This two-part article looks at the nature of things and how they’re formed. Part one will examine oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, and deserts. Part two will look at forests, mountains, hills, swamps, snow, ice, and volcanoes.
Diseases ravaged the lives of millions of people throughout the Middle Ages. A combination of bad diet, poor hygiene, inadequate sanitation and an ill-informed understanding of medicine left many people vulnerable to fatal infections.
Given many fantasy stories have a medieval setting, similar circumstances would give rise to diseases in a secondary world. As we’ll see, this presents interesting opportunities for the fantasy writer.
Today I’m thrilled to introduce the immensely creative John Tarrow, a talented author and next-level, real-life builder of fantasy worlds. John has kindly put together the guide below to show you how to create your own fantasy world, just like John did himself. You can get ideas for a fantasy house interior, a garden and …
How To Create Your Very Own Living Breathing Fantasy World Read More »
Religion and belief systems feature a great deal in the fantasy genre, and it’s unsurprising why. Religion, faiths and beliefs shape our own lives in a multitude of ways, providing purpose, meaning and structure.
Here are the results of my research into overused character tropes in the #fantasy genre. What do you think came top?
I see many complaints about the stereotypical races found in fantasy. Elves who sing to the birds and can shoot a wing off a fly from three hundred yards away without looking. Beardy dwarves who heft axes bigger than their bodies and defy sadistic dragons for a bit of gold.
In identifying your sub-genre you can better target your readers as well as the types of publishers that look for that type of tale. Not only that, it’ll help to make useful comparisons to other, well-known books in that sub-genre which may, with luck, help you sell more!
So often in our favourite fantasy books, we see medieval weapons, or fantasy weapons inspired by medieval history. Think back to some of your favourite fantasy stories, or fantasy films or TV shows like Game of Thrones. Did weapons, like swords and bows, play a major part? Game of Thrones, in particular, is well known …
5 Amazing Medieval Weapons To Use In Your Next Fantasy Book Read More »
This week we conclude our tour through medieval history with a glance at the weird and wonderful world of weaponry. This is not a comprehensive guide—I’m sure some of you will be annoyed I’ve left out your favourites—but rather a look at some of the lesser known yet effective weapons.
Today I’m delighted to introduce fellow writer and historical fiction lover, Jack Shannon. Jack approached me with the idea for an article on the links between historical fiction and fantasy and I found myself in complete agreement. For fantasy writers, there’s much to be learned from historical fiction, from weaponry, armour and battle tactics, to …
Historical Fiction and Fantasy: Learning From The Past Read More »
