Creation myths are not just background details. They are the foundation of how cultures explain existence, define themselves, and interpret their place in the world. A strong creation story can shape laws, inspire rituals, explain natural phenomena, and give depth to your setting.
In this guide, we will walk through seven key steps to building creation stories for your world. Each step includes questions to ask yourself, examples you can use for inspiration, and writing prompts to help you bring your mythology to life.
1. Cosmic Origins: Where Did Everything Begin?
Every creation story starts with an origin. Ask yourself: how did the world come into being?
- Was it crafted intentionally by gods, spirits, or natural forces?
- Did it emerge through chaos, accident, or even destruction?
- Is your world a fragment of something greater, such as a shattered god, a broken star, or the dream of an eternal being?
Example
- In one myth, the universe might be formed from the tears of a grieving goddess, with each star a droplet still falling into the void.
- Or in another civilisations might have been seeded by an all powerful alien race whose power over nature is unfathomable to those that are created.
💡 Writing Prompt: Write a short myth told by priests, elders, or children in your world that explains how the sky came to be.
2. The First Beings: Who Came Before the World?
Before land, rivers, or mortals, there were the first beings. These figures set the tone for your world’s mythology.
- Were they gods, titans, or immense animals?
- Were they abstract forces such as hunger, silence, or time?
- Do they still exist, or are they long gone, leaving behind relics, ruins, or laws?
Example
- Imagine a culture that believes the first being was Hunger. It devoured everything, forcing the gods to create endless cycles of growth, decay, and renewal to keep the world alive.
- Skeletons of animals/beings from ages past could be found and the people believe these were the beings who ruled the world. Dinosaur bones could be mistaken for dragon bones – or in fantasy these dragons could have ruled the world in times that have passed.
- Primordial beings who wandered the world long before common time. Or maybe Gods who inhabited the world before the coming of mortals
💡 Writing Prompt: Imagine the downfall of the first being in your world. What mark did it leave behind that is still visible today?
3. The Shaping of the World: How Did the Land Take Form?
The earth itself often carries the scars of creation. Myths about natural landscapes add meaning and mystery to your setting.
- Was the land raised from an endless sea?
- Was it carved from the body of a slain giant?
- Was it sung into being by divine voices?
- Do natural features still hold secrets, such as mountains that are prisons for ancient beings or rivers that flow with divine blood?
Example
- A canyon might be explained as the scar left behind when a lightning god struck the earth in anger.
- Coastlines that have been washed away from floods and tsunamis could be explained by angering on of the water/ocean gods and they are carrying out their wrath upon the people.
💡 Writing Prompt: Write a folk story about a landmark in your world that ties directly into its creation myth.
4. The Birth of Mortals: Where Did People Come From?
In your worlds there will come a point where mortals will appear. Their origin story will shape how they view themselves and their relationship with the divine.
- Were mortals moulded from clay, carved from bone, or descended from the stars?
- Did they sprout from trees, emerge from caves, or rise out of the sea?
- Were they created as a gift, by accident, or even as punishment?
Example
- A people may believe they were born from trees, their first lifeblood the sap that still runs in their veins. They have their systems and culture tied to the protection of the trees – they live at one with nature.
- A race could believe they were created by all powerful gods and given the blessing of walking the planet and carrying out all they believe the gods would want.
💡 Writing Prompt: In your world, do mortals feel proud, ashamed, or grateful for their origin?
5. Conflict and Order: Was Creation Peaceful or Violent?
Many creation myths include conflict. These forms of conflict can come in many different ways. Struggle is often at the heart of beginnings.
- Was there a cosmic war between gods?
- Did betrayal shatter the balance of the world?
- Was light separated from darkness through force?
- What lasting scars remain, such as deserts, storms, night and day, or the changing of the seasons?
Example
- A myth may tell of two sky gods at war, their battle splitting the heavens and creating night as a scar across the sky.
💡 Writing Prompt: Describe how one natural phenomenon in your world, such as thunder, eclipses, or tides, is explained as part of this ancient struggle.
6. Why Creation Stories Matter
Creation myths are powerful because they are more than stories. They shape how cultures live and how your characters understand the world.
- They shape culture. Laws, taboos, and rituals often trace back to a creation story.
- They add depth. A culture’s fears, values, and hopes are revealed in how they believe the world began.
- They fuel stories. Forgotten gods, sacred relics, or long-lost prophecies can return to play key roles in your narrative.
The creation stories can enable conflict between races in your stories (fantasy in particular). Different races will likely have different creation stories and ideas where they came from – this can lead to conflict between races. Some races may be long lived and others short – some could believe that this meant some where favoured more by their creators than others.
Example
Instead of simply saying “the gods made the mountains,” you might say:
When the Sky-Father fell in battle, his ribs became the mountain ranges, and his breath became the storms. The valley folk say they are born of his blood, and so they claim his strength.
7. Weaving the Myth: A Living Story
Your creation myth does not have to be a single polished tale. In fact, contradictions make it feel more real.
- Allow for multiple versions told by rival cultures, priests, rebels, or storytellers.
- Combine origins, first beings, shaping, mortals, and conflict into a myth cycle that your people pass down.
- Leave space for mystery, because sometimes the unknown is more powerful than the truth.
💡 Writing Prompt: Write two different versions of the same creation story from rival cultures in your world. What do they agree on, and where do they clash?
Conclusion
Creation myths are the foundation of your world’s storytelling. They explain how people see themselves, their gods, and their place in the universe. By weaving together cosmic origins, first beings, the shaping of the land, mortal beginnings, conflict, and cultural meaning, you can create stories that feel rich, layered, and alive.
Whether you use them as background flavour or bring them directly into your plot, creation stories give your world history, depth, and soul.