Fantasy is a favorite genre of mine ever since the creation of my own planet at age five to get through physical therapy. The most important aspect of Fantasy in my opinion is the world where your story takes place. I know what you are thinking: Aren’t the characters and plot the most important part of a novel? Protagonists are an important part of a novel. Readers need someone to root for after all, right? True, but hear me out. An interesting world can make awful people interesting because someone would want to see how they survive their circumstances. Waiting to see if they meet a horrible end still turns pages, and that’s the basic goal for authors. Creating an entire universe can be overwhelming. Where to start? Here are a few details to consider when manifesting the setting for a novel.

Financial System

Okay, finances aren’t a popular subject, but unless the citizens can create whatever they need to survive, commerce exists in some form. Bartering is still a form of payment. Value lies in trading one item or service for another. Even prestige acts as a form of currency. The ruler of a kingdom frequenting a certain location in town draws more business for the owner. Members of the town gather at the location to catch a glimpse of the famed individual. Thus, creating more business for the owner of the location. Depending on the public perception of the military in the book, soldiers may get drinks from other patrons as a thank-you for their service. This is a good place for conflict because one aspect of society is that there is always a group who doesn’t like the status quo. Imagine if one of the customers in a local pub thinks that the Commander sitting on the barstool next to them is an arrogant jerk that doesn’t deserve any adoration. The irate drinker accidentally “spills” a beverage on the lap of his unwelcome guest. The exhausted leader loses his cool and punches the civilian. Due to the force of the blow, the man hits his head on a table and dies in an instant. Staring in horror, Commander bolts out of the door before fellow company members detain him for murder. Now, in the span of a minute, a decorated Commander becomes a fugitive dodging the very squad he trained. The narrative has a few possibilities from that point. Which avenue has the most potential?

Option 1: Continue with the Commander as he evades capture and learns to live without his title.

Option 2: The murder victim’s fiancé devastated over the loss of their beloved decides to seek revenge.

See? These two novel ideas are solely based on the financial circumstances that exist.

Lower Classes

What happens to segments of the population that don’t gain access to certain resources? Do they rely on the charity of the upper classes? Does the government offer assistance? How does education work? Are there schools in each town? These are important questions to ask to make sure the civilization is well-rounded. There are a handful of solutions to this problem.

1) Everyone is required to go to a special school at a certain age. Then the students pick specialties, and bring that knowledge back to their communities. Each area maintains their own school to teach basic skills (reading, writing, local history,  math, science).

2) Only the upper classes attend school.

3) People born with special abilities go to learn how to harness their gifts. 

Healthcare Systems

Healthcare falls into the hands of a group of people who with either magic or knowledge of medicine. However, they don’t deal with minor ailments like headaches, colds, or body aches. It’s very hard to believe the only illnesses that exist are fatal. These maladies model  a pandemic that effects the whole area. Other than injuries of course, but even then, the specific treatment is severe. Examples of these treatments include, regenerating entire body parts with magic. However, most stories don’t have surgeries like c-sections, appendectomies, kidney stone removals, etc.

Also, there are a number of main characters in need of therapy for mental illnesses like PTSD. Why aren’t there therapists in more fiction pieces? Counselors work in hospitals and clinics. Writers use trauma as a source of tension. The existence of a profession to help deal with personal issues adds another layer to the arc of the story and normalizes talk therapy for readers.

Overall, building an entire culture and community has a lot of moving parts. Financial systems, treatment of lower classes, and healthcare systems are three areas that seem to be overlooked often. Make sure to have fun while the universe comes to life. The story benefits, and readers can feel the love.