Writing fantasy novel for the first time

[Iamnotabot]

Collect data, research said data, test out theory, do field test, test fail? test again and again until you have reach a conclusion. At the end you will have your answer.

At least thats how i do it.

 

[TotallyHuman]

Don't use google docs or ms office and value your data and dignity by using libre software, but otherwise @SailusGebel is right

 

[DeviousColony69]

1) In writing fantasy, the 'sky is the limit'. I mean, know the rules and tropes, then bend them. It makes the story interesting.
2) A lore within a lore. Writing a sort of a 'legend' inside your story will attract reader interest and makes your work immersive.

As for the elements, like the people, the world itself and the environment, try to look for inspirations, then apply your own ideas. For example, in my work, The Human Saint is Bored, the human world, Chersea, is based on medieval European society (as is the common fantasy trope). However, I removed some of the other conventions, like the day-and-night cycle (Chersea has its 'sun' shining round the clock, that they don't even have a clock), and as consequence, they developed a culture distinct from the usual medieval societies of other fantasies.

So how did I do this?

Before I went to write the first chapter of my story, I planned how my world's society will work. The usual aspects: Government, Society and Family, Education, and Other Culture, are already outlined and defined, so that whenever I get confused while in the middle of writing, I have a 'ready' reference. Always keep in mind the 'cause and effect'. Whatever you decide to be their culture, custom and/or tradition will have an effect to how they interact with your MC (who also have his/her own set of beliefs).

Oh and yes, don't forget, the characters actions should have an effect on the world, or else, it won't be believeable. (Like the principle of 'Butterfly Effect'.)

So basically, you are the "God" of your own story but before making one, you need a reference

Read some works and gain inspirations?

Or you can just bull as you type?

It can be the former if you need some good quality writing

The latter can only be used when you do "random b*llsh*t go!"

Or you can do both

Yes, I'm also writing an isekai fantasy.

Best of luck for us writers

Not sure what genre you typically write, but in fantasy systems, you still have 2 more essential steps for the preparatory phase. You need to figure out your world-building (what kind of fantasy creatures are around, how does the fantasy magic interact with the politics and daily life in the world, ext.) and your magic system (how exactly does magic work in your world?)

Speaking of fantasy creatures, that's the part where I am currently stuck as I only know slimes, goblins and dragon in fantasy writings lol

How do people know the ending of their story before even starting? I don't even know how a chapter is going to end before I am done.

I remember reading a tip that in order to make a story, you have to create the ending for it. Not sure where I've read it but it actually works in my case.

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

So like, I want to try something for a change of pace and fantasy genres seems to hook me up. I already have the plot (and the ending), the characters and the possible scenarios in my notebook but I still don't have any idea how to execute it. Do you have any tips and advice on how to start writing a fantasy novel?

Since you already have the plot down, try to figure out what the main idea or theme of your entire story is. Summarize the idea into one sentence.

Use this to help guide yourself while writing all the details and lore.

 

[DeviousColony69]

When I write, I like to make obscure reverences to places or people of the past.
History can be a great Inspiration.

Do you have any websites, or something that I can use as a reference?

 

[Scaver]

It's just that there is something missing: the people, the world building, the environment. Think of it like two dots facing each other. That's what my current situation is right now.

What I'm trying to say is that, I need people who actually wrote fantasy writing to give me some views or the things that you do when you want to write these kind of things.

You have fallen into the first pitfall, congats!
First rule never ever bother with knowledge before you have wetted your feet.
Second rule, write and write and then become frustrated.
Now ask for opinion.

If you don't know about something just open one of your favourite fiction, read a fine scene, read slowly and you should have some inspiration. Or you can choose a nice rated story too.

But before sit down before the blank page and stare at it. Be uncomfortable at the blankness. I have seen within half an hour i will have ideas about to is to happen.

Getting starrted is the hardest. Here starting doesn't mean just sitting down but the first half an hour or less for me.

 

[SailusGebel]

Speaking of fantasy creatures, that's the part where I am currently stuck as I only know slimes, goblins and dragon in fantasy writings lol

D&D wiki, Monster Girl Encyclopedia, Warhammer Fantasy wiki.

