storyworlds

Storyworlds, in narratology and media studies, refer to the fictional universes in which stories take place. A storyworld comprises not only the physical setting and geography but also the rules, histories, cultures, institutions, technologies, magic systems, languages, and social dynamics that shape what is possible within the narrative. The concept emphasizes coherence and continuity across stories that share the same world.

Key components include the world’s chronology and geography, its political systems and economies, its social norms and power relations, and its causal mechanisms—how events unfold and how characters interact within the rules of the world. Authors may establish canonical facts, but storyworlds also accommodate unknowns, gaps, and fan-generated extensions, as long as they remain internally consistent.

In practice, storyworlds support multi-book series, film franchises, video games, and other media by providing a shared backdrop for multiple narratives. Transmedia storytelling leverages a single storyworld to tell complementary stories across platforms, inviting participatory engagement from fans while maintaining authorial control over the core canon and its boundaries.

Scholars such as Marie-Laure Ryan have developed theories of storyworlds, focusing on how readers and viewers mentally construct these universes. Well-known examples include Tolkien’s Middle-earth, the Star Wars galaxy, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, illustrating how rich, internally consistent worlds can sustain long-running narratives across multiple formats.