A major benefit of using World Anvil as a writer or storyteller is the ability to create Plot and Prose Articles. The former template is built around planning and really works well for thinking about what events should happen and how to set up the thematic and structural framework of your writing. It also helps in guiding the structure for the latter template. Prose Articles allow you to present actual stories to your readers instead of just articles of information, and these present with light and dark modes and scaling text zoom. Great for providing a comfortable, e-book feel. So then, how do we make the most of these articles, and intice our readers to begin diving into our crafted worlds on their own?
Prep the Connected Articles
What is an Elf? Exactly how fast is Warp 4? Why do the people of Grenal only eat before the dawn?
Amazing details can be touched upon in your writing, but being able to leave a link to more information allows your reader to follow threads of interest while reading. The natural action is to only create these links as you need them, in the flow of your writing, but this can lead to only giving your readers an idea of the wider world, instead of actually providing information they may want or enjoy. By creating the related Character, Location, and Organization articles ahead of time, you can make sure you have a solod idea of how these items interact before writing, and provide a solid, in-world article of facts for your readers to read up on between longer Prose articles. Special care should be taken when writing mysteries or other genres where character motives or natures should be kept secret!
With your articles prepared ahead of time, you as the writer now have a better feel for which Characters, Locations, Organizations, and Items may be needed, as well as an easy location to back reference too after initial descriptions or events have transpired. If you do find a mew piece that needs referenced while your writing, use the Purple Inkwell Power Button in the lower right corner of your World Anvil Editor to quickly type up basic information!
Do not forget that you can use the Article Block Tag to create Block Links, a great asset for linking related reading that may not have directly come up in the primary plot or prose.
Provide Readers with A Journey
Readers enjoy diving into minutia about their favorite world's. Take a look at sources like The Lord of the Rings Appendices, Harry Potter's Pottermore, and Star Wars' Wookipedia for examples of just how much information can be gathered together. Giving your audience a way to explore this information in their own way is key to allowing them to come back and discover even more. Hint at things to come with ancient Myths, missing or stolen Items, recently uncovered Documents, and even histories of cities and countries. There is never enough information to uncover.
Listening to feedback about what readees enjoyed can also help you decide what things may need more behind the scenes fleshing out, so be sure to keep your comments open!
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