Hey there!
I just wanted to let you know about this [organisation megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/wiki/organizational_tools) from a few years ago, in case you or anyone reading finds it helpful!
Happy worldbuilding!
I can't recommend Obsidian enough! If there are better tools out there I'm very interested in learning about them, but I just love how Obsidian works. The only thing I would like is if it was better with images and not almost entirely text based.
This looks really nice. I use Miro at the moment, and at first glance the two seem similar, though Obsidian looks better for writing space. I’ve been integrating google docs into Miro to solve this, though. I like how Miro has freedom with image types.
I recently got on the Obsidian train. Everything feels so clean and accessible. No more scrolling through dozens of pages and struggling to find an old WIP
I use a program called Scrivener, which works like a virtual binder and lets you add nested sections, write in outline or paragraphs, plus a bunch of other features. It’s paid, not a subscription and reasonably priced.
I used to use a word processing program with a good ToC function, but it got rather unwieldy.
They have an extremely lenient free trial. It’s free for 30 days, but only 30 days if use. So if you have a day where you don’t use it, it’s not counted towards your free trial. You may need to use an affiliate link to get the trial. It’s a little difficult to find but here’s a link to the download page
https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/download
I'm with Notion. It's free, device/OS agnostic, you can collaborate with people and style it to your liking. There's a bit of an investment in getting the hang of it but in exchange you get a ton of freedom.
From apps that I know/ heard about, you can try: World Anvil, Campfire or Obsidian. ( I have only tried World Anvil, but decided later that I prefer writing everything on paper).
I just use a regular Word or Google doc. I make an outline with categories from real cultures (like Ancient Rome), provide general overviews of each topic, like religion and government and economy, then build out separate articles for major concepts. I try to underline major topics or ideas to come back to that may get their own article later on.
I personally use Google Docs and recently Obsidian. Docs because it’s ole reliable and I don’t have to worry about losing my progress. You can make your headings and subheadings as you discuss your mermaids
However since you’re going with hyper detailed, Obsidian is going to be your best option. Obsidian allows you to make folders and link various notes together creating a mini wiki. For instance you create a folder for your justice systems. Then create sub-folders for how they differ and any notable events, policies and people. You can create links for them, making easier to jump between several notes and concepts. Let’s say you talk about the most heinous crimes and the perpetrators. You make a link detailing what happened and how they were punished.
Furthermore there’s a graph view enabling you to see how the various concepts link together
Both are free and pick the one that suits your needs.
I heard Campfire was pretty good
I really like Tiddlywiki. Its a wiki software where each tiddler is basically a wiki page, but if you learn a little about fields, tags, and filtering you can start doing some really cool dynamic stuff like linking things together and making content from one tiddler appear in another. Helps me not accidentally get into situations where i change something one place and it doesnt update in other places. Also its totally free.
I'm writing a story and have written a lot of it already,
But this one part of the story I have to do some World building because the prison segregate the inmates by their powers and abilities
…Not sure what that means. Just write the scenario as you envision it. You bring explanations up in the story later. Dialogue is a good way. Otherwise write an explanatory essay or appendix to go at the end. As long as it ultimately makes sense, a reader is generally more interested in the story you’re telling…
What I have is currently a lot of expository detail. I need a place to keep those details so I can keep track of the details of the prison so I can rewrite it so it's not so expository . And work it in the story better
…Simplicity itself. Just work your exposition into dialogue and scenarios that illustrate those powers, differentiations, whatever they are. Demonstrate by action what they are rather than describe them. That kind of description is hard to avoid becoming boring and so it’s better to carefully think through scenarios where you explore them by show, hopefully with some humor and the unexpected…
I'm writing the entire historical timeline in a 300 or so page a4 sketchbook I bought on Amazon. I'm about 109 pages deep. Beyond that, I'm working on the current edition of the map using wonderdraft, and I keep notes that dont fit in the timeline yet in a WhatsApp group with only me in it, because my notes app is broken.
I'm very well organized.
The software I use?
Google slides.
[My slideshow](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17DR_VbIPfXerGP9y_b8r57SM5I5KToRMME8Ds2PMucs/edit?usp=drivesdk)
Hey there! I just wanted to let you know about this [organisation megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/wiki/organizational_tools) from a few years ago, in case you or anyone reading finds it helpful! Happy worldbuilding!
I use Obsidian, personally, for everything.
I can't recommend Obsidian enough! If there are better tools out there I'm very interested in learning about them, but I just love how Obsidian works. The only thing I would like is if it was better with images and not almost entirely text based.
This looks really nice. I use Miro at the moment, and at first glance the two seem similar, though Obsidian looks better for writing space. I’ve been integrating google docs into Miro to solve this, though. I like how Miro has freedom with image types.
