World building is always fun to do, creating names, cultures, geography, history, etc... But one thing that I have discovered to make your world more believable is to add some history. Don't panic. I'm not suggesting you create a vast history like Tolkien did, but adding a bit to the background makes your world look better.
What inspires me most when adding a background to this fantasy world I've worked on for several years is real history, because it is so complicated. Wars do not happen for one reason; very often, there are several different ones that all collide and explode with deadly results. Rulers battle their own personal demons and troubles within and without their own realms. Kingdoms rise and fall. Scholars study and argue over what they believe is right. One little event over generations leads to something much bigger than anticipated. The list goes on and on. There is plenty of opportunity to explore these various areas, even in bits and pieces, so do so. It makes your world more alive and realistic, and it makes you look like you actually labored over your world building attempts.
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