While writers the world over struggle to craft truly original stories, theorists spend their time identifying ways in which they are actually all the same. Joseph Campbell famously reduced the number of stories to just one: The Hero’s Journey, as outlined in his influential 1949 work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. In more recent …
6 Plot Alternatives To ‘The Quest’ In Fantasy Fiction Read More »
Characters are shaped by their pasts – that’s why so many superheroes have spin-offs dedicated to telling their origin stories. While you don’t need to write detailed accounts of what happens to make your protagonist who they are today (though you can if you like!), having some idea of where they came from can shape …
10 Unique Origin Story Ideas For Your Fantasy Protagonist Read More »
World-building is one of the most important parts of fantasy writing – and one that many writers understandably find challenging. As well as things like culture, customs, language, religion and politics, world-building involves the creation of the physical world itself. This is a huge undertaking, especially for writers whose strong point is storytelling, not geography! …
5 Tips For Better Physical World-Building In Your Fantasy Novel Read More »
Understanding your fiction genre, and its subgenres, lets you alter and conform with confidence. You want a book that works well with marketing and cover design, and you want your readers to feel, at the least, satisfied. Of course, adding your own unique flair is all part of the fun. And the best way to …