Fantasy Guidelines?

Question

I am beginning an all out fantasy novel and would like to know what sort of guidelines there are. I have written primarily in the genre of Science Fiction or Science Fiction with strong fantasy elements, but never an all out fantasy. I know it is ultimately up to me, but I would like what I write to be generally accepted.

Keep in mind, I'm not asking b/c I'm lazy. I would just like to get a general idea of what is acceptable by most people first and go from there.

Thank you so much in advance.

Answer 1

Fantasy with a flair towards reality always gets the readers interested as you may have seen with the Harry Potter and the Star Wars movies, Star Trek etc, real people real and possible fantasy is there even for the doubters among us. I see a fantasy and a dream as a possible thing, because when you think of it a man once had a dream about going to the moon, and a car that can park itself. Fantasy that can become reality will always be the eye catcher among men.

Answer 2

I'm not sure what you mean by "guidelines". There are a lot of Lord of the Rings knockoffs (or, more kindly, LotR-inspired novels), like those by Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, and even Christopher Paolini. In that sense, you could think of LotR as a "guideline" for a successful fantasy novel. What's so good about it? It has epic world-changing events, a battle between good and evil, cool fantastic creatures, neat magical happenings, brave kings and warriors, sexy elves, and a few very ordinary little people who take it all in.

I think the most successful fantasy novels take a bit from this formula. In addition to a great imagination and a unique world and great characterization (of course!), you need the huge epic plot events, and you also need the everyman to observe it and sometimes get caught up in it. Guy Gavriel Kay does this beautifully, I think.

Look at the example of Jacqueline Carey, too. Her Kushiel trilogy did exactly this, and her heroine was very likeable and down to earth even as she was god-touched and a major player in battles between countries. But did you see what happened to Carey's next series? I've heard the characters described as "the boring gods of neverending grudge." Those books weren't very popular, because no one liked or could relate to the characters. Now Carey's going back to the Kushiel universe for her next book, and I say, good for her.

Honestly, I think good sci fi / fantasy fiction needs to be good fiction first of all. It's not going to be good just because there's a dragon in it. That's why I admire Christopher Paolini--his characters and plot are pretty derivative, it's obvious he's read Tolkien and McCaffrey and etc, but he's telling a darn good story and I think he's going to take it somewhere really interesting in the next book. Do you read Ursula LeGuin? Or, rather, do you read *about* her? Reviewers are always saying how her books address real human themes, and we love the characters, and etc - LeGuin's books are just good fiction, whether she's writing sci fi or fantasy or whatever.

Answer 3

I think the most important thing of all is to avoid all the usual cliches and stock characters that have been trotted out a gazillion times before.
Rather than offer my personal opinions on how to proceed, I cannot do any better than refer you to one of the most respected fantasy authors of all time: Diana Wynne Jones. In her book, "A Tough Guide to Fantsyland" she give a masterclass on fantasy writing; what to do and, what to avoid. It's an essential read:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tough-Guide-Fantasyland-Gollancz-SF/dp/0575075929/sr=8-1/qid=1165347659/ref=sr_1_1/203-9915083-6090310?ie=UTF8&s=books
This isn't some "how to" book, but a comprehensive run down on all the cliches of fantasy fiction. Including: the unique properties of horses in Fantasyland, the origins of elves, why fantasy characters don't wear socks, the importance of cloaks, and why beer always foams and is invariably delivered in tankards.
It's an entertaning read, but will also help you avoid the pitfalls of cliched fantasy writing!

Answer 4

There are three words you MUST understand to write fantasy that sells. They are:

Suspension of Disbelief

What does this mean? It means readers can get into your story and NEVER say to themselves, "Oh, this is a crock."

Your job as a fantasy writer is to help your readers 'suspend' (put on hold) their DISbelief. In other words, your writing helps them step out of reality and into your fantasy world without ever having to second guess who, where or what your story has in it.

How do I know? I write fantasy and if the national media is to be believed, I'm pretty good at it. If you'd like a demo eBook of my newest hardcover release, THE BLACKGLOOM BOUNTY, email me at [e-mail]. The demo is fully illustrated and it will give you a nice taste of the storyline.

Good luck with your writing!

Jon F. Baxley

Answer 5

Guidelines smother creativity.