Create An Amazing Fantasy Story With 9 Essential Steps
Learn fantasy writing with 9 essential steps to create vivid worlds, magical plots, and unforgettable characters.
Are you a fan of Harry potter? Like the storyline? The "Harry Potter," a fantasy story, has sold over 500 million copies worldwide. Strange!
Well! You all are familiar with this interesting and famous series. But did you know before that it was a fantasy story?
Of more than 900 people surveyed, 87% began reading fantasy fiction before they were 15. Fantasy fiction was the favored genre for 46% of those surveyed.
Today in this blog, you will learn:
- Definition of fantasy stories
- Steps to write fantasy stories
- Examples of fantasy stories
So, let’s get started!
Introducing the fantasy genre stories
What comes first in your mind after listening to the fantasy genre? A princess tale? Or something suspicious? There are various types of stories that you can write.
But today I’m discussing fantasy genre stories. It’s a type of literature that does not exist in the real world.
In this story, nothing is impossible, it’s in your hand to create any scene like;
- Animals speaking
- Time travel
- Parallel universe
- Mythical beasts
- World full of magic and mysteries
Although fantasy and science fiction stories are nearly identical, both genres do not exist in the real world.
But fantasy stories take you to a fascinating place filled with imaginary creatures and exciting adventures.
To write a compelling fictional story, define features of your story which grabs the attention of your audiences.
9 proven steps for creating an engaging fantasy story with examples
Are you interested in writing fantasy stories?
Writing fantasy stories is one of the most challenging genres of story writing.
Many writers have great ideas, which makes it hard for me to be unique.
Creating a story means putting together many interesting parts which make it a difficult task.
To overcome those challenges, I began using a plot generator tool.
This AI tool uses advanced algorithms to help me create my story. I can adjust the story’s length from short to long and choose how creative or simple it should be.
Following are these nine steps that I used to make my writing more engaging and interesting:
1. Understanding the art of fantasy writing through experienced authors
What do you like most? Writing a fantasy story or reading it?
Before I start writing my story, my top priority was to read the works of experienced magical narrators.
I focused on their writing style, point of view, story structure, main themes and the way of characterization.
By reading stories from skilled storytellers, I feel my own writing has improved, and I’ve included a range of themes in my work.
I believe that the best writers are dedicated readers, so if you want to create a captivating tale, read famous fantasy stories.
Don’t limit yourself to just one writer. You are free to read different authors.
Have a look at the list of old and new magical writers.
These are not the best or worst options, but any of them is a good place to start a story.
- Terry Brooks
- Mercedes Lackey
- Tad Williams
- David Eddings
- Raymond E. Feist
- Brent Weeks
- C.S. Lewis
- J.R.R. Tolkien
- George R.R. Martin
Have you read any of them before? Who’s your favorite?
2. Structuring and developing ideas for your story
Do you believe in brainstorming techniques? Or use it while developing the idea for your story?
It helps you come up with a variety of ideas and helps improve your story writing.
Firstly you have to create a rough sketch of the plot, character, image, idea and engaging dialogue.
Don't worry about correctness. Just take a piece of paper and write down ideas for your story:
- Plot: What's the big problem? Maybe an evil sorcerer is stealing dreams.
- Characters: Who are the people in your story? Like a young baker who discovers she can enter dreams.
- Cool scenes: What exciting things happen? Picture the baker diving into a nightmare to rescue a child.
- Catchy lines: What might your characters say? "In dreams, we are all wizards."
Now, look at your ideas. Ask questions after sketching a rough map:
- Is the baker girl with long, shiny hair your heroine?
- What happens when she first enters a dream?
- Why is she scared? Maybe dream monsters chase her.
- What can she do in dreams? Maybe she can change the dream world.
Example: C.S. Lewis initially thought about the idea for "The Chronicles of Narnia" while imagining children could step through a wardrobe into a land of fantasy. He sketched out ideas of a lion, a witch, and a wardrobe, which evolved into the richly detailed world of Narnia.
3. Developing a unique and credible fantasy setting
Now the concern is how to develop a unique setting?
Like in "The Golden Compass," Philip Pullman created a world where people's souls live outside their bodies as talking animals.
But he uses real ideas like loyalty and growing up to make it feel true.
This shows how blending imaginative elements with relatable themes can make a fantasy world feel real.
The setting of the story attracts the attention of a large audience.
The fantasy world is mostly attracted to children and adults.
First, think about your world:
- What's magic like? Maybe people use color-magic: red for fire, blue for water.
- How do people live? Maybe they live in giant tree-houses because the ground is lava.
- What are the rules? Perhaps using too much magic makes your story unrealistic.
A magical world doesn’t need any dragons, castles or fairies; it just needs the presence of magic and supernatural elements.
When writing about your imaginary world, make sure to include all story elements and things you know about it; if you do, your story will be more compelling.
4. Bring your characters to life with depth and personality
Characterization is an art. Do you excel in it? Or portrays a boring character?
If I talk about J.K. Rowling's novel, Harry Potter, is an exceptional character. He is brave and kind but also has a hot temper. Are you familiar with Potter’s story?
