Thread by @Write_Plan

As you world-build for your story, you’re answering many questions crucial to your characters’ lives. Not all the answers will make it into your manuscript, but it’s important that YOU know what they are. We’ve outlined some of these questions below. (THREAD)

First, the three types of settings:
1. A completely fictional world
2.The real world, but with fantastical elements (eg., witches in LA)
3.The real world with NO fantasy
Knowing which category yours falls into will help you determine which questions you need.

“Does the third type even NEED world-building?”
Yes, but not in as creative a sense. For stories based on the world we live in, outline everything that pertains to your character. Your character can't escape being affected by their surroundings, and they need context.

World-building consists of MANY components; in this thread we’ll discuss economy, government, magic/powers, geography, culture, and current events. If you have questions about any of these (or others), feel free to bring them up in a reply.

Economy: What’s the general economic structure and state of the world? How does it affect your characters? Where do they fit?
Are there economic divisions (e.g., upper/lower class, prejudices, poverty)? How do those affect your characters’ relationships?

Government: What’s the overall structure (e.g., democracy, monarchy)? How close are your characters to positions of authority (or are they in these positions)?
Even if your characters aren’t actively involved in politics, what happens will affect them like it does in our world.

Magic/powers/abilities: Do people have special skills or powers?
Once you’ve established what the powers are and whether your characters have them, ask: How does my character’s power (or lack thereof) affect their daily living? Their relationships? Their worldview?

Geography: You don’t need a detailed map, but you should have a general idea of where everything is, especially when characters visit different places.
How’s the climate where your story takes place? As your characters live out their plot, what’s the weather like in the backdrop?

Another important aspect of geography: borders. Does your world have different countries/kingdoms? If so, do your characters live near the borders? What’s the situation in those areas?
This can be telling for your characters’ positions in society and connections to foreign lands.

Culture: What traditions/rites are important? What’s considered sacred? What do characters do for fun?
Your characters will likely share many similarities if they live in the same area, but they may come from different cultures. How are these differences handled?

Current events: What’s happening in the world right now? Even if your characters don't interact with/partake in big events, these happenings may still affect the plot indirectly.
General trends change. What are the biggest topics of conversation while the story takes place?

Example: There's a war happening. Although Jill isn’t fighting in it, her parents worry about the draft while she’s still asleep. Authorities become antsy, and some of Jill’s acquaintances move away.

Finally, some things to keep in mind:
All worlds have some structure AND some chaos. Not everything makes logical sense, but most things fit together.
Be careful with parallels, especially in regard to ethnicities and identities. Always write with sensitivity, respect, and care.

Many authors don't want to spend time on this, but cutting corners becomes obvious down the line.
You don’t need to (and shouldn’t!) dump every detail into your MS, but the more you weave in, the more immersed your readers will be and the more context you give your characters.