How to Write a Fantasy Novel

When writing a fantasy novel, the writer needs to remember there is a structure to follow. We refer to the flow of the storyline as the plot arc. In a fantasy novel, as in all novels, following the arc is imperative to creating a novel readers will devour.

Creating a World For Fantasy writers, there is the thrill of creating not only the characters, but also the landscape where the action will take place. Often the hero/heroine will arrive from an ordinary world into a fantastic world, journey through their quest and return to their home world. It is the journey and the experiences the hero endures that will provide the interest and focus of the tale. How the hero interacts and grows while traversing unfamiliar landscapes, meeting fantastic creatures, and coping with the inevitable crisis, is the Fantasy writer's task to tell. The hero’s growth and character development will form the backbone of the novel. The depth and richness of the world and characters created are limited only by the author’s imagination.

The Quest In the fantasy novel the hero is on a quest. Motivation comes from their need to vanquish great evil, save the world, find sanctuary or rescue the innocent. Their journey is littered with setbacks and constant challenges. The antagonist or antagonists must be believable and offer a challenge the reader can identify, even if from another world. The reader must be able to relate to the threat.

Writing Fantasy There are ways the author can learn how to create vivid characters, weave strong back-stories and map a plot that will keep the reader hooked till the very last sentence. This genre gives the author scope to explore their creative side. Here they can discover new means of transport, rules of magic, colourful cultures or if they choose they can transpose normality into a fantastic landscape.