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Fantasy is a huge niche and one with plenty of fanatical fans. It's a brilliant genre to write in and today, Ben Galley, fantasy author and self-publishing expert, discusses the main aspects.
Let’s jump straight in by looking at the main aspects of the average fantasy book:
By definition, fantasy is a genre that typically features the use of magic or other supernatural phenomena in the plot, setting, or theme. Magical or mythological creatures often feature, as well as races other than humans, such as elves, dwarves, or goblins. The worlds within fantasy books are usually medieval in style, both in terms of technology and culture. This is what primarily sets fantasy apart from sci-fi.
So that’s it. There’s your fantasy genre in a nutshell. But like any genre, it can’t just be labelled or confined by one paragraph. Fantasy is a very wide and ever-evolving genre, straddling many different sub-genres at once, or even mixing with completely separate genres.
Sub and splinter genres
There is a veritable plethora of them.
To name a few: there’s epic fantasy (involving disgustingly thick books and very long series), high fantasy (usually very traditional and Tolkienesque), dark fantasy (which mixes in horror or grim themes), grimdark (employing a dystopian element in the world or plot), steampunk (a mix of fantasy and Victorian, clockwork, and steam elements), arcanepunk (a blend of scifi and fantasy), historical fantasy (incorporating magic into historical fiction, often mixed with the ‘sword and sorcery’ subgenre), and lastly, urban fantasy (which blends the ideas of magic and myth with modern day worlds.)
Quite bamboozling, isn’t it?
Just why are there so many sub and splinter genres? It’s because fantasy, since the books Tolkien and Robert E. Howard and Fritz Leiber, has somewhat burst its banks. Fantasy is in a unique position where it can seem tired and radically new at the same time. Boundaries are therefore pushed, and stereotypes tweaked, to keep its core values alive.
For instance, the idea of magic is an old one but fantasy authors seem relentless in their quest to turn it on its head. Unlike genres such as crime or romance, fantasy is theoretically limitless, thanks to its very nature. It’s this reinvention and experimentation that appeals to many authors, me included.
Build yourself a World:
World-building is hugely important to fantasy. I would say that 50-60% of the work a fantasy author has to put in to a book consists of world-building.
Why? Well, fantasy rests on the use of strange and unfamiliar worlds. Authors must dream up cultures, races, religions, histories, weather, clothes, food, music… all the different aspects that we take for granted in our own world. Making this world rich enough and deep enough is the tricky part. It’s an important job, especially when you consider the implications a world has on the plot and your characters. What if there were two suns in your world, rather than one? What if there was a war going on? Or what if it rained molten lead? Your world affects everything in it. That’s why it’s important. For a great example of world-building, look at Brandon Sanderson’s Way of Kings books.
Magic:
Magic. It’s almost a prerequisite of the genre. (Even though there are fantasy books that don’t feature magic in an obvious way, they still deal with other worldly occurrences, or the supernatural.)
Let me introduce you to something called the magic system. A common phrase used by authors and fans alike. A magic system is how magic in your world works. For instance, reading spells aloud is a form of magic system. Again, the opportunities are almost limitless. What about drawing magical abilities from pain (as in Fade to Black, by Francis Knight)? Or eating different metals for different effects (called Allomancy, another Brandon Sanderson gem)? Just like the boundaries of fantasy itself have expanded, so has the idea of magic – what it can be, and where it comes from. When writing your fantasy, try and mess around with your idea of magic. It’s another chance to be creative and individual.
Incorporate some mythology:
Fantasy draws a lot from classical mythology. Why?
Because mythology also consists of monsters and creatures and magic. The two lie very close together when it comes to contents and themes. Tolkien borrowed a lot from mythology when he built Middle-Earth, using Nordic, Germanic, and archaic English myths and legends. I use Nordic and near-Eastern mythologies in my Emaneska Series. Even if you don’t want to borrow a whole pantheon or myth, borrow the creatures, plots, or heroes instead. It creates a bit of familiarity in your book, and also give you the chance to play with some stereotypes too, both of which can make for interesting reading.
As you can see from this quick examination, fantasy has few boundaries. Those that it does have lie within the author’s imagination, or the intricacy of a magic system and its rules. What I like about fantasy, and why I love writing it, is this license to experiment, to dream big. You could write about fire-breathing squirrels if you were so inclined. That’s the beauty, and, pardon the pun, the magic of this genre. No limits, an incredibly open-minded audience, and the opportunity to truly create something different.
Do you read or write fantasy? Do you have any tips or questions about writing fantasy? Please leave your comments and questions below.
He runs the popular advice site SHELF HELP, where he offers honest and simple advice about writing, publishing, and marketing. He wants to help others turn their passion into their profession, and to follow their wildest dreams. Ben can be found being loquacious and attempting to be witty on Twitter (@BenGalley) or at www.bengalley.com
Top image: Literary jewelry Tolkien cufflinks from Luxpresso
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1 2 3 4 Next »I tend to subscribe steampunk more to sci-fi than fantasy, though I understand why it's in this category. For me though, it's supposed to be about the technology in that era, though it is a mythical place. Never heard of Arcanepunk before. Sounds intriguing. Do you have any examples of it?
