Mistakes in worldbuilding don't arise because a world is large or complex, but because it remains **disconnected from the plot**. I create many peoples, continents, gods, and historical layers. But no element exists as a mere mention. Every place, every nation, and every power is experienced. If it has no connection to the plot, it does not exist in my story.
1. Mistake #1: Meaninglessness of Elements
The first mistake is not diversity, but lack of purpose. A continent that is named only to make the world seem larger is worthless. A people that plays no role in the conflict is mere decoration. I create many elements, but each must have a **function**: political, military, cultural, or historical. Scale is not a mistake. Disconnectedness is.
2. Mistake #2: Inconsistency in Background Lore
The second mistake is inconsistent background lore. History, deities, and ancient wars must be **logical and coherent**. Explanations shouldn't be random but follow an inner order. Chronologies must be correct. Causes must lead to effects. Even explanatory passages need structure and tension. Explanation is not a mistake if it is understandable, necessary, and embedded.
3. Mistake #3: The Pure Infodump
The third mistake is the pure infodump. Therefore, I prefer to resolve background information through **dialogue or narrative conversations**. Characters talk about the past because it affects them. A general remembers a lost battle. A priest recalls an ancient schism. A merchant mentions destroyed trade routes. In this way, history becomes part of the scene rather than just a block of text.
4. Mistake #4: Separation of World and Plot
The fourth mistake is the **separation of world and plot**. I reveal information through decisions: laws through consequences, faith through historical events, politics through interests and intrigue. Where direct explanation is necessary, I try to formulate it logically, historically, and excitingly. Not everything can be shown exclusively through action, and that is not a flaw, but a reality of complex worlds.
5. Mistake #5 & #6: Contradictions and Over-simplification
The fifth mistake is **contradiction between the world and the story**. Maps, timelines, power dynamics, and cultures must align with every scene. If a people is considered isolated, they shouldn't suddenly appear everywhere. If a god has lost power, it must have consequences. World rules apply even when they are inconvenient.
The sixth mistake is the **simplification of human mechanics**. Nations are not defined by single traits, but by interests, fears, traditions, and memories. Conflicts arise from history, not from labels. No nation is purely good or purely evil. Each acts for reasons rooted in its past.
Conclusion: The Three Control Questions
I don't test my worldbuilding with the question "Is it big enough?", but with these control questions:
- Where is it experienced?
- Who acts within it?
- What are the consequences?
For me, worldbuilding is not a renunciation of explanation or a reduction to a few elements. It is the conscious weaving of history, cultures, and power structures into the plot. A world is believable when it is not just described, but experienced through characters.