Fiction Craft Blog

It's common for newer fantasy writers to focus heavily on worldbuilding while neglecting character development. After all, worldbuilding is a major draw in fantasy and speculative fiction. However, characters are equally important across all genres. Older fantasy novels often featured flat, undeveloped characters. Thankfully, the current Anglo-American market has evolved. The rise of Romantasy highlights the need for strong emotional storytelling in fantasy fiction. When done

“Write what you know” is popular advice often given to writers. That’s because it’s easier to imagine a setting you know well and write about it in a way that reflects what it really is like there. You’re less likely to make big errors that will make the story sound unbelievable or unconvincing to readers. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to do any research, and memory is fallible too, but it’s an easier option than writing beyond your experience. Setting and perspective offe