So you want to write a fantasy novel. First, I just want to say thank you, the world needs as much fantasy as it could possibly get. Fantasy is the stuff dreams are made of; well sure, there might be a few bumps and bruises, and certainly a thousand heart stopping moments, but in the end, when the task is done, a bright new sun will shine and life’s beauty becomes clear again.
Just before you reach for your pen and paper, let’s take some time to look at the task ahead. You’re writing a novel, a real fantasy novel, what a wonderful journey you’re about to have. Taking some time to examine what a fantasy novel is, will light the path ahead for you and make it easier to stay focused.
A fantasy novel is really an exploration of the human condition, in a way a fantasy novel may be considered a medium for understanding of what life is about. It’s true that a fantasy novel is commonly populated with wizards and dragons and all sorts of fantastic creatures performing all sorts of incredible feats, but really, a fantasy novel is a story in our parallel world. A fantasy novel paints a portrait of life using symbols and imagery.
Ultimately, great fantasy novels will contain themes like the struggle of good and evil. The beauty of using fantasy to express this struggle is that there is not always a clear line between the two. Fantasy allows a writer to say this without having a reader feel uncomfortably challenged on what could be a heated debate.
A fantasy novel allows a writer to discover the meaning of life, and invites the reader to make their own observations and conclusions in comparison that a fantasy is cloaked in imagery, the subject is not confrontin