How to write a fantasy novel?

Question

I'm just a 18 year old guy, who wants to write my own fantasy novel. I've got a lot of ideas regarding this matter. But i dont know how to start my story.

Answer 1

I would recommend reading as many books as possible in the genres that you like to write, as well as about the craft of writing. When you are reading other fiction books, pay attention to how the authors structure their work.

Here are some of my favorites about writing:
1) "Writing Down The Bones" by Natalie Goldberg
2) "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott
3) "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser
4) "How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy" by Orson Scott Card
5) "On Writing" by Stephen King
6) "No Plot? No Problem!" by Chris Baty
7) "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" by Lynne Truss
8) "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White

Also, take a look at a few websites where authors gather. Some of them have very helpful articles and forums. Holly Lisle has a fantastic website that has articles on both the business and writing aspects, including an excellent article on worldbuilding that I highly suggest for any fantasy writer:
http://hollylisle.com/fm/

Forward Motion is a wonderful, helpful community:
http://www.fmwriters.com/

Absolute Write is one of my favorite author communities, with a vast pool of resources and helpful people:
http://www.absolutewrite.com

Write every single day. Set a target for yourself. For instance, my goal right now is to write 1,000 words a day. I get this done before I go on the internet, read, watch TV, or goof around. To begin, maybe set an easier goal for yourself-- try 250 words each day. Write in a journal as well, if you feel so inclined!

Also, never forget how important it is to edit and rewrite! When you finish a short story or novel, I suggest setting it aside for a month. Don't look at it or think about it (if you can help it). Work on another project. Once that time has passed, go back and read what you wrote. Try to be objective-- are there parts that need to be expanded? Cut out? Rewritten? How is the grammar and spelling? Editing could (and should) take more time than the original draft!

The ideas really have to come from within you. We can give you all the ideas in the world, but if you aren't passionate about it then the novel won't end up being any good IF you even finish it. Write about what you love. The rest will come!

Answer 2

The first point to remember, is that fantasy novels require a structure. Most will start in an ordinary world, and then transport the characters to an extraordinary world. Eventually, the key character (the hero) will be returned to the ordinary world. Along the way, the hero will encounter a number of experiences and will undergo a degree of character transformation.
Most fantasy novels involve a quest. What is the hero or heroine aiming for? A cave full of treasure, rescue a faraway land from a Dragon, defeat a dark lord who means to enslave the earth? There will usually be a clear purpose for the main character in a fantasy novel, and a path littered with trials and tribulations, agonizing setbacks and constant challenges to the hero’s motivation to complete the quest. The enemy is never far away. There is often a single main antagonist in a fantasy novel, although there will also be a host of antagonist’s helpers. Characterisation becomes important here, and you will need to develop an extremely compelling back story for your villain, bearing on a vivid and detailed profile.

Answer 3

Hey Gregory. The most important thing about fantasy is credibility. The challenge is to make it believable even if you have all these fantastical elements flying in from left and right. I would reccomend the book "How to Write Fantasy and Science Fiction" by Orson Scott Card. It covers everything from World Building, to Character Building and some jumpstarters for plots and twists. More importantly, it is being discussed by someone who excels in the field and has got gravity to speak with authority. ;P

It's true that you have to read a lot as well. Think of it as research and knowing the trends in your chosen genre. JRR Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, Ursula Le Guin, Terry Pratchett... there are so many authors you could study. Afterwards you just write like there's no tomorrow until you find your voice.

Are you also Pinoy? Then you must also read the Philippine Speculative Fiction compilation Vols. 1 and 2 edited by Dean Alfar. They are the best in the field of fantasy in our little country.

Lots of luck. Would love to read your work someday.

Answer 4

I posted this earlier tonight -

The first thing is that a lot of young writers choose to write fantasy because they think it gives them the freedom to "make stuff up". It does - to an extent but in a way the research portion of writing fantasy is even harder. Ask Anne Mc Caffrey. You have to set up your guidelines for your story very carefully and stick to them precisely. Anne Mc Caffrey created a whole new world and she is true to that world through something like 20 books. You cannot suddenly have carrots growing on your planet because suddenly your character is hungry. You have to do a tremendous amount of outlining - even map making and creating a government - to really sell a work that takes place in a fantasy world. It is very very difficult to do well which is why a lot of fantasy writing out there is crap

Hope that is at least some suggestions.. Pax - C.

Answer 5

I don't see why not, but I do think that if it's a novel set in a completely different world, they tend to not be as good. Younger people tend to try and think up names so weird and completely random that they seem to jar, but older writers are more likely to have a bit more knowledge of writing and choose names that sound 'foreign' but still work. I agree with your idea that adults will probably have more life experience and will be able to draw on that more, but that may not always be the case, and how many people in general can say that they have extensive knowledge of, say, travelling across a whole continent/country/world to find/retrieve something and coming across all sorts of creatures with amazing powers who would kill you as easily as look at you. But yes, I do think teenagers can write fantasy

Answer 6

You've already gotten some excellent advice on the need to carefully construct your fantasy world.

I recommend you read "The Hero With a Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell to get a sense of the structure of classical quest stories.

Answer 7

Read a lot of fantasy books and get Stephen Kings book called "On Writing". Buy it on tape/CD so you can listen to it over and over - it will make a big difference in your writing ability if you follow his directions/advice.

Answer 8

Write down some preliminary pages and then edit it repeatedly and refine your ideas and themes until you like what you have. Remember you should be your own toughest critic.

Answer 9

~Come on, you want to be a creative writer but you asking for help on Yahoo Answers? Give me a break. If you don't know how to start it, then you don't know how to develope your characters or your plot and you probably haven't even considered a theme, right? Do some one on one with a good English teacher or write for yourself. Do learn the rules of punctuation and grammar.

Answer 10

Just give it a nerdy hero. After that, whatever you do, don't have a plot that has been done before.