Tips for Writing Fantasy!

First, let me just say how amazing that picture looks, I don't know what I would do without Google.



So when people talk about the fantasy genre I immediately start to think of dragons, witches, wizards, and well, that picture to the left. I assume that you think of similar things, because it's true, every piece of fantasy has something other worldly and the main reason why people read fantasy is to escape their world....and what better way then jumping into someone else's.



However, I have been doing my research and fantasy can cross over with science-fiction and dystopian, but I am going to be talking about only the fantasy. Okie doke.



A little tip: not all characters in your para-super-fantasy selection should have names that are unpronounceable or obscure names, and yet, I tell you this I am completely aware of all the weird and wonderful names and spellings in fantasy. We have Gandalf, we have Eragon, we have Katniss...they are pronounceable, but weird names, however easy to remember. It's a similar effect with complicated names, but it can stress readers out quite easily, which is something you'd like to avoid, because they're your reader of course.



Place is important when you're writing fantasy, you have to build a world, maybe in the world we're already in now, but you still have to add the para-super-fantasy element and so there are things that you'll have to change about you place. Plus, if you didn't then it would be boring and not serve its purpose as a piece of escapism. You might set the scene in a mythical land, of course you'll have to build this and when I world build I always look at a few things: climate, people (supernatural? human?), relating to the real world (schooling, medicine, technology, currency etc.) so place is very important.



If there's something about the fantasy genre that I had to take, it would be the use of colour, tones, light etc. and making the picture inside your head flourish on the page. I think colours are amazing, especially when you're describing something and trying to make the picture whole. As a whole, the fantasy genre is also a lot about visuals, when you read you like to picture what's happening in your head, and it's hard to do if you're thinking of black and white images...so splash a bit of colour around! Preferably not just saying "white door" or "the carpet was red" you have to go into so much more detail, well, don't start professing your love for a door made completely of ivory that reflects the light from all direction. Yes, this does mean you can be exuberant with your descriptions about people, places and MAGIC.



A little tip: this can be used when writing anything, but a tip is a tip. Get a piece of paper and write down each of the senses; touch, taste, hear, smell, see and if your character has any special gifts they might be included in this senses section. When entering a new room make this list and write down at least one thing beside them, that way you interact with the setting and include the reader.



Fantasy is a really broad genre with so many different subgenres including dark fantasy, magic realism, mythic, paranormal/supernatural fantasy, superhero fantasy, epic fantasy, historical fantasy and urban fantasy to name a few. You have a lot of choice and a lot of freedom with fantasy because it's all about imagination play.



Research is also pretty key to writing fantasy because there is a lot that you might not know and a little bit of research has never hurt anyone (disclaimer, I do not take blame if you do in fact drop a heavy encyclopaedia on your foot) and if you know the history of a particular being then you can incorporate that into your story.




This link here is a hub of  an encyclopaedia of fantasy beings, names, places...I would recommend this site for you to do your research!


Things I hope you take from this blog: fantasy is a broad spectrum of writing. Fantasy is escapism, if you don't escape while you write, then how do you expect the reader to? And that really useful link up there ^^



I do read quite a bit of fantasy, yes, Harry Potter is one of my favourites of all time, but I do read a lot of Trudi Canavan, the author of the Magician's Guild series. I've also read Eragon, still not go around to Eldest. I have a lot of supernatural books on my bookshelf that I'm staring at...Hush, Hush, and I am Number 4, some stuff by James Patterson, Joseph Delaney...there's a lot.





What are some of your favourite fantasy novels? Short stories?

Do you prefer fantasy series or standalone?



Check back in on Wednesday for Romance, Friday for Horror and then next Monday for Drama.


-Joseph




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