 

[Scaver]

Before I went to write the first chapter of my story, I planned how my world's society will work. The usual aspects: Government, Society and Family, Education, and Other Culture, are already outlined and defined, so that whenever I get confused while in the middle of writing, I have a 'ready' reference. Always keep in mind the 'cause and effect'. Whatever you decide to be their culture, custom and/or tradition will have an effect to how they interact with your MC (who also have his/her own set of beliefs).

Oh and yes, don't forget, the characters actions should have an effect on the world, or else, it won't be believeable. (Like the principle of 'Butterfly Effect'.)

Bad idea for most people. What happens is people end up not doing the main thing. It's another way of procastination, nothing else. I have fallen for this pitfall before. Writiing time is only for writing. reasearch is only for free time.

In this case either you wasted a lot of time, more than you realise or you are an special case. But either way for most new writers or anything, this advise won't work and in fact is very bad.

Ofc it's my opinion.

 

[SirDogeTheFirst]

Just consume as much media as humanly possible, infuse it with the special material used in 1894's Coca-Cola, turn it into a weird ball of idea clay, then shape it in your head until you have an abomination you can work on! Jokes aside, I find making a world around a character harder than inserting a character into a world. You can make a world (it doesn't need to be too detailed, after all, you own it, and you can shape or add things while the story progresses) or copy a generic setting and add some of your touches to spice it up then you do whatever you want inside.

 

[ElijahRyne]

So like, I want to try something for a change of pace and fantasy genres seems to hook me up. I already have the plot (and the ending), the characters and the possible scenarios in my notebook but I still don't have any idea how to execute it. Do you have any tips and advice on how to start writing a fantasy novel?

Do be afraid of the strange and absurd, no, embrace them instead. Don’t be afraid of doing something new. If you are looking for setting/creature inspiration look up funguses, their history and their mechanisms, and draw from there.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

If you are looking for setting/creature inspiration look up funguses, their history and their mechanisms, and draw from there.

Found the Morrowind fan.

 

[Poleg]

Do you have any websites, or something that I can use as a reference?

I actually love to read history books.
I would just look up channels like.

https://www.youtube.com/@EpichistoryTv/videos

They seem to be pretty entertaining.
Depending what kind of story you try to tell different countries would be more interesting.

I am just gonna name drop different names and topics that in my opinion, are pretty interesting:
the crusaders, templars, the Jihad, the sicarii, the roman religion and their conflict with early christianity, people like Nero the emperor,

Janissaries. the Praetorian Guard.
These Guys from Assasins creed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Assassins
The Normans/ King Edward the first.
The Holy Roman empire, Egypt, Babylon, Assyria.

Hannibal, Flamma the gladiator, Alexander the great, Ceaser and Augustus/Octavius, Rasputin, Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov.

Speaking of fantasy creatures, that's the part where I am currently stuck as I only know slimes, goblins and dragon in fantasy writings lol

https://www.youtube.com/@MrRhexx/videos

https://www.youtube.com/@AJPickett/videos

These 2 channels talk about D&D lore and creatures.
They should have more than enough to pick your favourites from.

I also like to play games like heroes of might and magic, Age of Wonders etc.
Fantasy games use a lot of fantastical creatures.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Bad idea for most people. What happens is people end up not doing the main thing. It's another way of procastination, nothing else. I have fallen for this pitfall before. Writiing time is only for writing. reasearch is only for free time.

Well, true. I agree on the last sentence. But then again, OP's asking how we do things, so I shared mine.

In this case either you wasted a lot of time, more than you realise or you are an special case.

I don't know with you, but I'm a planner. I do this so I can circumvent my laziness and my tendency to procrastinate. And, you're always free to check my novel's volumes in HoneyFeed, Syosetsu, Pixiv, WebNovel and Wattpad just in case you wanted to see if I wasted my time planning things.

But either way for most new writers or anything, this advise won't work and in fact is very bad.

You mean in your life's choices?

Ofc it's my opinion.

