Worldbuilding Academy

Lastest articles

Giving Your One-Shot a Satisfying Ending

A great one-shot ending can make the difference between new players coming back to the table – or not. Here are a few tips for giving your D&D adventure a satisfying ending.

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December 3, 2025

Dungeon Master Tips

Plot Twist Ideas for One-Shots

A well-placed plot twist can add a little shock and awe to your one-shot, and it can also keep your players engaged.

Frontiers in Worldbuilding: The Edge of the Unknown

Frontiers are liminal spaces on the edge of the known world—whether literal or metaphorical. Here are 5 tips for using them in worldbuilding.

Worldbuilding Communication: Tying Your World Together

Science fiction or fantasy communication is a great area of your world setting to expand, because it’s rich with possibilities.

Sci Fi Worldbuilding Essentials for Fiction & Games

Let’s journey into the imaginative cosmos of sci-fi worldbuilding. Unlock the secrets of crafting otherworldly landscapes, species, and technologies.

Urban Fantasy Worldbuilding Guide for Writers & GMs

Urban fantasy worldbuilding has its own unique elements and challenges. Here's how to approach worldbuilding this contemporary fantasy genre.

A Worldbuilding Guide to Sword & Sorcery

Sword & sorcery is a fantasy subgenre defined by its rugged heroes, mastery of the blade, and thrilling adventures in untamed lands.

Romantasy Worldbuilding: A Guide for Authors & GMs

Is romantasy a buzzword for romantic fantasy, fantasy romance, or a whole new thing? A worldbuilding guide to the tropes and trends of this popular fantasy subgenre.

Worldbuilders Guide to Science Fantasy

Science fantasy blends futuristic technology with ancient magic, blurring the lines between these two popular speculative genres.

Neon & Noir: Cyberpunk Worldbuilding for RPGs & Fiction

Enjoy tales of hackers fighting to take down corrupt corporations? Then grab your trench coat and mirrorshades as we hack into the slick, neon-drenched world of cyberpunk.

Worldbuilding Guide to Portal Fantasy

Sick of the real world? Want to escape to a place of wonder and danger? Then climb into this wardrobe as we explore PORTAL FANTASY!

Worldbuilding Treasure: Creating a MacGuffin, Artifact or Relic

MacGuffins, or quest items, are objects that propel your adventure plot. Here's how to create interesting, powerful relics and artifacts worth hunting!

Worldbuilding an Apocalypse, Cataclysm or Disaster

From epic disasters to mysterious collapses, cataclysms can layer your fantasy or sci-fi setting with legendary ruins, lost history, and compelling secrets.

Worldbuilders Guide to Fantasy Religions

Religion can be a source of motivation, magic & conflict for the characters in your game or novel setting. Here are some resources for worldbuilding one!

Guide to Biomes in Fantasy Worldbuilding

Let's talk about the major considerations when crafting enchanted ecosystems for your fantasy game or novel setting!

A Guide to Fantasy Jobs & Occupations

Used well, fantasy jobs and occupations convey a wealth of information about how your world works - literally and figuratively.

Worldbuilding Guide: Create A Fantasy Setting

This worldbuilding guide explains the 4 types of worlds, common beginner mistakes, and a step-by-step approach to create a setting for your game, campaign, or novel.

Spotlighting to Avoid Shallow Worldbuilding

Creating a sense of deep worldbuilding isn't fleshing out every detail. Spotlighting is a method that helps you focus on what matters most.

Mood & Tone in Worldbuilding

What exactly is mood when we’re talking about worldbuilding? And how do you create it as a gamemaster or author?

Brainstorm Better D&D Campaign Ideas

A process for generating, tailoring, and selecting the best DnD campaign ideas to ensure an exciting and immersive experience for your group.

Create Better NPCs and Monsters

Let's dive into the different kinds of people and monsters your players might encounter—and how to make them memorable.

How to Plan a D&D Session

Tips for how to plan an engaging RPG session that will keep your players coming back for more—and things to avoid!

How to Start Dungeon Mastering

Whether you're stepping into this role for the first time or looking to refresh your skills after a long break, you'll find practical advice and resources to help you succeed.

How to Choose a D&D Setting for Your Campaign

Let's explore some of the most popular and interesting options, how to choose the right one for your party, and tips for creating your own homebrew setting.

How to Create a Homebrew D&D Setting

A homebrew setting provides the opportunity to flex your creativity and truly craft a world of your own. Here's how to get started!

How to Plan An RPG Campaign?

