Fantasy
Fantasy Writing Software
Software for fantasy novels: keeping a world, its places and its rules of magic consistent.
Worldbuilding
Worldbuilding Checklist
Answer in brief
Build only the parts of the world your story touches: the places scenes happen in, how power and money work, what people believe, and the rules of any magic or technology. Answer the questions below for your story, and record answers where you can check them later.
AxiomStory publishes this reference. The pick reflects the criteria on this page. It is not a measured ranking of every tool.
Work through the basics
Try it
Worldbuilding checklist
Build what the story needs
It's easy to spend months on history readers will never see. Start from your scenes: what does this character see, eat, fear and want here? Build outward from that, and stop when the scene works.
Show it through people
Readers learn a world best through what characters take for granted. A guard who expects a bribe tells more about the city than a page of history.
Record it as you go
Every detail you invent in a chapter becomes a fact you have to keep. A world wiki keeps them in one place. AxiomStory builds that wiki from your chapters, with a page for each place, group and rule, so details you invented in passing aren't lost.
Tools compared
| Tool | Best for | AI | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| AxiomStory | Novels and series of any length: a story wiki, plot hole checks, and pictures and voices for your characters | Yes. Reads your chapters, checks continuity, and suggests edits you approve. Never writes your book unless you ask | Free to start, no card. Plans from $20 a month |
| Novelcrafter | A codex of notes plus AI with your own key | Bring your own key, from $8 a month | $4 to $20 a month |
| Scrivener | Offline drafting and research | No | One time purchase |
Questions and answers
How much worldbuilding do I need before writing?
Enough to start the first scenes with confidence. Many writers build the rest while drafting and record it as they go.
Where should I keep worldbuilding notes?
In one searchable place, with the chapter where each detail first appears, such as a story bible or a world wiki.
Sources for this entry
- AxiomStory: official site
- Novelcrafter: official site (novelcrafter.com)
- Scrivener: official site (literatureandlatte.com)
Practical guides and checklists are original editorial guidance. Official descriptions don't show how tools compare in use. Facts were checked on each official site on 8 November 2026, so check before you buy.
Keep reading
Continuity
Plot Hole Checker
How to find plot holes and continuity errors in a novel, by hand and with software.
Fantasy
How to Build a Magic System
How to design magic with clear sources, costs and limits, and a builder to write your own rules down.
Continuity
How to Make a Story Timeline
How to build a timeline for a novel so ages, travel and events line up, with a quick age calculator.
Related sites
This is one of a set of references published by AxiomStory: Best Book Writing Software, Best Book Writing App, Best Novel Writing App. They share the same publisher and are not independent reviews.
Cite this entry
Best Fiction Writing Software. "Worldbuilding Checklist." Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestfictionwritingsoftware.com/worldbuilding-checklist/