Of course. Like mine, your opinion is not necessarily the only 'option', and not necessarily applicable to everyone.

So basically, you are the "God" of your own story but before making one, you need a reference

Yep. If it all boils down to the shove, you call the shots. Therefore, the reference is there so you minimize 'plot holes' and you know the direction of your story. Otherwise, you'd end up going by everyone's feedback, or what's cool at the moment, which is not good (and will exasperate and confuse you more).

 

[TheEldritchGod]

Well, depends. What's your goal?
Hard-core fantasy? Allegory?

 

[Scaver]

I don't know with you, but I'm a planner. I do this so I can circumvent my laziness and my tendency to procrastinate. And, you're always free to check my novel's volumes in HoneyFeed, Syosetsu, Pixiv, WebNovel and Wattpad just in case you wanted to see if I wasted my time planning things.

No offence but hypothetically you could, could have been able to write lets say two volume more or the writing could have been better. Ofc it could have been worse. im just saying wasting time doesn't have to be doing nothing.
Let's take an example, bussiness. most people will go and say 'Let me just get my plan straight' , 'oh i need research this!' Stuff like that, basically its same with pretty much everything.

I too am a planner? Although it's weird for me. id first write down the things i want in the chap. Maybe just the fact that i want a 'revelation'. Somettimes in a bullet point format other times in a paragraph.

Then i will write, and then rewrite. And then rewrite the outline. and rewrite again. For me outline sometimes acts as a sort of organizing my thoughts is all. Naturally it might be messy because im rather new to writing.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

No offence but hypothetically you could, could have been able to write lets say two volume more or the writing could have been better. Ofc it could have been worse. im just saying wasting time doesn't have to be doing nothing.
Let's take an example, bussiness. most people will go and say 'Let me just get my plan straight' , 'oh i need research this!' Stuff like that, basically its same with pretty much everything.

Heh, I remember that one local author back here who said (he's joking), "There's difference in doing nothing, and working on nothing! The latter is, you're working, but it's nothing." (I hope I translated that well from my language...)

I too am a planner? Although it's weird for me. id first write down the things i want in the chap. Maybe just the fact that i want a 'revelation'. Somettimes in a bullet point format other times in a paragraph.

Then i will write, and then rewrite. And then rewrite the outline. and rewrite again. For me outline sometimes acts as a sort of organizing my thoughts is all. Naturally it might be messy because im rather new to writing.

Okay seriously dude, I first apologize for being snarky. Your reply came to me as 'sardonic', but I may have misunderstood. My bad.

Now then, I always remedy the rewrite part by limiting myself to three edits before letting loose my chapters in the wild (online). I only do 'rewrites' if the feedback tells me so (demands it), but in general, I stand by my written works. Kinda involves a lot of self-discipline and change in outlook with regards to my stories really. And yes, I adopted the "My story is uploaded there. Read it or not, I don't care" attitude.

I mean, after all, the first novel I did, DECK, took ten years to finish a single volume because of rewrites. But then, I realized I'm getting nowhere, so I did what I suggested here.

@Scaver actually, we almost have the same way of doing things, including the planning per chapter. Though, for some reason, I hate typing it on PC, instead, writing it on notebooks.

Oh and I think one of the reasons we decide to rewrite is because we're conscious of the rules.

As for me? While I did not totally disregard those, I realized I won't finish anything if I keep on checking if my work followed the rules. For example, in the age where English is the global lingua franca, other people won't care if your novel's passages have a strong/weak voice (at least those outside the academe); what matters is that, they understand what you've written.

Of course, it's a different matter if the author is looking to publish the work in traditional publishing houses.

 

[Scaver]

Okay seriously dude, I first apologize for being snarky. Your reply came to me as 'sardonic', but I may have misunderstood. My bad.

No worries

Now then, I always remedy the rewrite part by limiting myself to three edits before letting loose my chapters in the wild (online). I only do 'rewrites' if the feedback tells me so (demands it), but in general, I stand by my written works. Kinda involves a lot of self-discipline and change in outlook with regards to my stories really. And yes, I adopted the "My story is uploaded there. Read it or not, I don't care" attitude.