It can be overwhelming, but here are the essentials you'll need to outline up front to plan a D&D campaign (or other tabletop RPG adventure).

How Do I Design A Good Monster Lair?

Design a well-crafted lair that challenges players and enhances the storytelling and immersion of your campaign.

Writing with themes to achieve your goals!

How to Write a Fantasy Book

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just getting started, embracing these tips can make it easier to write a fantasy book that readers will love.

What is Upmarket Fiction?

It’s often mentioned in manuscript wish lists, but what does it mean? What can you do to make your work feel more “upmarket” – and is that even a good idea?

Immediacy in Worldbuilding: Removing Filter words from your prose

Filter words are a hidden saboteur of your writing. How to find and cut them to transform your writing, worldbuilding, and RPG games!

Laying the Groundwork: Worldbuilding Terrain, Climate & Maps

Let’s take a look at the concrete foundations of your setting: worldbuilding terrain, climate and maps!

Your First 10 Worldbuilding Articles

A worldbuilding checklist can help you create a basic setting, to start playing (or writing) faster. And you can get there in just 10 steps!

The Power of Relics: Using history in your worldbuilding

Five reasons to worldbuild history for your setting... and how to use ancient relics in the present!

Surprising Benefits of Worldbuilding, for your brain and your pocket!

Experts agree—Worldbuilding can enhance your happiness, social life, and if you’re hoping to publish, it can make-or-break your product, too!

Hard and soft worldbuilding: know the difference!

Hard and soft worldbuilding describe the approach you use when creating a setting. The best one is whichever one works for you!

Encounter Ideas for your DnD or RPG One-Shot

Advice and ideas for creating one-shot encounters to challenge your players and keep them engaged for the whole session.

Rewarding Your Players with an Epic Final Boss Fight

How do you come up with boss fight ideas that feel fresh, interesting and fun? Here’s a tried and tested method for coming up with an epic final boss fight!

RPG & DnD Scene-Setting: Ideas for One-Shots

Setting the scene for any adventure is critical. Here's a cheat sheet with 9 exciting setting ideas for your next one-shot.

How to Write a Short Story

Writing a short story is different from writing a novel, in more ways than simply word count. Here is some advice for how to start.

Story Hooks: Adding Drama, Conflict & Antagonist Characters

When it’s time to set the story hooks for your next campaign or novel, it's time to add conflict, drama and antagonists to your worldbuilding!

Worldbuilding Religion, Mythology, and History

History, religion, myths and legends all add depth to your fictional world. So let’s get into how to create a mysterious, misty past for your fresh new world.

5 Creative Brainstorming Techniques for Worldbuilders, Authors and RPG gamers

5 tried and tested techniques for creative brainstorming, helping you solve problems and come up with ideas in a hurry!

Writing Lore: Create Depth with Focus Areas

You can’t do everything. Focus is the name of the game early on. Be deliberate about which areas of your world you flesh out with deep lore.

Why Worldbuild? The Secret to Staying Inspired

Maintaining your motivation is a major worldbuilding stumbling block. Here's a powerful weapon to help you hold on to your inspiration.

Power in Worldbuilding: Need, Agency, and Action

Worldbuilding power dynamics creates authentic, interesting settings for novels & campaigns, plus creates story hooks from current affairs.

What is Worldbuilder's Disease?

Worldbuilder's disease is the tendency to become so consumed by the details of worldbuilding that it derails the actual story or gameplay. Here's how to avoid it.

5 Tips for Making DnD Travel Interesting

Travel is a part of most D&D campaigns. Here are 5 tips (and bonus video) for making the journey more fun!

Is Your Worldbuilding Balanced? The Triangle of Power

Is your worldbuilding balanced? Check with the Triangle of Power! This helpful worldbuilding technique is great for magic, powers & scifi tech. Use it for ultimate worldbuilding balance, and to prevent OP stuff in your world!

How to Write an Engaging One-Shot

Running a one-shot is a great way to play without the commitment of a long campaign. Here's how to write one.

How to Worldbuild a Fantasy Castle

Learn how to create castles that make sense, and have more story possibilities than arrow slits!

How to Plot a Novel

How can you come up with a satisfying structure for your novel? Let's take a look at the Hero's Journey.

Avoiding Snow Globe Worldbuilding

Snow Globe worldbuilding is when your setting feels like it only exists to serve your main characters. It's also called Mary-Sue worldbuilding. Here's how to spot - and fix - it.

Kat Bradbury

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December 3, 2025