Tag Archives: fantasy writing

The Journey of a Book

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I wrote a post a few months ago about part of my growth and journey as a writer, and how part of that process was letting a book project sit for over a decade. Over ten years ago, I was inspired by the Finnish folktale epic The Kalevala, my favorite fantasy stories, and all things Scandinavian, and I began building an elaborate fantasy world. The result was a long, wandering epic fantasy tale that I completely pants (that is, I “wrote by the seat of my pants,” also known as “being a pantser.” Normally I am a plotter – I like my outlines.) 

The finished 200,000 word story needed some polishing, and I produced two highly-revised drafts. I also got inspired to make a trilogy, and started writing the second book. Then life happened, other ideas happened, and I started feeling a bit burnt out by my Finnish mythology-inspired fantasy world. 

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When Your Writing Goes Against Your Personal Beliefs

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As a fiction writer, my main job is to make up stuff and write about things that I’ve never experienced (and probably never will, since I write fantasy and sci-fi). And sometimes, in the course of writing about people, places, and events that I’ve never seen or experienced, something comes along that directly violates my personal principles and beliefs. 

So what do you do, as a writer, if, for the sake of the story, you need to write about something that is the very antithesis of who you are as a person? I’m sure plenty of mystery and thriller writers have asked themselves this question. After all, the vast majority of people who write murder mysteries are not, in fact, murderers. 

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Summer Writing

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Summer is a time for enjoying the outdoors. I love the outdoors and nature. I like having my windows open day and night for fresh air. And while I’m not a fan of yard work in general, I’m finally starting to get a few nice flowers going so that my yard is more than just a bland expanse of grass and weeds. 

Actual summer, though, is not my favorite. I love a nice sunny spring day, but when the extreme heat and relentless sun of summer hits, I’m indoors and pining away for fall and winter. In the heat of late July and August, I have to do yard work/errands/cleaning/all other work in the early morning or late at night, because it’s just too hot to move around during the day (I have no air conditioning in my house, like many people in my area). So sitting in the dark in front of a fan with my laptop is the best thing to do in the summer heat. I often get more writing done in the summer than spring or fall.

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The ABCs of Writing a Fantasy Story

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This isn’t a list of do’s and don’ts or advice. It’s more of a list of elements that I’ve found to be common in most fantasy tales. Feel free to make suggestions about what other words you’d pick for this list! 

A – Adventure. What good fantasy tale doesn’t involve an adventure? It doesn’t have to be a thrill-a-minute tale, or involve more traveling than Frodo’s hike from the Shire to Mordor, but “going on an adventure” is a foundational element in many fantasy stories. 

B – Bad Guys. Whether the villain is the personification of evil itself, or a conflicted, misunderstood character, it’s not much of a story without an antagonist. 

C – Creatures. Most fantasy stories have some sort of fantastical animals. Whether it’s a classic fire-breathing dragon or a creature you invented from scratch, readers expect beasts of magic or mystery. 

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In Support of Predictability for Fantasy Plots

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New, different, unexpected – these are the things we all want in a story, right? After all, if the story is too predictable, too much like all the others we’ve read, then why bother with it? While this is very true – both readers and writers are always looking for the unique element – I believe there is room for some degree of predictability.

Genre Matters

First off, there is the conventions of the genre. This can be very broad, but I believe it’s the most important form of predictability. Readers pick up certain genres because they enjoy the conventions of that type of story. A reader of classic sword and sorcery will not be pleased to find space ships and vampires half way through the novel. Pick your genre/sub-genre, learn your genre, and gain an understanding of what some of the most common or popular elements are. The fantasy/paranormal sub-genre of vampire romance involves – you guessed it – vampires and romance. If your story is lacking these key elements, then it’s not a vampire romance. Continue reading →