Follow this step-by-step guide to learn the modern process of worldbuilding in Milanote, a free tool used by top creatives.
A crucial step in any writing project is deciding what the world or environment will be like. A world can be as expansive as a wide-open fantasy landscape, or as minimalistic as a single hotel room. Here's where you let your imagination run wild and set the scene for your story to unfold.
Worldbuilding lets you define how characters behave and interact in their surroundings. It gives your story structure and most importantly, can transport readers to somewhere new.
In this guide, you'll learn the modern approach to worldbuilding using Milanote. Remember, the creative process is non-linear, so you may find yourself moving back and forth between the steps as you go.
Start by thinking about the biggest physical concept in your world—the environment. Where does your story take place? What's the geography and climate? These details will help you later when thinking about the mood and clothing for your characters, and even the style of buildings.
Also, consider the transport and infrastructure. How will your characters get around the world? In a car, dune buggies, a magic carpet?
Create a new board for worldbuilding.
Drag a board out from the toolbar. Give it a name, then double click to open it.
Add a note to describe the environment.
Start typing then use the formatting tools in the left hand toolbar.
Next, take some time to create the culture that exists in this world. Consider the fashion, the technology available to people, and how this affects their status. How do people care for one another and what causes them to fight or cheat?
Add a note to describe the culture.
Start typing then use the formatting tools in the left-hand toolbar.
Who inhabits this world? Is your story set in a dystopian war-torn city with only soldiers and robots? If so, what's their purpose? This is where you set some rules to be used later when creating your characters. Explore their relationships and social structures to find out how your main protagonist could fit in.
Thinking about the religion and politics of your world will help you create a set of rules to inform relationships, obstacles, and incentives for your characters.
Add a note to describe the people.
Start typing then use the formatting tools in the left-hand toolbar.
Now that you have a rough idea of your world, collect some visual references that will help bring it to life. These can provide a handy starting point when thinking about characters. You can start by searching for visual elements from around the web. There are lots of fantastic sites where you can find great visual inspiration for free like Dribbble, Pinterest, or Google Images.
Use the built-in image library.
Search over 3 million beautiful photos powered by Pexels then drag images straight onto your board.
Drag files from your computer.
Click the "Upload file" button or just drag a file onto your board. You can add images, logos, documents, videos, audio and much more.
Once you have everything you need, it's time to organize your content into logical topics. The goal here is to present the most important points in a format that's easy to reference as you're writing.
Use Columns to group related content
Name it, then drag any relevant notes or images into your column
If you're working with a writing partner, now is a great time to share your work and get some feedback. Ask them to leave comments and build on your initial ideas. As writer Louisa May Alcott said, "It takes two flints to make a fire."
Invite someone to edit your board.
Open the "Editors" menu from the title bar of your board. Add email addresses of the people you'd like to collaborate with—they'll receive an invitation via email.
Start a conversation about your world.
Drag out a comment from the toolbar on the left and place it on your board. Other editors can reply to your comment.
Mention others to get their attention.
Type '@' in any text field to mention someone who has access to your board. They'll receive a notification and be able to respond to your comment.
Now that your worldbuilding exercise is finished, you have a clear vision for the environment in which your story will take place. Use the template below to start inventing your world or read our full guide on how to plan a novel.
