Creating fantasy races is probably one of my favorite parts of world-building. I talked a bit about this topic in the post Creating Unique Magical Fantasy Races. I love when authors deviate from the typical fantasy characters to create something new. If you’re using known fantasy races like elves, you Read more…
Last week, we talked about creating magic systems. Today, we’re going over questions to answer as you’re creating a fictional world. We’re talking countries, cities and towns. In fantasy, most stories have a monarchy. I’ll admit, I’m more of a non-tradition fantasy sort of person. I tend to enjoy books Read more…
I’ve talked a lot about fantasy writing but the only world building template I created is in the book Building Dark Worlds. I thought of putting the template all in one post. But, that would be pretty long. Welcome to the Fantasy World Building Template series. Today, we begin with Read more…
Weeks ago, Cartoon Network posted a video mentioning black medieval knights. Black inventors, heroes, and leaders are often left out of history. Ask yourself as you’re learning…who is the focus? Why? Question the story ✊?✊?✊?✊✊?✊?? The Crystal Gems say BE ANTI-RACIST! Visit https://t.co/5ukinriWYO to learn more. pic.twitter.com/gNLYLO9PER — Cartoon Network Read more…
The definition of a good fantasy story can be pretty arbitrary. What’s interesting for one person will be boring for another. Defining a good story is interesting in itself. You’ve probably come across books that were terribly written but became bestsellers because they told a good story. What draws you Read more…
Dark fantasy is an interesting genre. It’s broad yet simple. It’s difficult to pin down a definition. I usually see it as a mix of fantasy and horror. Here’s a definition from Goodreads: “At its most basic, dark fantasy is a term used to describe a fantasy story with a Read more…
Have you ever returned to an old fantasy story, or any story, and go, why did I think this was good? Design is kinda the same thing. My first creations were okay but I’m still learning. Years later, or even tomorrow, I may look at these designs and go ick. Read more…
I like creating a magical fantasy world. I don’t mind books centered around regulars characters. But, I love, love stories where the main characters have powers and they embrace it. Probably why I gravitate towards manga and anime. Those characters get some pretty creative abilities. Last year, in the post Read more…
Writing a fantasy novel often means world-building, even when you’re basing it off a real-world location. I have a love-hate relationship with world-building. It’s fun but it can be difficult and a lot of work. Sometimes, just thinking about my novel can be a little overwhelming. I refused to turn Read more…
Fantasy writing lets you create any kind of world you could imagine. You’d think with the year we’re having, that I’d be sick of dark and apocalyptics settings. But, I’m not. It’s still an escape. It’s a little uplifting. Putting characters in such a terrible world and seeing them thrive Read more…