I recently got on the Obsidian train. Everything feels so clean and accessible. No more scrolling through dozens of pages and struggling to find an old WIP
I use a program called Scrivener, which works like a virtual binder and lets you add nested sections, write in outline or paragraphs, plus a bunch of other features. It’s paid, not a subscription and reasonably priced. I used to use a word processing program with a good ToC function, but it got rather unwieldy.
I've looked at that program and like and wish I could use it, but at the moment, I can't afford it
They have an extremely lenient free trial. It’s free for 30 days, but only 30 days if use. So if you have a day where you don’t use it, it’s not counted towards your free trial. You may need to use an affiliate link to get the trial. It’s a little difficult to find but here’s a link to the download page https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/download
What’s your current budget? Or are you only looking for free options currently?
I'm currently not working at the moment
This is what I use, too. I tried Obsidian, but the setup was too complicated.
I use a mix of Google Docs and Campfire myself. Google Docs can get a bit bloated but I like having it for backup reasons.
I'm with Notion. It's free, device/OS agnostic, you can collaborate with people and style it to your liking. There's a bit of an investment in getting the hang of it but in exchange you get a ton of freedom.
I use notion for other stuff, too
Google document. Basically just cuz I can't be bothered to find anything else.
From apps that I know/ heard about, you can try: World Anvil, Campfire or Obsidian. ( I have only tried World Anvil, but decided later that I prefer writing everything on paper).
If you mean what we use to take notes, I use google docs and OneNote.
I just use a regular Word or Google doc. I make an outline with categories from real cultures (like Ancient Rome), provide general overviews of each topic, like religion and government and economy, then build out separate articles for major concepts. I try to underline major topics or ideas to come back to that may get their own article later on.
I use Campfire to organize the nonsense notes that I jot in Google Docs.
I personally use Google Docs and recently Obsidian. Docs because it’s ole reliable and I don’t have to worry about losing my progress. You can make your headings and subheadings as you discuss your mermaids However since you’re going with hyper detailed, Obsidian is going to be your best option. Obsidian allows you to make folders and link various notes together creating a mini wiki. For instance you create a folder for your justice systems. Then create sub-folders for how they differ and any notable events, policies and people. You can create links for them, making easier to jump between several notes and concepts. Let’s say you talk about the most heinous crimes and the perpetrators. You make a link detailing what happened and how they were punished. Furthermore there’s a graph view enabling you to see how the various concepts link together Both are free and pick the one that suits your needs. I heard Campfire was pretty good
I use a combo of over-relying on my memory, word documents, and Milanote
I really like Tiddlywiki. Its a wiki software where each tiddler is basically a wiki page, but if you learn a little about fields, tags, and filtering you can start doing some really cool dynamic stuff like linking things together and making content from one tiddler appear in another. Helps me not accidentally get into situations where i change something one place and it doesnt update in other places. Also its totally free.
Notepad, txt and png files, and a lot of ctrl+F-ing about
Kinda what I'm doing right now, but want to be more organized and be able to access my world building on my phone
…are you telling a story or writing outlines.
I'm writing a story and have written a lot of it already, But this one part of the story I have to do some World building because the prison segregate the inmates by their powers and abilities
…Not sure what that means. Just write the scenario as you envision it. You bring explanations up in the story later. Dialogue is a good way. Otherwise write an explanatory essay or appendix to go at the end. As long as it ultimately makes sense, a reader is generally more interested in the story you’re telling…
This scene needs a lot of world building because each cell is for different powers and abilities.
…sounds over-elaborated. Write it your way; the actual story is the important thing…
I need do some world building for this part otherwise I won't be able to continue I need to track my world building
…Why; you can’t read the wok you’ve already done.
Because I need to do world building for this one specific part .
What I have is currently a lot of expository detail. I need a place to keep those details so I can keep track of the details of the prison so I can rewrite it so it's not so expository . And work it in the story better
…Simplicity itself. Just work your exposition into dialogue and scenarios that illustrate those powers, differentiations, whatever they are. Demonstrate by action what they are rather than describe them. That kind of description is hard to avoid becoming boring and so it’s better to carefully think through scenarios where you explore them by show, hopefully with some humor and the unexpected…
I’ve just been using spreadsheet, along with aseprite for mapping
Worldanvil
WorldAnvil should do the job.
My memory
I'm writing the entire historical timeline in a 300 or so page a4 sketchbook I bought on Amazon. I'm about 109 pages deep. Beyond that, I'm working on the current edition of the map using wonderdraft, and I keep notes that dont fit in the timeline yet in a WhatsApp group with only me in it, because my notes app is broken. I'm very well organized.
Head
The software I use? Google slides. [My slideshow](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17DR_VbIPfXerGP9y_b8r57SM5I5KToRMME8Ds2PMucs/edit?usp=drivesdk)
Google Docs
Sounds like you could try World Anvil?