How much (or little) information do you need to tell your story? I have a hard time reaching a stopping point, and when I do, I often get the urge to start changing things again.
How much (or little) information do you need to tell your story? I have a hard time reaching a stopping point, and when I do, I often get the urge to start changing things again.
It’s complicated. I started writing my setting for a tabletop game, but as I added more and came to enjoy telling stories in it, I am moving towards wanting to use it for my own fiction. I don’t aspire to create a legendarium with the depth and poetry of Tolkien, but I am learning to delight in realizing a world in great detail for its own sake. I might still run games in it, but I do think there’s a book in there somewhere, as well.
Sure, in most worlds one build you can tell stories that isn’t played at the table. But the same things still apply. Does the reader need to know an intrinsic detail of the given country to enjoy and follow the story? If so, add it to your notes and develop it, then continue your writing. That way you constantly add to your setting while also tell stories for others to consume, those may even give you feedback regarding missing facets that you then can use to make your world building even more robust.