World-Building Questionnaire: Technology and Magic

World-building questionnaires are vital for fleshing out a fictional world. They help fantasy writers create immersive settings and are also invaluable for historical fiction authors who are getting to know their chosen period.

Systems of magic are more relevant to speculative fiction than historical fiction. However, magic represents power, which is universal to all worlds and settings. Similarly, technology enables individuals to achieve specific tasks and allows societies to accomplish broader goals. Power, in all its forms, is a crucial source of tension and conflict. Power can corrupt, but it can also liberate.

Technology Development and Impact

1. What are the key technologies in your world?
2. How did these technologies develop and spread?
3. Who controls or regulates technological advancements?
4. How do different technologies impact daily life and industry?
5. What are the societal attitudes towards technology (acceptance, fear, ambivalence)?

Magic Systems and Rules

6. What are the sources and limits of magic in your world?
7. How is magic learned and practiced?
8. Who has access to magic, and how is it regulated?
9. What are the costs or consequences of using magic?
10. How are individuals treated who do not have access to magic?

Integration of Technology and Magic

11. How do technology and magic interact in your world?
12. Are there conflicts or synergies between technological and magical practices?
13. How do technology and magic influence each other’s development?
14. Are there hybrid technologies that incorporate magic?
15. How do characters navigate a world with both technology and magic?

Power and Influence

16. How do technology and/or magic shape power dynamics in your world?
17. Who holds power due to technological or magical abilities?
18. How is power maintained or challenged through technology or magic?
19. What are the ethical implications of technological or magical power?
20. How do individuals and societies deal with the corruption or misuse of power?

Everyday Use and Accessibility

21. How accessible are technology and/or magic to the general population?
22. What everyday tasks are aided by technology or magic?
23. How do different social classes use technology and magic differently?
24. Are there technological or magical tools specific to certain professions?
25. How do education and training systems accommodate technology and magic?

Technological and Magical Innovations

26. What are the recent technological and magical breakthroughs?
27. Who are the key innovators or influential figures in these fields?
28. How do these innovations affect the balance of power in your world?
29. Are there any ongoing research or experimental practices?
30. How do societal changes drive or hinder innovation?

Historical Context and Evolution

31. How have technology and/or magic evolved over time in your world?
32. What historical events significantly impacted technological or magical development?
33. How do historical technologies or magical practices differ from contemporary ones?
34. Are there any lost or forgotten technologies or magical arts?
35. How do historians and scholars study the evolution of technology and/or magic?

A world-building questionnaire helps you unearth details that may not appear directly in your story. However, having these details in your mind will make your world more authentic and vibrant.

Jump to another world-building questionnaire:

• Geography and Environment
• Government and Politics
• Economy and Trade
• Daily Life and Customs
• Religion and Belief Systems
• History and Lore
• Language and Communication
• Technology and Magic

David Griffin Brown is an award-winning short fiction writer and co-author of Immersion and Emotion: The Two Pillars of Storytelling. He holds a BA in anthropology from UVic and an MFA in creative writing from UBC, and his writing has been published in literary magazines such as the Malahat Review and Grain. In 2022, he was the recipient of a New Artist grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. David founded Darling Axe Editing in 2018, and as part of his Book Broker interview series, he has compiled querying advice from over 100 literary agents. He lives in Victoria, Canada, on the traditional territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.