I think a good example of Arcanepunk would be Star Wars.
I wouldn't categorize Star Wars as anything-punk. Star Wars blends sci-fi and fantasy elements, but it's science fiction. Cyberpunk took a punk-rock perspective to a science-fiction setting. Steampunk did the same for the Victorian setting, taking cues from Cyberpunk. Arcanepunk, like Cyberpunk and Steampunk, is "punk" for a reason. You can't just blend science and magic and call it Arcanepunk, unless it has that "punk" feel to it. A better example of Arcanepunk would be the Shadowrun RPG. Typically Shadowrun is categorized as "cyberpunk," due to the dystopian futuristic setting, but Shadowrun incorporates magic and fantasy elements, thus would be better categorized as Arcanepunk.
Harry Potter can actually be described as Arcanepunk, due to it being in a world where magic exists but is otherwise unknown. Diskworld and the Darksword trilogy are also good examples :)
Awesome post! Thanks Ben. One tip I would give any another author is to give your characters and your world some limits. For example in one of David Eddings book series a character can use magic to kill someone but you can't destroy something. It seems like a trivial distinction but it still gives the magic of the world a sense of scope.
In your post you mentioned spells. For example you could have a limit where a character has to be able to memorize a set number of spells then have a character who has a photographic memory. Bam! Instant interest. This character would have an inherent advantage over other magic users. Just some of my thoughts.
Thanks again for the post.
Thanks Steven - great suggestions. Glad you liked the post!
I think limitations on magic whether moral or physical or both is good. I also think making your created fantasy world believable is a key component.
@A.D. Trosper. Yeah I think making the world believable is key, it's one of the things I always struggled with when I first started out. Great point.
I thank you for the information. “By definition, fantasy is a genre that typically features the use of magic or other supernatural phenomena in the plot, setting, or theme. Magical or mythological creatures often feature, as well as races other than humans, such as elves, dwarves, or goblins. The worlds within fantasy books are usually medieval in style, both in terms of technology and culture. This is what primarily sets fantasy apart from sci-fi.”
Actually, it's the magic that primarily sets fantasy apart from science fiction. A story with wizards sling magic missiles all over the place in the AD 2525 would still be fantasy. On the other side of things, a lowered tech level (post-apocalyptic, anyone?) doesn't make a science fiction story suddenly become fantasy, either.
Nice post. I must consider whether to allow the guinea pigs that inhabit and run "my" world to breathe fire as you suggest squirrels might.
I'm not convinced that fantasy is defined by the use of magic, though. Although you do use 'typically'. Are alternative powers 'magic' - e.g. communicating with dragons a la McCaffrey? Or is that what you class as supernatural phenomena. If so, I'm satisfied. I think I write fantasy, but it's not what I call magic.
Hi Jemima, I would consider that a form of magic/phenomena. I'm a big fan of the Pern series. One of the best examples of dragon-based fantasy. (Dragons, for me, are always essential, but that's just a personal preference. They can be very cliched if you're not careful)
One thing to keep in mind is a good fantasy is first and foremost a good story. The magical elements are the spice you add so your story doesn't taste like boiled chicken, but the reader wants the meat as well as the spice.
Great comment Kurt, and well put!
Nice summary! It's nice to see the sub-genres defined. Arcanepunk was new to me too.
I agree that world-building is an important task when writing for the genre. I have a separate Scrivener project just for my story world with notes about the history, magic system, politics, and everything else I need to lay the foundation for my stories. It's a lot of work, but fantasy writers can usually leverage a single story world for multiple stories. (I'm doing a trilogy myself.)
You take a broad view of magic. Many authors see magic and the paranormal as different things, as do I. My Magic Appreciation Tour site features authors and books that are specifically "magical fantasy." I spent a lot of time thinking through the definition of magic for the purposes of that group, but in truth, I'm not sure the distinction is important to the average fantasy reader.
Best of luck with your series!
I don't write fantasy, but I have one project in which there is one element of magic in a modern setting. You called it urban fantasy, but I've heard another name for this genre.
You're right. "Contemporary fantasy" is a generic term I've seen for fantasy elements in a modern setting. The term "urban fantasy" is usually associated with contemporary fantasy set in cities, like "The Dresden Files." My next story will be set in a modern rural area. Does that make it "rural fantasy?" :-)
It seems to me that the genre taxonomy has gotten a bit out of control. Many authors aren't familiar with the terms (New Adult???), and I have to wonder how many readers understand them. Labeling a book with a genre is supposed to help position it in the marketplace. But if the label is poorly understood, it isn't serving that purpose.
And then there's the argument of what's a genre and what's a market. Are MG, YA, and NA genres or a markets? I'd argue they are markets because they describe the audience, not the content of the books. Others argue they are genres. One of my friends suggested that the distinction is irrelevant: what matters are the categories on Amazon. It was hard to argue with her practicality.