concentrating more on building the world than writing the story?

[Primitius]

Recently I have been developing a very complex 'world' which is set in a multiverse and based around a distinct set of universes, each of which is ruled by a god.
Now i know that I want to write stories within the world, but I feel I need to etch out a very detailed timeline (well, multiple timelines for each universe) and description, explaining all the important events and progressions that occur within them.
I feel the world-building is almost more important, because if I can forge a solid world with extreme detail in each aspect of it, I can use it as a basis for lots of short stories (and perhaps novels), dipping into the world at different points on the extremely vast timeline.
Also I want to possibly expand out and create short films and graphic novels, and perhaps even games within the world.

Does this come across as a backwards way to go about this? Is it too ambitious to even attempt such a feat?
Basically building the world for the world-building itself, rather than specifically to write one story with.

 

[mosaix]

You need to have an idea, a germ of a story first. If not what's the point of the world you're building?

I think you need to start writing a story. You'll find that your world(s) will develop, just like your characters, as the story progresses.

And welcome to the Chrons.

 

[The Judge]

Hello there and Welcome the the Chronicles.

If you were hoping to write a novel sooner, rather than later, then I would advise you to develop the story at the same time as you create the world in which it is set. The danger otherwise is that when you get to the last of the trilogy you realise that what you need to produce the jaw-dropping finale is a big battle at such a place at such a time, but your world history prevents it taking place. The world, and therefore presumably your universe, needs to be flexible to accommodate the plot.

Since it seems from your post that any novel is a long way down the line, then you might as well go with whatever is enthusing you at the moment. If you find the idea of this immense chronology exciting and intriguing, then don't fight it. The energy and enjoyment you gain will far outweigh any disadvantage. Just don't come crying to us in 15 years' time when you can't complete the trilogy after all.

Whatever you do, enjoy the doing of it. There's no point otherwise.

J

PS Again, hello and welcome. Hope you like it here.

 

[Blackrook]

I have a world which I have been working on since I was in high school, which is a very long time ago. You can see my world here:

www.alienartifactstudios.com

This site is a relic of a computer game my brother and I were working on until he lost interest. I have also made a board game, and started many stories which I never got very far in.

I may never actually write any stories for my world, but I have had a lot of fun working on it. My world is as real to me as the real world. I don't feel like I'm creating my world, I feel like I'm discovering it. Things just fall into place and feel right.

So I guess my advice to you is have fun doing what you like to do. If you like world-building, do it.

 

[Sapheron]

i've engaged in hours of world building. The worlds always appeared around a story to start with, then expanded and outgrew the original project. I enjoy creating the geography, history and all that lot very much. In one of the largest works, I set out the history before my novel began, then realised I preferred the story at a point in the history, and began writing a novelisation of that instead. I guess that was a similar thing, albeit accidental, to what you're thinking of.

 

[RcGrant]

It depends what your goal is. If you like world building, then build worlds. There's no rule that says you have to write a story based in the world. However, if you do want to do that, as The Judge rightly pointed out, you'd be better off figuring out the basics for that as you go along.

Usually my characters arrive first, with a germ of a story, which I then build a world around. I don't usually build on the world much outside of what I need for the story (or stories, if I am reusing the world for sequels), because it takes up more time than I have available.

I guess I kind of see world building for stories a bit like dodgy sets built for TV soaps: 'on screen' you can see a wall, some illustrative furniture, and the props the characters pick up and discard to breathe life into their story. 'Off screen', when you turn off the camera and look around, you're pretty much left with a featureless shell (maybe a clean-up bucket if you're lucky).

Simplistic, perhaps, and I usually find I am left with notes that never find a home in the actual story, but maybe you'll get my point?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I firmly believe that if you don't have a story to tell you shouldn't try tell it.

But seriously, Blackrook, if you've gotten this far with your world and it hasn't suggested loads of stories that you're dying to write, maybe all your world-building has another purpose. Maybe it's meant to remain as a gaming world.

Or maybe someday, unexpectedly, it will smack you in the face with a story you have to tell. You never know.

But trying to force stories out of it when neither you nor it are ready, that's a good recipe for becoming fed-up with the whole idea.