A Planser’s Guide to World Building for Short Stories

Existing between ‘pantsers’ and ‘plotters’ on the writing spectrum, plansers love diving into a project with just the outline of a plan – and vibes. This can make world building a daunting task, as many plansers don’t have a firm idea of the story, characters or world when starting a project. Especially when you have to balance a maximum word count against jamming as much detail into a project as you feel is needed. Don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to ensure you build vibrant, unique worlds that feel as alive as your characters, even when you don’t love planning every detail of your writing.