| Fantasy novels can be worlds filled with amazing and | | | | creature as your narrator? How would a strange |
| wonderful journeys and adventures but does the | | | | fantasy creature think? An easy way of looking at this |
| world really need another novel with all the typical | | | | would be from the perspective of a dragon that lives |
| things like fire breathing dragons, magical all-powerful | | | | for thousands of years. Wouldn’t that dragon |
| swords, and the story of a farm boy turned hero? | | | | have a whole different outlook on the world — |
| Don’t fall into the trap of writing a typical | | | | based on an accumulated wisdom. |
| fantasy novel. Here are some tips that will help you | | | | Creation of systems and beings — This is |
| write a fantasy novel that is different, new, and maybe | | | | where you can have a lot of fun yet still impart |
| even better. | | | | something special to your readers. Aren’t |
| The first thing I want to impart on you is about the | | | | there already enough ogres, elves, and dwarves |
| very nature of fantasy. It implies an act of | | | | tromping around the pages of fantasy novels? |
| creative imagination. That is great for you as a writer. | | | | Couldn’t you come up with something new? |
| You are writing a story and building a world. And it is | | | | Draw some sketches and write down outlandish ideas. |
| your world. Absolutely anything applies! Write anything | | | | How about a whale sized creature that floats through |
| you want to write. Don’t be boxed in by | | | | the air eating microscopic bacteria? Or a race or |
| traditional rules of fantasy. You are in control of | | | | elf-like creatures that fire electric eels from their |
| everything and nobody can tell you otherwise. Let | | | | bows? As far as systems go wouldn’t it be |
| loose and just see where you imagination takes you. | | | | different to have your adventurer stay in one place |
| And this doesn’t just apply to the characters, | | | | and have all the adventures come to him? Rather than |
| world and story. This also applies to the rules of writing. | | | | tromping around the world maybe the world would |
| Want to write your whole novel in a new language | | | | come to his front door. How about a world where |
| that only one-eyed centaurs speak? Go with it and | | | | every single living creature falls asleep for the duration |
| see where it takes you. Want your story to jump | | | | of the full moon? It would be fun to find out what |
| around in time —spanning ten thousand years? | | | | happens when they all wake up. |
| Cool! How about writing it in epic poem style or from | | | | Some cautions for your new imaginative writing |
| varying points of view? This is your world. Write it any | | | | Just because you are writing something new and |
| way you want to. Don’t be afraid to explore the | | | | creative doesn’t mean you shouldn’t |
| mechanics of writing in new ways. If you have this | | | | have any discipline. You are still writing for people. And |
| nagging feeling that you should be writing a certain | | | | people have expectations. That means there has to |
| way then why aren’t you? | | | | be a certain logic and sense in your world. You have |
| Here are some tips and ideas on what you can tinker | | | | to lay out rules in a way that the reader will |
| with in your fantasy novel to make it more creative | | | | understand and accept as natural. |
| and different | | | | So don’t find yourself falling into the trap of just |
| Time — This is one of my favorite things to | | | | coming up with something to solve a situation or crisis. |
| tinker with. Time doesn’t have to plod along at | | | | One of the worse things you can do is just all of a |
| the usual pace. And If you have been writing for a | | | | sudden grant your main character the ability to cast a |
| while you have become a bit sensitive to time, nd you | | | | spell that solves a problem. Don’t bend your |
| probably already tinker with it. Does a two minute | | | | rules to make your story work. Layout your rules then |
| sword fight take two minutes to read? Nope. The | | | | work within them. |
| basic rules of time need not apply to your writing. | | | | With a little bit of imagination you can come up with a |
| Want to write your whole novel in the one minute life | | | | world and a story that is totally different, yet totally |
| span of some type of fantasy creature? I think it | | | | rewarding for your readers. Let yourself loose, try |
| would be fun and challenging. | | | | different things, and see where they lead. You are |
| Perspective — Is your main character human? | | | | the creator of a totally new world and just about |
| That’s perfectly fine but wouldn’t it be a | | | | anything goes. Just make sure you temper it with |
| challenge and a lot of fun to use some kind of other | | | | some discipline so it makes sense. |