Ever wondered how to tell if your villain is cheesy, or how you can make them more realistic and engaging? In this article I’ll be looking at exactly that, but instead of offering advice to authors, I’m going to the heart of the problem… In a cloud-shrouded castle he waits, plotting the demise of all who …
What’s a fantasy story without a truly amazing weapon? The kind of no-holds-barred cool armament that inspires your reader to swing their arms round in the privacy of their home, imagining they’re actually getting to wield the ‘one sword’, ‘enchanted bow’ or ‘pot-bellied-pig cannon’ of their dreams? Nothing, that’s what, which is why in this …
Everything You Need To Know About Writing Fantasy Weapons Read More »
Let’s talk about magic. Many of us disappear into novels because we want to be taken someplace new. For some of us, that might be Papua New Guinea in the 1920s, for others, we need something more extravagant. We need new worlds; we need magic. The trick is to create a magic system that is …
Writing Fantasy Fiction: How To Make The Magic Work Read More »
The thing about writing in the genre of speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, magical realism, fairy tale, steampunk, urban fantasy, etc.) is that you have to ask the reader to suspend what they know to be true about the world. In a mystery, it’s not difficult for a reader to believe that Harry killed Mike …
Speculative Fiction World-building Techniques You Need To Know Read More »
