Worldbuilding templates are writing prompts designed to help you flesh out a World. G.R.A.P.E.S and H.E.R.M.E.T.I.C.S. are two I am aware of that are fairly searchable and come in acronym form. Regardless, I have sampled the questions of a handful of worldbuilding templates and compiled a list of worldbuilding elements you can use to kick-start thinking about your world.
- afterlife
- agriculture
- animals
- architecture
- art
- available materials
- bigotry
- calendar
- celebrations
- celestial bodies
- city planning
- class hierarchy
- classism
- climate
- clothing
- common names
- communication
- construction capabilities
- continents
- countries
- creation myths
- criminal organizations
- currency
- departures from natural law
- diseases
- domesticated animals
- education opportunities
- effects of magic on world
- employment level
- entertainment
- etiquette
- evolution or intelligent design
- family
- famous people
- famous places
- fashion
- food
- food culture
- friendships
- genders
- geography
- gods
- governments
- gravity
- group agendas
- group interplay
- group leaders
- groups
- historical events
- ideologies
- immigration and emigration
- important locations
- imports and exports
- industrialization
- international relations
- interpersonal bonds
- intimacy
- intoxicants
- jobs
- languages
- law enforcement
- laws
- leisure
- limits of magic
- literature
- magical ability
- map scale
- marriage
- medicine
- migratory patterns
- military logistics
- military ranks
- military tactics
- morals
- music
- myths
- natural resources
- non-living beings
- oral tradition
- peoples
- perception of academics
- perception of government
- perception of magic
- perception of workers
- perception of religion
- places of learning
- places of worship
- planes
- plants
- political factions
- political tensions
- politics
- population
- population density
- professional ethics
- professions
- propaganda
- punishments
- races
- racism
- rebels
- record keeping
- religions
- religious practitioners
- religious rites
- reproduction
- rites of passage
- rules of magic
- sex work
- sexism
- sexuality
- slavery
- societal wealth
- species-ism
- standard of living
- stereotypes
- swearing
- taboos
- technology
- timekeeping
- titles
- trade
- traditions
- transportation
- travel
- types of magic
- vehicles
- wars
- weaponry
- weather
- worship
- xenophobia