Help?

Oh my! Im sorry! I didn't get an email notification saying someone replied. As for my world, I have a completely blank slate. ^^"

Ah man, I have a whole article I wrote on this somewhere. Let me find it for you.

Well, for me, it's location. Are there any particular areas important to your story that you might be able to revolve around? For instance, in my own novel, a mountain is the central setting, so I took from that and made my land a mountainous region close to the north. It'll give you a basic idea of what creatures live there, what weather will be like, even jobs, perhaps.

Lorekeeper Crow- Oh okay. That makes sense. So then a city near a forest.

I can help with world building! Don't know if I'm gonna repeat the other answers to this thread but I was too lazy to read through them all. XD Sorry if I do!

I find that first, its easiest for me to get my first basic plot line down and know basically what's happening in the book. If you've done that, you probably already have some hopes for how your world is supposed to look. Like maybe as you're plotting you're like: "Oh, I want a forest to be there that the characters have to travel through," or stuff like that.
If not then, well, I suggest that you try to think of those things, because it'll help with building a world most of the time. (for me, you don't necessarily have to use this technique)

Another thing is a map! You may be very good at drawing maps, I am crappy at it. XD But, no matter your skill I highly suggest you should ALWAYS draw a map of your world for your book. Just sketch even a few different bits of land and move mountains/forests/etc. around and try to decide territories/borders. Also, no matter how well you imagine your world in your noggin it's always extremely helpful to actually be able to look at a map and be like, "Okay, so this is here and that's there," at least for me. c:

I usually go through at least two stages of my world before I settle on one thing. With changing up the plot or other ideas in my book, I've found that my world can and will change, most of the time for the better. XD

Well, hope that helps! If you have any questions, please ask.

And about character development, I have one thing to possibly suggest. If you at least know your characters basic personality/ies, names, and looks, you can always try making one of those 'ask my character' threads. People can ask all sorts of weird questions and if you know your basic character, stuff might pop into your head as answers that you know that person would do/like or whatever. c: Or at least it'll make you think and then it can help with developing the character more.
I tried that once, I didn't get too many replies but it helped me think more about my characters.

Nightambush

You're welcome! c:
Ahh, I'm trying to think. I have this terrible old book that's obviously like a complete copy from another already published series so I'm trying to think of how I got outta that. XD What I'm kinda doing for my new series is taking a game (legend of Zelda) as a 'role model' to not steal ideas from, but take basic thoughts/ideas out of the game and then warping it into my own idea. I'll go into more depth with this later.

Try thinking of the main plots of the book/shows that you might be accidently basing your own work on and list them. Then, when trying to come up with ideas for your own book, look back to that list and see if you're copying anything. Feel free to try to take very basic plot ideas from those (if its what you're looking for) but see how you can make your own twist on them.

By very basic plot ideas I mean stuff like what I'm doing. Link (from Legend of Zelda, lets say from the game Skyward Sword) is going on this big quest to find his best friend Zelda who's been taken away. That's a very basic plot: a big quest that has an ultimate goal in the end. For my book, my main character is going on a big quest to find the sacred place so she can rid the realm of evil. Can you see what I'm getting at?

If your book isn't related at all (or what you want it to be) to any of those books/shows you watch/read, I have one more suggestion. To get out of the habit of taking ideas, just first try doing what I just suggested above. Try to make short stories out of those using basic plot ideas (like the big quest) and adding your own twists and thoughts to them. Just keep on making those short stories until it becomes easier to come up with your own ideas, and as a bonus writing short stories super helps with your writing abilities. c: (at least for me XD)

Does any of that make sense or help? I know what I wanna say but I'm finding it hard to put into words. XD If you have any questions please ask, I know I can be confusing at some times.