I mean, after all, the first novel I did, DECK, took ten years to finish a single volume because of rewrites. But then, I realized I'm getting nowhere, so I did what I suggested here.

for i seem to know the point i want the writing to be before posting, although sometimes it becomes perfectionism. Like yesterday, i was writing but couldn't get anywhere after trying to outline so went ahead and started writing anything, just something! Half an hour in and inspiration was bestowed upon me! So i wrote the thing, without any prose whatsover. Today i plan on adding prose to it since i am rather sure that i want the story to go that way.

BUT! very big but, im worried about it. Despite my story started out like any other isekai(lets call it portal fantasy since it sounds better haha), im about to do a weird backstory just in the second chap, which im sure throws a lot of reader but what's the point coping others anyways...

Took you 10 years?! Daaayum... well thinking now, if i continue to write this one it would take me a decade or so too. Ah well:)

As for me? While I did not totally disregard those, I realized I won't finish anything if I keep on checking if my work followed the rules. For example, in the age where English is the global lingua franca, other people won't care if your novel's passages have a strong/weak voice (at least those outside the academe); what matters is that, they understand what you've written.

Yes, maybe if its lit-rpg or japanese light novel stuff. But i kinda want my prose to be good, even if it's not sharespeare level lol.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

No worries

for i seem to know the point i want the writing to be before posting, although sometimes it becomes perfectionism. Like yesterday, i was writing but couldn't get anywhere after trying to outline so went ahead and started writing anything, just something! Half an hour in and inspiration was bestowed upon me! So i wrote the thing, without any prose whatsover. Today i plan on adding prose to it since i am rather sure that i want the story to go that way.

BUT! very big but, im worried about it. Despite my story started out like any other isekai(lets call it portal fantasy since it sounds better haha), im about to do a weird backstory just in the second chap, which im sure throws a lot of reader but what's the point coping others anyways...

I admit, I was once a perfectionist. However, as I said in my earlier reply, I'm not getting anywhere, so I decided to 'wing it'. But even so, the 'spirit' of perfectionism is kinda hard to shake off, so I try my best to go for 'perfection' (fully aware that I won't do it, but still, the resulting work is 'excellent') and actually producing something.

And, admittedly, while not as good as Tolkien's or Lewis', or any other established authors out there, my hard work paid off (through the positive feedbacks from my dedicated readers).

Took you 10 years?! Daaayum... well thinking now, if i continue to write this one it would take me a decade or so too. Ah well:)

Yep XD. One thing I noticed about me is that I'm pretty stubborn once I set my eyes on it. So, from 2008 (when I first conceived DECK in my head) up to the present, I'm slowly writing its chapters. It's mostly because my main focus is on my isekai story, The Human Saint is Bored. But since I'm already on my 15th volume for the latter (with planned 20 books and 6 arcs of varying lengths), my next plan is to finish DECK in nine volumes.

Yes, maybe if its lit-rpg or japanese light novel stuff. But i kinda want my prose to be good, even if it's not sharespeare level lol.

True. Well, I'd say, good luck on that goal! Aim for perfect; it's either you reach it, or land on the second best, which is 'excellent'. Besides, we develop our writing skills by writing more and applying the rules (or guides).

 

[melchi]

Speaking of fantasy creatures, that's the part where I am currently stuck as I only know slimes, goblins and dragon in fantasy writings lol

Limiting yourself to those three kinds of monster encounters might make an interesting story though.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Speaking of fantasy creatures, that's the part where I am currently stuck as I only know slimes, goblins and dragon in fantasy writings lol

You can:

1) Make one by combining several monster species you already know of;
2) Totally create a new type (though you'd still have to give it characteristics, behaviors, etc.);
3) Search for some local 'monsters' from your own culture and bring them into limelight thru your work.

You can also try subverting a traditional monster/creature characteristic, like in my novel where the usually 'barbaric' goblins and orcs (in other fantasies) were more civilized (they go to school, conduct researches, wear military uniforms and march in lines, akin to 18th and early 19th century European armies) than my humans (who got stuck in medieval culture).