Free Online Course:
How to Start Worldbuilding
Do your worldbuilding dreams feel overwhelming?
Desperate to capture your most exciting ideas?
Not sure where to start? We made this course for you! ❤️
Build step-by-step from your core idea to a setting you can actually use, in just 10 lessons. Whether you're an author, gamemaster or hobbyist worldbuilder, this practical course will help you develop your own world.
Led by professional worldbuilding consultant, published author, and game writer, Janet Forbes.
Taught by: Janet Forbes,
World Anvil CEO & Co-Founder
What you'll learn
Each lesson includes a short video with a transcript, homework assignments, and other helpful resources. In just 10 lessons, you'll lay the strong foundations of your own unique world.
Get past “Paralysis of Analysis” with The 5-Minute Brain Dump!
Pro tips for creating iconic locations to evoke awe & wonder
The 3 basic approaches to populating a fantasy or sci-fi setting
How to avoid “Mile Wide & Inch Deep” worldbuilding with focus points
Embedding narrative hooks to generate limitless story potential
The critical mistake new worldbuilders make with history... and how to avoid it
The surprising secret to getting (or staying) creatively unstuck
Each lesson contains:
A short video
A written transcription
Practical assignments
Extra materials and resources
Sample Videos
Lesson 1: The 5 Minute Brain Dump
The first lesson covers my secret weapon when starting a new setting for a fantasy novel or D&D campaign to get you past most storytellers' biggest stuck: just getting started.
Lesson 2: Scope
The second lesson will help you get past one of the toughest hurdles beginner worldbuilders face: knowing what to work on first, and what can wait till later.
Lesson 3: Geography
The third lesson provides a step-by-step guide to start building the iconic locations for your next fantasy novel or D&D campaign.
Access the Course
You must have a free World Anvil account to access the course. This video shows you exactly how to register, and where to find the course on the World Anvil dashboard.
Get a reminder!
Not ready to sign up yet? Give us your email and we'll send you these instructions so you can remember to follow them at a later date! You should receive it within 5 minutes.
Register for your free account (or login if you already have one!)
Choose your path & name your world. (If you're not sure which path, choose writer. You can use a placeholder name like Protoworld).
Click Learn to Find the Course. (It's the wizard hat at the bottom of the right toolbar).
Your course will be at the top left of the pop-up.
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