• Fantasy Subgenres

    Exploring Imaginative Fantasy Subgenres

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    Welcome, fellow traveler! You have officially been introduced to the realm of the fantasy genre and are ready to begin your quest in writing your story. The time has come to look even closer at the elements that have already been introduced as well as other elements that may arise later in the writing process for this particular genre so that you are well-equipped for the journey ahead. Let us begin by asking this question: what kind of fantasy would you like to write about? While it would be an impressively amazing accomplishment, no story can house every element within…

  • Welcome to the Writing Realm of Fantasy

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    Imagine this: a terrifying-looking orc who has secret dreams of one day becoming a world-famous bard. A well-seasoned wizard who has helped countless heroes succeed on their quests is ready for retirement. A princess and a unicorn team up to save the few surviving unicorns from a goblin who is killing them for their horns. If any of these sound appealing or like something you may have thought of before, fantasy may just be calling you to write and your imagination is more than welcome to take up residence in this mystical writing realm. This genre has been around for…

  • row of books with ebook reader on top; writing the beginning of a book

    The Best First Lines of Fiction

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    By your side is a ratty notebook, bruised black and blue with the smeared ink of furiously scribbled ideas that came to you at midnight, dotted with translucence from the epiphany you had about your villain, while still wet from a shower.  You’ve finally decided to write the story that has been stirring around in your heart and mind—now what do you start typing on that blank page facing you? How do you introduce readers to the crazy, beautiful world in your head?  Starting a novel is tricky, but those first few lines are vital to your book. The characters, setting,…

  • mountain laurel in the sunset; finishing your novel

    The End: Finishing Your Novel

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    By the time writers find themselves writing the ending to their story, they are 80,000 words—if not more—into their story. After months or years of getting their story on paper, writers may feel burned out, ready to be done, and wanting to be onto their next project. The downside of that, however, is that a novel’s ending needs a lot of attention to avoid leaving readers dissatisfied or thinking the writer took an easier route to tie the plot points together. That’s why finishing your novel on a strong note is important. The ending needs to be just as strong—or…