Our current FREE writing competition is about writing fantasy stories, so this seemed like a good time to post some tips. I hope you find them helpful.
If you want to write great fantasy stories, it’s important to spend time on the world you are creating for your reader. They have to step into something totally outside their normal experience, and it has to seem credible.
Read books by fantasy writers. Which ones do you like? Make a list of reasons why you like them. These are probably the kind of things you will want to put in your own fantasy story.
BUILDING YOUR WORLD
Here are some things to think about when you’re building your new world, the one you want your reader to immerse themselves in:
Rainbow Valley
These are some of the things you might need to know about the world of your character:
- Era in which their world exists – past, present or future
- How people do their schooling
- Where the schools are, what are they like?
- How will your character get to school?
- What are the rules of your character’s world?
- System of education
- System of government.
- Who are your character’s friends and what do they do socially?
- What form of entertainment is there in your character’s world?
- Is there a religion?
- What do people eat?
- What sort of animals exist in this world?
- What do they eat/how do they behave?
- What sort of transport? How will your character get from place to place?
- What sort of suburb/house does your character live in?
- Where do his/her friends live?
- What is the weather at this time of year in your character’s world?
- City or country location?
- What kind of hazards exist in this world – natural and man made?
Some extra things you can do to create your character’s world.
- Maps
- Houseplans
- Photos
- Sketches
- Aerial views (Google maps)
Your fantasy world will need have rules, perils and special attributes.
FREE WRITING ACTIVITY
1. Draw a map of your world and a short description.
2. Make a list of unique features in your world?
3. What are the dangers?
4. Write a short piece about one of these dangers – put your character in conflict with their world.
Links for you to check out
http://www.ehow.com/video_4989651_tips-write-fantasy-stories.html
http://fmwriters.com/Visionback/issue13/Issue13/fantasyi.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Credible-Fantasy-Story
About Dee White
