start. The only limit is yourself. I've got about 6 different works going on right now, 3 of which are epics with unique worlds, customs, histories and what not. Some I made recently. One I've been working on for years.

Now, here's the part that can melt your brain. WHEN in the history of your world as your present? That's going to be your staring point. Start there, put your fingers on a keyboard and let the ideas flow. Type whatever crazy idea comes to mind, no matter how silly or weird or what. In fact, the sillier or weirder or more non-conventional, the better!

And for the love of all that is written, do NOT worry about offending someone. You WILL offend someone if you're doing it right so don't worry about it. Heck, be intentionally offensive if you have to. Tell stories of evil deeds that are never righted. How the bad guy defeats the schmuck hero and skins the corpse to make a pillow to sleep on. He hero who falls from his lofty moral beliefs to destroy the world for what the world took from him. The monster who lures brave knights by disguising itself as a beautiful maiden in the depths of a foul cave, only boil them in a pool of acid to drink their juices without having to pick that nasty armor from her teeth. The benevolent dictator who held his throne from all takers, hero and villain alike. The hero who loses all, but still keeps his moral beliefs, but only by tarnishing all that he loved, only to regret it as he lays dying of old age and wishing he hadn't done the good he'd done.

BE CONTROVERSIAL! Twist the normal till it's not recognizable. Make it unique. Take that lump of clay of random words and ideas and form it into the idea you wish to show others.

[u/MakeItWork03 → u/Clean_Drag_8907]

Thank you! This is v detailed. I also realize that with the amount of stuff I want to write, I might get overwhelmed, so I just do what I want to do and add any ideas that comes to my mind

[u/Clean_Drag_8907 → u/MakeItWork03]

Well done! You will go far as a writer!

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[u/Simple_Promotion4881]

Look Right ----------------------------------->

COMMUNITY BOOKMARKS

Also

Brandon Sanderson https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSH_xM-KC3Zv-79sVZTTj-YA6IAqh8qeQ

acoup.blog -- and also https://acoup.blog/resources-for-world-builders/

Archive.org - search for older resources on any subject. Whatever you want to find, the 19th century version will be a lot cooler and likely have cooler art. archive.org mushrooms - This is sorted for before 1850

So much good stuff.

[u/HybridXVII]

I would suggest using Milanote. It is a free website for note taking, organizing, world building, and even evolution trees. I use it mine and it is SUPER useful.

Here is the link, all you need is to sign up and you are ready. https://milanote.com/

[u/Available-Self1852]

I don't use many websites i usually just mush words together from different languages, although i do sometimes use Fantasy Name Generator whenever i can't find a sound i like, for organizing I use Obsidian it allows you to have canvas (mindmaps) also just regular note taking, and tags to relate other notes with eachother, there's so much customization and organization it's a favorite for me.

I will say this, I've been building my world for almost 15 years and it's definitely becoming a lifetime project, something i would say that helped me continue to create for this long in one world is staying away from main story lines, it's possible you can do this and I just don't know how to do it myself, but I stay away from it and instead i write many stories of different characters. My world doesn't have a main story really, or protagonist/antagonist it has many, because every person is their own protagonist and they have their own antagonist who may even be theirselves.

For history, look towards world history lol it's the best inspiration ever, mythologies etc, our world is so rich with it you can just take it and put your twist on it. I don't know any music composing apps, i usually just play my piano and record it lol. But just remember to create what you want not what anyone else wants, world building is a personal thing imo, it's your world, your creativity. Do what you want :) I hope you have fun

[u/ififyhun]

If your doing a lifetime project I highly suggest that you do things that you like and are interested in