You may want to consider if you are trying to create a believable or realistic planet where humans can survive or if you are going for the fictional effect and not worrying about plausibility at all. You may end up creating an atmosphere for the planet that is similar to Earth so your reader is more likely to believe human life can survive on the planet. You should also think about how the atmosphere appears on the planet. Is the atmosphere foggy and thick with white gases or does it have patches of poisonous gases that appear green or blue? Maybe sections of your planet contain different atmospheres, leading to a wide range of gases and elements on the planet.
Maybe the planet consists mostly of ice and it is always winter on the planet, with temperatures below zero. Or, perhaps there are areas of the planets that are tropical, with hot, humid temperatures and areas of the planet that are dry and arid.
You may want the seasons to correspond with the climate and the atmosphere of the planet. Perhaps a planet that is made mostly of frozen water will have only one season: winter. Or, if the climate is tropical on the planet, it may be summer year round. Keep in mind the names of seasons on the planet can also be different than the ones we have on Earth. You are creating a fictional planet, after all, so you have the freedom to come up with new names for seasons and include them in your story.
Perhaps the planet consists of a variety of landscapes, such as ice capped mountains, grassy hills, desert plains, and tropical jungle. Or, maybe there is only one type of landscape on the planet, such as a planet made of ice that contains glaciers, ice walls, and frozen forests. [5] X Research source You should also consider if there are going to be bodies of water on the planet, such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. Perhaps there is only one long body of water that circles the entire planet or several lakes that are considered sacred to the people living on the planet.
You can make a specific landmark a key element in the journey of your protagonist so the landscape feels central to your story. Maybe your protagonist has to journey to a central tower to receive important information from the planet’s government. Or, maybe your protagonist is searching for a key buried in a sacred mountain on the planet.
You may include mineral resources like gold, iron, or coal. There may also be precious stones like diamonds or pearls on the planet. You may include natural resources like fossil fuels or natural gas. Or, the planet may contain lots of forests for timber and fertile land for growing crops.
You should consider how the planet’s cities, towns, and villages are going to factor into your story. Maybe your protagonist lives in a large city in a specific spot on the planet. Perhaps your antagonist lives in a remote town. Consider how you are going to use the lay out of the planet in your story and build it from there.
For example, maybe you are creating a planet that is divided into two sides: one of ice and one of sand. You may then label one side “Frigid Land” and list details about the atmosphere, climate, and landscape in this area. You may list: “Blue atmosphere, below zero temperatures, populated by glaciers, ice walls, snow-capped mountains, and sparse forest. ”
Determine a rough estimate of the population of the different species on the planet. Maybe humans are outnumbered by aliens, or humans and aliens are outnumbered by a species of animal on the planet. You should consider the different races that live on the planet. Maybe there are different races of humans who live in specific areas or locations on the planet. There may be different races of aliens as well who only inhabit a specific area on the planet.
You may want to try using some of the unique biodiversity found on Earth as a jumping off point. Do some research on strange biodiversity on Earth and put it in as part of your planet’s biodiversity. [10] X Research source Another option is to take an existing plant or animal and make them more unique or strange. Your planet may be populated by grapevines that excrete blood, for example, or wildebeests who are only two inches tall. Get creative and turn familiar elements of our world into unique ones for your fictional planet.
You should consider the origin of the planet and the species. Is the planet a distant star that was inhabited by aliens who crash landed on it? Or did the species grow and evolve on the planet over a long period of time? You should also consider major events in the history of the planet. Maybe the aliens who crash landed had to overthrow a species who already lived on the planet. Or perhaps the species who evolved on the planet had to survive the dark ages to then be prosperous on the planet.
Keep in mind you are creating a fictional planet and you do not need to stick to realistic ideas of technology. You have the freedom to create your own versions of existing technology, such as cellphones that are called beam-hands or a version of the internet that is called simply “the Net”. Get creative and do not be afraid to create your own technologies for the species on your planet.
For example, perhaps there is a specific area of the planet that is known for its magical forest, which seems to swallow up anyone who enters. Or maybe the planet contains patches of green gas that can suffocate anyone who is not wearing the proper breathing gear. There may also be magical beings who exist as species on the planet. You may limit magic to only these magical beings, who bring magic with them, rather than have magic be a part of the planet’s make up.
You may decide to treat the planet as another character in your story, with a mind of its own. Perhaps it creates conflict for your characters, where they have to escape the inhospitable planet to stay alive.
You should consider where the planet is located exactly within a larger system. The rules of the planet may also be based on its position in a solar system, where it is limited by a larger planet or in control of smaller planets. Think about the positioning of the planet in relation to other planets and celestial bodies, such as stars, meteorites, and black holes.
