Fantasy Writing Tips

Fantasy writing, or any genre fiction for that matter, requires top-notch creative writing skills as well as an extraordinarily active imagination and a strong feel for the traditional roots of mythic epic on which fantasy fiction is (often) based.

Our Fantasy Writing Tips and Resources page provides you with the best fiction writing books to help you hone your writing skills, as well as fantasy genre-specific books with special tips and inspiration to guide you in your own personal quest for artistic expression.

We begin below with books specific to fantasy fiction, follow up with books on creative writing in general, and conclude with a few best-selling standard works on publishing your novel.

As fantasy novels often require a great deal of research for credibility, we hope you'll enjoy browsing the rest of our website, with its emphasis on Celtic, Norse and medieval British history and myth.

Buy Books about Writing Fantasy
Get More Info	How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card Orson Scott Card helps you define your niche (is it fantasy? SF?), construct your world, develop your characters, move your story along to its conclusion, and, once that's done, publish your work. Card's not only one of the best-known SF&F writers, but darn good at sharing his knowledge with others. His book, Characters and Viewpoint, is a dandy, too, and has been on our shelf for years. We recommend these books to all aspiring fantasy writers.
Get More Info	The Writers Complete Fantasy Reference by Writer's Digest Books, intro by Terry Brooks This is a terrific desk reference on everything medieval (culture, history, weapons, dress, etc.) from around the world with a strong emphasis on Europe. A very handy book when you don't know the difference between a catapult and a trebuchet or want to describe a meal, an entertainment, or the heroine's attire. Lots of info on religious rites, magic, monsters and cultural beliefs and customs as well. The entries are brief - this is not an in-depth history or encyclopedia, but a valuable quick reference tool.
Get More Info	The Writer's Guide to Fantasy Literature: From Dragons Lair to Hero Quest edited by Philip Martin Less instructive than inspirational, this guide to fantasy literature focuses on readings and analysis of classic fantasy greats such as Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Ursula Le Guin, and T.H. White, and essays on fantasy writing by successful authors such as Patricia A. McKillip, Jane Yolen, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Terry Pratchett.
Get More Info	Worlds of Wonder: How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by David Gerrold Gerrold's popular book on writing Sci Fi and Fantasy focuses on creating magical worlds of wonder and making them credible for your audience. This is key in any work of fiction, regardless of genre, as the reader must feel at home in the environment and believe not only in the plausibility of the fictional world, but become completely immersed in its "rightness" as reflected in the characters and their actions. A terrific resource on world-building.
Get More Info	Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury Quoting from Publishers Weekly, "The title piece aims to help the aspiring writer navigate between the self-consciously literary and the calculatingly commercial. Other essays deal with discovering one's imaginative self; feeding one's muse; the germination of Bradbury's novel Dandelion Wine in his Illinois boyhood; a trip to Ireland; science fiction as a search for new modes of survival; and the author's stage adaptation of his classic novel Fahrenheit 451." We've included this book as inspiration because we deeply respect Mr. Bradbury as perhaps the finest science fiction writer of his generation (and that's saying quite a lot).
Get More Info	On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King King's best works (The Stand, The Dark Tower series) are epic fantasy at it's finest. This autobiographical journey through his life and work (inextricably entwined) is not only highly entertaining and inspiring but filled with King's usual no-holds-barred, down-to-earth, hugely practical advice for the aspiring novelist. Recommended.
Get More Info	The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers by Christopher Vogler "Christopher Vogler asserts that 'all stories consist of a few common structural elements found universally in myths, fairy tales, dreams, and movies.'....Vogler's notion, based on psychological writings by Carl Jung and the mythmaking philosophy of Joseph Campbell, has been profoundly influential. Many screenwriters have used Vogler's volume to understand why certain scenarios sell, and to discover a blueprint for creating mythic stories of their own." Vogler claims that by following his advice on mythic structure you will create best-selling books and screenplays - a lot of people have apparently followed his advice with success. Interesting and controversial.
Get More Info	The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines by by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders We highly recommend this practical, easy-to-understand approach to character development. Characterization is so very important and, truly, the hardest part of writing. The authors teach you to use basic character archtypes to create believable characters, as well as character relationships and interactions. An excellent guide for planning your characters and seeing them through to the end of the story.
Get More Info	Beginnings, Middles & Ends by Nancy Kress Everyone has trouble with at least one of these elements. Usually, it's the "middle" that's the hardest. Strong beginnings are easy to come by, and often the writer knows how it's all supposed to end. But getting from here to there is the hard part. Kress shows you how to do just that in this down-to-earth guide that will keep you moving your novel along to its triumphant conclusion. Kress has a knack for encouragement and her "can-do" attitude is infectious and engaging. Recommended.
Get More Info	How to Write a Damn Good Novel by James N. Frey This classic work by James Frey remains a best-seller year after year. Written in a highly entertaining style, Frey gives solid, practical advice on constructing a quality novel using examples from many great works of fiction. The usefulness of this book lies in Frey's ability to help us grasp the "whole" and yet not become overwhelmed into abandoning the effort. Highly rated; a good investment for aspiring writers.
Get More Info	Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King Publishing houses simply do not invest time (money) in book editing the way they once did (nor simple proofreading, as we've all been made painfully aware of in our reading of recent years). You can no longer count on good editing help and sympathy from your publishers - you will have to go it alone. The authors are pros in this field, and their book is a best-selling guide to editing for the writer, a skill that is now absolutely necessary in putting your best foot forward when shopping your work. If you want to be published, you need to polish it up ahead of time.
Get More Info	2006 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market edited by Lauren Mosko, Michael Schweer "For twenty-five years, it's been the only reference book on the market published expressly to help fiction writers find the best homes for their work. 2006 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market includes: 1,500 fiction publishing opportunities, with specific contact information, submission guidelines, and editorial needs; more than 100 pages of instruction and inspiration, so readers can learn the basics of the craft and the business; new interviews with top names in the field, including Jonathan Lethem, Margot Livesey, and Anne Perry. 2006 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market offers readers the insight and advice needed to give their manuscripts the edge over others in the slush pile." Get published.