Welcome to my fantasy writing page. Here you can find lots of useful information about creative writing and the fantasy genre.
I love fantasy. The escapism. The endless possibilities. It all speaks to me so much as a person. And I’ve found such delight in the fantasy novels I’ve both read and written, like Pariah’s Lament.
Fantasy also has a rich tapestry of subgenres, meaning that there genuinely is something for everyone. So if you’re a fantasy writer who wants to learn a bit more about how to improve, here you can find lots of writing tips and guides specific to the genre.
What Is Fantasy Writing?
Fantasy writing is the act of creating fictional stories that are distinguished by their unusual settings or magical elements.
It’s perhaps the secondary worlds that fantasy writers create that’s the most remarkable feature. Just look at Middle Earth from The Lord of the Rings, for example, or Westeros from Game of Thrones as another. These places feel as real and alive as our own. Readers don’t want to leave. They want to explore. Worldbuilding, therefore, plays a big role in fantasy writing.
Another key element to the fantasy genre is magic or magical beasts, like dragons. So often we see wizards, witches, enchanted weapons and armor, or magical creatures like ents. All of these aspects help remove us from our own mundane world and transport us to new and exciting ones.
Tips On Writng Fantasy Novels And Stories
It’s not easy to write a fantasy novel. In fact, it’s one of the toughest things you could do as a writer.
Not only do you have to create compelling characters and weave together intricate and epic plotlines, but you also have to create an entire world from scratch. That means new reference points, new cultural norms, natural laws… everything.
I’ve broken down writing a fantasy novel into different elements, which you can find below:
Writing Characters
Plotting
Plotting: Architectural Suspense
Theme
Dialogue
Viewpoint and Tense
Viewpoint, tense and narrative distance
Editing
Books On Fantasy Writing
One of the best ways to improve your storytelling skills is to invest in some books. I’ve learned so many wonderful things from books on writing, penned by everyone from Stephen King to Margaret Atwood to Lajos Egri.
These books have taught me so much over the years. And the most useful bits of writing advice I’ve compiled into my very own book on fantasy writing—The Fantasy Writers’ Toolshed.
With over 80 four and five star reviews on Amazon, A Fantasy Writers’ Handbook is the complete guide to writing fantasy, the book I always wanted to have at my side when I first set out writing fantasy stories.
Now it can be your guide.
You can get your copy below.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Very useful. Helped me land my first book deal.” Jack Shannon, Fantasy Author
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Written in a friendly, uncluttered style, Billing has managed to accumulate and present a huge amount of useful information in a way that perhaps a favourite lecturer might do.” Readers’ Favourite
Fantasy Writing Tips And Guides
Below, I’ve included links to all of my dedicated fantasy writing guides. You can everything here from advice on building fantasy worlds to posts designed to help inspire ideas for your stories, such as looking at the lives of medieval peasants and lords, to medieval archery and weapons.
Worldbuilding
A Complete Worldbuilding Guide
Natural Worldbuilding – The Best Way To Build a Fantasy World
Worldbuilding: Practical Tips [podcast]
Worldbuilding: Battle Tactics I
Worldbuilding: A Minimalist Approach
Finding Inspiration For Writing Fantasy
A Lordly Life (the life of lords during medieval times)
A Fantasy Writer’s Guide to Armour
A Fantasy Writer’s Guide to Medieval Weaponry
A Guide to Castles and Keeps: Part One (structures)
The Pesky Peasantry of the Middle Ages (life for peasants during medieval times)
A Guide to Castles and Keeps: Part Two (defensive features)
Killer Diseases of the Middle Ages
A Guide to Castles and Keeps: Part Three (the siege: bringing down the walls)
Advice From Fantasy Writers On Writing a Novel
Things to Consider When Writing Fantasy
The Many Sub-genres of Fantasy
A Guide to Making a Fantasy Map: Part One
A Guide to Making a Fantasy Map: Part Two
Fantasy Writing Tools
I also have some tools that you may find useful. Chief among them is my fantasy name generator. You can use this tool to come up with names for your protagonists, antagonists, elves, orcs and much more. It creates fantasy last names too.
Getting Published
List of short story fantasy publishers
List of fantasy novel publishers
Getting Reviews
A rundown on the best communities for fantasy writers
Join An Online Writing Group
For more help with your fantasy writing, why not connect with the passionate writers in my online group? It’s the perfect place to share and discuss ideas, get feedback and make new friends.
To learn more about joining, just click below.
Join A Writing Group Full Of Passionate Writers
More Fantasy Writing Guides
- How to write a fantasy novel
- How to write battles and fight scenes
- Elven names generator and guide
- Fantasy character names
- The knight of chivalry – medieval knights
- Demon name generator
- Human name generator and guide
- The best communities for fantasy writers
- Fantasy archery – a complete guide
- Orc names generator and guide
- Worldbuilding in fantasy
- Fantasy name generator
- Worldbuilding guide and tips
Most nights you can find him up into the wee hours scribbling away or watching the NBA.
- Easy Tools Writers Can Use To Build Suspense - January 15, 2022
- The Fantasy Horse – A Complete Guide [With Names] - January 10, 2022
- What Is Foreshadowing In A Story? Examples, Tips and How To - January 3, 2022
