Worldbuilding where the characters and plot are center stage or Worldbuilding where the characters and plot are just there, but the world is far more interesting OR a healthy balance of the world, characters, and plot blending together?
Omg LotR would be an incredibly boring story if it was just about the shire, Gondor, Mordor, Moria, Rivendell and all the other locations. Who cares about them? Those places only have significance because of what the characters do there. Settings should serve the story, not vice versa. ĘĘ_ĘĘ
âCome see where the rings of power were originally forged! View our beautiful and exotic lava pools! Visitors are advised to avoid the locals whenever possible, however, due to complaints of violent interactions. Visitors should also ensure that vaccinations against poisonous spiders are up to date!â
Doesnât worldbuilding heavily influence plot? You canât have plot without worldbuilding things coming into play, right? I canât think of a story where the plot had nothing to do with any aspects of the world. If the character is living in the world, already you have to have some world built, right?
I donât think either are more appealing than the others.
@alenatenjo said it depends on the plot of the story and I agree with that.
when i write, the world is just the backdrop, and the characters are the impetus that drives the plot forward. this tends to work for character-driven dramas, but not every story needs to be structured this way.
Most âwriting gurusâ argue that everything, everything should be centered around the characters. Worldbuilding included. I think Dune is a good example because Paul is this messiah-type character and he is at the center of Herbertâs world. This is an example of a story thatâs very famous for its world-building. Still, at its core, it is a character-centered work. The Hunger Games is another example. Everything revolved around Katniss as the Mockingjay. The story is designed to progress her development even when it comes to worldbuilding.
But these are Western stories and this principle doesnât apply to every work. I love One Piece. I would argue that the show is more about the worldbuilding and plot than the characters.