I had the chance to ask NY Times Bestselling author Piers Anthony a few questions about world building. Check out his answers below and be sure to check his great site, HiPiers.com, which has many useful resources for authors.
1) What’s your biggest pain point in world building?
I love writing, and I love fantasy and science fiction. I feel no pain.
2) Do you invent a world to tell a story, or invent stories so you can use a world you’ve been inventing?
I usually invent a world to tell my story, because it is people I care most about.
3) How many worlds have you built, and which is your favorite (and why)?
I have lost count; there may be a dozen or more. My favorite may be the ChroMagic setting, where volcanoes emit colored magic, and the residents of a red magic area can’t do blue magic, only their own kind, so traveling is awkward. But again, it is the people and their stories that turn me on, more than the settings.
4) Do you love or hate world building and why?
I don’t love or hate it, any more than I love or hate my own body or mind. I work out what I need.
5) What advice would you give to a world builder?
Read The Art of World Building.
BONUS: What’s your favorite world building resource?
My favorite resource is my own imagination.