Makes sense. The biggest strength of robust worldbuilding isn’t showing it all to your audience, it’s hinting at small pieces of it that shows a connection between them and hints at something deeper. Having what feels like a detailed history makes the world feel real, because you can see shadows of it in the foreground. If you actually dig into all of it explicitly in your story that just makes it feel shallow, because you’re showing the whole iceberg.
It’s why the mystery of the clone wars and Anakin’s apprenticeship and betrayal of Obi-wan were intriguing in the original Star Wars trilogy, but end up just being some action movies once it’s all fleshed out on screen. Depth stops being depth if you bring it all up to the surface.
I wish more writers would understand what you’re pointing out here, I’ve actually stopped reading quite a few books over the years because the actual story takes a back seat to the world building.
Makes sense. The biggest strength of robust worldbuilding isn’t showing it all to your audience, it’s hinting at small pieces of it that shows a connection between them and hints at something deeper. Having what feels like a detailed history makes the world feel real, because you can see shadows of it in the foreground. If you actually dig into all of it explicitly in your story that just makes it feel shallow, because you’re showing the whole iceberg.
It’s why the mystery of the clone wars and Anakin’s apprenticeship and betrayal of Obi-wan were intriguing in the original Star Wars trilogy, but end up just being some action movies once it’s all fleshed out on screen. Depth stops being depth if you bring it all up to the surface.
I wish more writers would understand what you’re pointing out here, I’ve actually stopped reading quite a few books over the years because the actual story takes a back seat to the world building.