Aiden

I can't seem to write anything without assembling (what I attempt to make) an internally consistent backstory and setting to the entire thing, with probably far too much detail given how little investment I have in a given project at the time.

I know that feeling. Happens to me, too.

Consistent backstories for things that I have vs actual things.

yeeeeeaaaah, that feel, bro.

I love world building, if it helps.

World building is probably why I take so much on writing things. I just find it neater than writing.

For me, it's writing > world building. World building is okay, but... I just prefer characters and stories. I'm a bit more pragmatic when it comes to creating stories, and write what's necessary, with some extra details. World building notes are just there for my own reference so that I don't contradict myself, and for future points to make in an ongoing story.

I simply view practicality as more beneficial to writing than background detail. Perhaps that's part of why I retired from so many writing groups.

World building is a necessary evil. Especially if you're going to be writing an Urban Fantasy series. My theory: keep it simple.

Apparently I got past 'necessary evil' and into 'obsessive': http://forums.nrvnqsr.com/showthread...l=1#post709782