Every World Has Rules: How to create worlds that feel real to your characters

Part of the series Writing a Book from Start to Finish

By J.E. Nickerson | Wise Thinkers Help Desk 

Try the exercise at the end of the article: list three rules that define your story world and check if your characters respect them. Share your progress with your writing community or on social media using #WiseThinkers.

As writers, we often focus on characters and plot—but there’s another layer that makes a story feel real: the rules of the world your characters inhabit. Every story universe operates under its own logic and rhythm. If your characters break those rules without explanation, the story falls apart.

Let’s look at two very different franchises: Law & Order: SVU and John Wick.

The World of SVU

SVU lives in a world where justice, procedure, and moral integrity matter. Detective Olivia Benson can bend rules here and there, but she always works within the system—or at least in a way that feels consistent with her character. If she suddenly declared, “We do everything under the table,” the other detectives—and the audience—would assume that her methods have become dishonest and surreptitious. It would clash with the world’s logic. Instead The rules anchor the characters and give the audience a framework for understanding their actions. Compassion for the victims of crimes and a strong moral code of traditional justice guides the world of these characters. 

The World of John Wick

In contrast, John Wick’s world is governed by a strict code of assassins, contracts, and consequences. This world is one where murder is acceptable, but only when someone steps outside the lines of the High Table, the governing body that oversees the assassin’s code of honor. The brutality of this world is never weighed against traditional values and morals like Law and Order is. Instead, violence is a tool of punishment when someone steps outside the lines created by the High Table. Every action has weight. If John Wick suddenly said, “Wait, we must speak out for the victim,” after shooting through a roomful of people the High Table decided should die, it would feel absurd. It breaks the rules of that universe and pulls the audience out of the story.

Why Rules Matter for Writers

Rules aren’t just limitations—they’re the scaffolding that allows readers or viewers to believe in your world. They tell your audience: This is how things work here. This is what’s possible. This is what’s off-limits. They make tension meaningful, stakes feel real, and character choices resonate. They anchor your audience and give them stability. 

Applying This to Your Writing

• Define the rules of your world early. What’s the tone? What behaviors are expected or forbidden?

• Make sure your characters operate within those rules—or give a believable reason why they’re breaking them. Once your characters break the rules, your audience will expect your characters to encounter resistance and consequences. In the world of John Wick, refusing to fulfill a contract or killing someone on property owned by the High Table results in immediate termination of the assassin. In the world of Law and Order, breaking the rules results in an arrest for criminals or disciplinary action for police officers. If you break the rules of your story world without any consequences, your story loses believability and your audience will feel disconnected from your story. 

• Remember, inconsistencies break immersion. If you show that certain actions are unacceptable in chapter 1, but show people doing them without consequences in chapter 4, your story will lose cohesion. 

Exercise: Write a scene from your story, then list three “rules” that define the world. Review your scene: do the characters respect the rules, or do they accidentally break them? Adjust as needed.

The best stories—whether in novels, films, or podcasts—thrive when the world feels real. And reality isn’t chaos; it’s a set of rules. Even in fantasy, action, or high-stakes crime, your readers can sense when a world isn’t following its own logic. Give your characters rules, then they—and your audience—will know exactly how to navigate the story you’re telling.

Explore how to ground your characters in the world you have created while still pushing them to the limits. Read the following articles on character development to hone your skills and develop layered characters. 

➡️When Good Characters Are Pushed to the Edge: Family, Fear, and Morally Grey Choices

➡️ Creating Tension by Putting Your Character Where They Don’t Belong

➡️ Not Your Stereotypical Character: Avoiding Common Stereotypes in Character Development

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📚 If you’re new here, I’m J.E. Nickerson — faith based author and inspirational storyteller. You can check out my books here or follow me on YouTube for more inspiration and encouragement on this writing life.

Exercise: Define the Rules of Your Story World

Step 1: Choose Your World

Pick the story you’re currently writing—or a scene you want to develop. It could be a short story, novel, or even a podcast episode.

Step 2: List the Rules

Answer these questions about your world:

1. Behavior Rules: What actions are expected or forbidden? How do your characters typically behave?

2. Moral/Code Rules: Are there ethical or cultural codes they must follow? What happens if they break them?

3. Tone & Pacing Rules: What’s the “vibe” of the world? Is it tense and fast-paced, quiet and introspective, or somewhere in between?

Step 3: Test Your Characters

Write a short scene or outline one action your character takes. Ask:

• Does this action respect the rules of the world?

• If not, is there a believable reason why they’re breaking them?

Step 4: Adjust as Needed

If your characters are stepping outside the world’s rules without justification, tweak either the rules or the action so it feels consistent.

Optional: Give your world a “signature moment” that immediately tells your audience the rules. For example:

• SVU—Benson always seeks justice within the law.

• John Wick—Every action has a cost and a code.

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This exercise does two things:

1. It helps you anchor your characters in a believable world.

2. It gives you a tool for storytelling consistency, whether writing a book, a short story, or scripting a podcast episode.