What on earth?
Explore the world with captivating stories, create unique tales from a library, and collaborate with others to customize them.
What is What on earth??
What on Earth is a storytelling platform that combines geographical exploration with collaborative narrative creation. Users can browse a library of stories tied to real locations around the world, then create their own unique tales or contribute to existing ones alongside other writers. The tool sits somewhere between travel inspiration and creative writing, letting you discover places through stories whilst building your own fictional or factual accounts. It's designed for anyone interested in combining geography with storytelling, whether you're a travel enthusiast looking for inspiration, a writer seeking collaborative projects, or someone who enjoys world-building. The freemium model means you can start exploring and creating without payment, though premium features likely enable additional capabilities or content access.
Key Features
Story library
Browse existing stories organised by geographical location and region
Collaborative editing
Work with other writers to create and modify stories together
Location-based narratives
Stories are anchored to real places on Earth, connecting narrative with geography
Custom story creation
Build original tales from scratch using the platform's tools
Community contributions
Participate in a shared library where users add and refine content
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- Free access to explore and create makes it accessible for casual users
- Collaborative features encourage community participation and knowledge sharing
- Location-based structure provides natural organisation and discovery
- Combines learning about real places with creative storytelling practice
Limitations
- As a newer platform, community size and story library depth may be limited compared to established writing communities
- Collaborative writing requires coordinating with other users, which can slow down individual projects
- Unclear what features remain free versus what requires payment under the freemium model
Use Cases
Travel planning: Read stories about destinations before visiting to gain local perspective and inspiration
Creative writing group: Collaborate with other writers on location-based fiction projects
Educational storytelling: Create narratives that teach geography and cultural history
Local history documentation: Contribute stories about places you know to preserve community narratives
Worldbuilding for fiction: Develop settings for novels or games with geographical grounding