How to Write a Fantasy Novel

Although fantasy novels often make relaxing, easy reading, writing them is a different thing altogether. Writing a good fantasy novel requires deliberate and careful planning, persistence and self-discipline. Here's how to do it.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Preliminary Steps

1. Read a lot of fantasy. There are innumerable good fantasy novels out there just waiting to inspire you. Most of the best authors in any genre will freely admit to borrowing ideas and gaining inspiration from those who came before. Make sure to do the same.

2. Go back to the original sources. Tolkein's "Lord of the Rings" was heavily inspired by the medieval epics "The Volsungsaga" and "The Neibelungenlied." Icelandic Sagas, Celtic epics, Native American folk tales and countless other sources have provided inspiration for fantasy writers since the genre began. Stealing from your contemporaries is plagiarism. Stealing from the ancients is brilliance.

3. Think about what kind of world your story takes place in. Fantasy novels can be set in a historical setting, in the modern world, or in some completely made-up universe. They can borrow elements from nearly any mythology, and combine those elements freely with real-world technology and culture.

4. Write a detailed sketch of the setting. If you are creating a new world or writing something based on a historical setting, describe it from the ground up. Think about the technology, supernatural forces, culture, political structure, and appearance of the world. If you are writing a story set in the modern world, it is enough to pick a city and decide what fantastic elements exist in it, and who is aware of them. If there is magic, does the average man on the street know about it, and if not, why not?

5. Create a stable of characters. Come up with as many as you might need and write brief one or two paragraph profiles of each of them. Write a page or two about your protagonist, describing his appearance, personality, goals, and background in as much detail as you can.

6. Create a plot outline. There is no hard and fast rule about what you need for a fantasy novel outline, but in general the more detailed it is the less likely you are to get stuck with no idea where to go in the middle of writing your story. Take your time and really flesh it out.

Writing

7. Set a schedule for yourself and stick to it. Make sure that you are writing at least twice a week for a few hours at regular times, and don't allow yourself to deviate from your plan. If you want to write more, great, but don't write less.

8. Start writing your first draft. Some writers prefer to work in a coffee shop or library, while others prefer to work at home. Some can't do without a computer, while others prefer the tactile feel of a notebook. Find out what works for you.

9. Congratulations, you've finished your first draft! Go out for drinks and dancing, take a weekend trip and get a massage. Then let your novel sit for at least a month. You will need some distance from it for the next step.

10. Read and revise your fantasy novel chapter by chapter. Type the chapter out if you have been writing it in a notebook, then note your reactions to it. Does the story tell you enough to get to know the characters? Does it make sense with the other chapters? Is it well-written and exciting?

11. Restructure your novel. There is no way to get around it--at some point, you will find something that doesn't make sense or can be better written. Often, a second draft has little resemblance to a first draft. Get back on your old schedule and rewrite what needs to be rewritten.

12. Start your third draft. Correct grammar and punctuation, and change any last minute things that don't seem quite right to you. Usually when you write a novel, most of the big changes are made in the second draft. The third draft is mostly for catching mistakes.

13. You're done! Repeat Step 3, but more extravagantly if possible.

Tips & Warnings

• Always save copies of every draft. You never can tell when you will regret a change you made.

[Delaplane]

on 3/14/2009 Great advice.

[FireOpal]

on 2/11/2009 Really great advice! The only other piece of advice I could offer is to make sure your fantasy world is consistent all the way through. If a person is a nonmagic user at the beginning, make sure that person isn't going to solve the problem at the end by a magic spell unless it is hinted at and built up all the way through the book.