pink and white balloons on white chair
Worldbuilding in short fiction can be tough, but we've got your back!

Our summer writing competition is up and running! Fictionate.Me’s July 2022 Worldbuilding Short Fiction Contest (link to submit below) is a unique and challenging theme, and we can’t wait to see what everyone creates! 

 

Worldbuilding is one of the most important aspects of any story, but doubly so in speculative fiction. Great worldbuilding needs to be relatable and believable, creating atmosphere and mood. Add in well-rounded characters and you’re on your way to creating a unique, immersive new world for your readers.

 

But no matter how fun worldbuilding is, it is still one of the most difficult, especially if you’re writing short fiction. In a novel, you have an expansive territory in which to work. Not so with short stories. So how do you build worlds when you’re limited by a word count?

 

Not to worry, dear scribes, we have some tips to help you create an immersive world in your short fiction. Even though you have to be economical with your words, you can still develop worlds in 5,000 words or less. Let’s take a look at how it’s done.

 

 

Stick to one moment or event in time

 

To help keep your narrative from meandering, plan your story around one event or moment in time if possible. Having one scene or event will help maintain your focus and keep your story from feeling like it’s just an extract from a novel. You want it to be self-contained, so to speak. If you can't stick to one scene or moment, try to keep scenes to a minimum so you (and your readers) don't get overwhelmed.

 

 

Develop your characters within the world

 

Even though this is a contest for worldbuilding, you don’t want your story to only be exposition or info dumps explaining the world. Immerse your readers into your world through your characters. Before jumping into your narrative, do some character sketches to really get to know your characters. Then write a few short scenes to see how they relate to other important characters. If someone isn’t pulling their weight—they don’t help propel the plot or they don’t have any motivations for their actions—cut them from the story.

person in brown and black camouflage jacket wearing white helmet standing on brown tree branch during
Immerse your readers in your world through your characters, not descriptions.

Here are some character sketch templates to get you started:

 

Character Sketch Template: Columbia Fiction Foundry

 

How to Create a Character Profile in 12 Steps: Squibler

 

Character Profile with Template: Reedsy

 

 

Stay focused on your story

 

Even though your directive for the contest is to build a world, your sole focus can’t just be on the setting. The story must exist within your world; the world itself isn’t the whole story. Be sure you have a great plot with a strong structure to help you plan.

 

If this is your first foray into short fiction, no worries! Here are some templates to get you started: 

 

Four Short Story Structures for Weaving Impactful Tales: on Simily

 

How to Outline a Short Story in 4 Steps: Masterclass

 

3 Proven Templates for Timeless Storytelling: Self-Publishing School

 

You can also click here to read my article on how to write flash fiction!

 

 

Plot backward

 

Speaking of plotting, one efficient way to plot your story is to start from the end and go backward. Knowing how your story ends will keep you focused on your narrative and save time editing later.

 

How & Why to Plot Backwards: Great Story Book

 

Using Backward Design to Plan Your Story: Writers Helping Writers

 

Writing in Reverse: Juliet Wilde

 

 

Slice and dice like Ramsey Gordon

 

If you’re anything like me (and most writers, TBH) you’ll quickly find that you will overwrite and go over your word count. This means becoming your own editor, cutting everything that isn’t absolutely necessary. 

person slicing on the wooden board
Being your own editor means slicing, cutting, and chopping everything that is not absolutely necessary.

Short fiction forces us to use our words economically. Each word weighs heavier when the word count is limited. Think like Gordon Ramsay and carve out unnecessary details and exposition. Like a novel, scenes in short stories must earn their way into the narrative. If the story doesn’t change after you cut a paragraph or scene, it’s safe to say you don’t need it.

 

 

Take risks

 

Short stories can be an experimental form of writing, so be brave and take risks. See how you can change story structure, use literary devices like repetition for impact, or use an unusual POV, like the winner of our April 2022 Fairy Tale Retelling Contest. Read it here for inspiration!

 

Read, read, read

 

Before you start planning your story, read some inspiring authors and take note of how they structure their work. What are some elements of your favorite stories? What left a lasting impression in your mind?

Reread your favorite stories and take note of how the authors built their world to inspire your own.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to read short stories, either. The Internet is loaded with free short stories, including right here on Fictionate!

 

Submissions for the worldbuilding contest are due August 19, 2022, at 11:59 PM EST. Click here to read the guidelines and to submit your entry!

 

 

Follow us on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Discord

 

Check out our app on iOS and Android!