His challenging past with the Dursleys makes readers want to support him. His goal is to defeat Voldemort but he struggles with fame and loss.
Now when you are up to write a fantasy story, you need the characters that live in your newly created world.
Characters will help push your story forward and make the reader care about what’s going on in the world you worked so hard to develop.
Here are the important key points when you are developing your exceptional character:
- Write a rich backstory for your character that explains their past experiences, traumas, and motivations.
- Give your characters flaws and weaknesses that humanize them and make them relatable.
- Define clear goals and desires for your character.
- Explore the internal struggles and conflicts your character faces, such as moral dilemmas, self-doubt, or conflicting emotions.
- Give your character unique traits, or habits that make them memorable and different from other stories.
These key points make your character more than just words on a page.
They become a real, relatable person who stays with readers even after the story is over.
This strategy increases the credibility of your story writing and makes your character much stronger.
5. Creating engaging plots that captivate readers
What’s your opinion in creating the plot? Think of your plot as the adventure your readers will engage with immediately.
It needs to be exciting from the start. Remember how "The Lord of the Rings" begins with Frodo getting the ring?
That's your hook - something interesting that makes readers want to know more.
Your characters have a clear goal. They need to find a magical key to save their village from a curse. First, they struggle to find a map.
Next, they encounter a tricky forest sprite who tries to mislead them. In the end, they must confront an ancient dragon who guards the key.
Each obstacle makes their quest harder, but overcoming them is essential to saving their village.
Have some parts of your story move fast, like when your heroes run from danger.
It indulges the readers in the story and they are curious to know next.
Some parts move slowly, like when they rest and talk. It's like a song with loud and quiet parts.
This makes your story fun to read. At the end, when your heroes hurry to save the day, your readers will cheer for them because they care about what happens.
6. Write on powerful themes that make fantasy unforgettable
Your theme is the big idea behind your story. Right? In "A Wizard of Earthsea," it's about accepting all parts of yourself, even the not-so-good parts.
Your theme should be something people care about.
Now the concern is how to use the theme throughout the story? Use your fantasy elements to show your theme.
If your theme is the power of friendship, let your characters' magic grow stronger when they unite.
If it's about respecting nature, show how ignoring forest spirits leads to chaos.
Show your theme in every action, dialogue, and challenge.
When readers finish your book and think, "That really made me think about courage," you've nailed your theme.
7. Write in a way that resonates with the targeted audience
Who are you writing for? Kids? Teens? Adults?
This changes your story a lot. Focus on the target audience of the story you are writing, and clearly write from a point of view that adds interest to it.
For kids, like in "Harry Potter," focus on friendship, bravery, and good versus evil. Keep the language simpler and the moral choices clearer.
For teens, you can add more complexity. In "Six of Crows," there's danger and tough choices, but it's still about young people finding their way.
Writing for adults? You can go deeper. "A Game of Thrones" has complex politics and critical situations.
Adults often enjoy more detailed worlds and challenging themes.
When you write according to the target audience, it increases the credibility of your writing.
8. Add twist in fantasy story to make it interesting
Surprises make stories fun. Isn’t it?
You know how everyone was shocked when Ned Stark died in "Game of Thrones"? That's a twist, which increases the intensity of the tale.
It changed how readers saw the story.
Your twists should make readers more engaged in your tale, but they shouldn't feel random. Leave little clues.
Maybe everyone thinks the old wizard is good, but you hint that he's been lying. When it's revealed he's the villain, it's surprising but makes sense.
Twists can be anything: a betrayal, a prophecy meaning something different than expected, or a weak character turning out to be the real hero.
Keep your readers guessing; this makes your story more intense and interesting.
9. Proofread like an editor to find out mistakes
Even great writers like Terry Pratchett had editors. Why? Because when you're deep in your fantasy world, you might miss things.
An editor is like a helper who reminds you of your own story rules.
If you wrote “Elves never lie,” but then an elf tells a lie, the editor will catch that mistake.
They catch mistakes not only in grammar but also in your logical story. In a world you've made up, consistency is key.
They also help balance your story. If it's too silly, they'll suggest serious parts.
If it's too dark, they'll find spots for hope. And they know what's selling in fantasy, so they can guide you there.
Final Thoughts
Finally, we say that now we are familiar with all majors and minor aspects of fantasy stories.
You might get halfway through writing your story and think, "Wait, this isn't working!" So you go back to the beginning and think up new ideas.
When your story feels messy, don't worry.
Messy can be good - it means you're trying new things. But if the mess gets too big and confusing, come back to this guide. This reminds you what your story can look like when it's done.
Frequently asked questions
What defines a fantasy story?
A fantasy story is defined by its inclusion of magical or supernatural elements that do not exist in the real world.
How do you create a compelling magical world?
Creating a compelling magical world involves defining unique rules, settings, and elements that captivate readers' imaginations.
Why is editing essential for fantasy storytelling?
Editing is essential for fantasy storytelling to ensure consistency, logical coherence, and engaging pacing throughout the narrative.
