I thought I'd jump right in with some opinions on what makes a good fantasy story. I admit, I read more romance than fantasy, but I know what makes a good story when I read one.
Research: A fantasy world is very complicated. Doing research is important. Creating a complex background on a fantasy world is crucial to getting your reader into the setting, even if the reader does not "see" your entire world. You need to know where your characters are, what they will do and who's in charge.
As a reader, I will always make "real world" assumptions. So, if your fantasy world does not have normal gravity, or a terrain I can associate with on Earth, you'll need to describe it in detail. Detail does not mean giving your reader a laundry list, it means incorporating essential descriptions and details, as your reader needs them. Remember, your reader is blind until you put the pieces of the visual puzzle together for them.
Ordinary Objects: A fun part of writing fantasy is making ordinary objects can do extraordinary things. The magic wand has been done … and done … and done. As a writer, you can make the most ordinary object have different qualities normally associated with that object; for example, a candle that works like a key, or a sword that will not cut but acts as a compass. The possibilities are endless!
Stretch your imagination; twist the ordinary into something surprising. For me, nothing is more interesting to read than fantasy world gadgets and how they work! I want one of those creatures that devour dust. Intrigue your reader, think outside the box and give them fascinating objects.
Characters: The best characters I've read in fantasy have been the ones that had human qualities. While it's fun for fantasy characters to have interesting physical attributes, the best stories show characters dealing with the classic struggles of human weakness and strength. Struggles that readers cope with in their own lives. The more emotions your reader can relate with, the stronger your work becomes.
Stephen R. Donaldson, in the Thomas Covenant series cave the main character weak attributes. In our world, he is a divorced, reclusive author and a leper. Society shunned him. Then a police car hits him and he awakens in another world. There, in the fantasy world, Covenant is seen as the reincarnation of Berek Halfhand, whose white gold wedding band is a sign of power. The first character he meets, Lena, heals his wounds with hurtloam. The mysterious healing causes him to lose self-control and Thomas rapes Lena. With the help of a giant, (my favorite character) Saltheart Foamfollower, and after an encounter with the evil Lord Foul, Covenant reaches Revelstone and is named ur-Lord by the rulers. He found out from Foul that the Cavewrights (more very interesting characters) possess a powerful Staff of Law.
Covenant trips from the fantasy world back into the real world where only a few hours have passed. A month goes by in the real world, and when Covenant fades back to the fantasy world, forty years have passed. Throughout the series, Covenant is presented as the Unbeliever. He feels he is there against his will, thinks he has no powers and unwilling to think he can help, is impotent to try.
This is the main character? I despised him. I kept thinking, he's so weak. What a loser. C'mon! Do something! He was not doing what I expected an ordinary hero to do. The point is, as a reader, I was involved. I knew what the new world looked like, I knew who the characters were, and wanted to know what happened next. Those are the things that make a successful story. I will not give the ending, but for those of you who have not read the series, I would recommend it.
In closing, when writing your fantasy fiction, think beyond the ordinary and stretch your imagination and talent to its limits. I'll be waiting to read and enjoy your stories.
The post What Makes a Good Fantasy Story appeared first on Tica Tica Boom.
No comments:
Post a Comment