Pick a Genre and STICK with It
Jamie Provencher
About the time characters begin rifling through your brain, there is usually some sort of story that is following them. While it maybe something as simple as Character X is…
The Fallen Blade by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Alister Davison
You have to be careful with vampires. Their role in fiction has varied over the years, from an absolute evil that must be destroyed at all costs, to brooding anti-hero…
Elements of Fantasy – Heroes and Heroines
Janie Bill
Without heroes and heroines, fantasy worlds fall flat. Heroes put the oomph into enchanted settings and heighten emotions in everyday relationships. Men and women build stories, but what qualities create…
Keeping Fantasy Fresh – Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder
Ben Godby
In case you missed part one of this series you can find it here. And if you missed part two of this series you can find it here. In his…
The World of Guy Gavriel Kay
Ashley Barnard
I am not your typical fantasy reader. I don’t like orcs, trolls, gnomes, goblins or unicorns. I will confess to a weakness for elves, and I enjoy the occasional dragon…
Servant of the Underworld by Aliette de Bodard
Hannah
Servant of the Underworld is set in Mexico’s 15th century Aztec empire where life revolves around Gods, and sacrificial offerings are part of everyday existence. As High Priest for the…
Hero Spectrum: Beyond the White Hat
Amy Rose Davis
Two weeks ago, I wrote about the ingredients for a hero, and I think it’s cool that someone asked about how not-so-clean-cut heroes fit into my list of ingredients. This…
Who is Sandra Norval?
Sandra Norval
Who the Hell is Sandra Norval? Well, exactly! I am a writer, author, novelist, whatever you want to call me, I write stuff. One day I hope to get stuff…
Picking a World
Thomas A. Knight
So you’ve decided to write a fantasy novel, but the big question on your mind is: “What fantasy world do I set it in?” This is an important question to…
Subgenre Bingo – Epic Fantasy
Liz Fellshot Ambrose
Welcome back to my series of bingo/identification cards for random amusement and ease of subgenre identification. All previous disclaimers about this not being a definitive list, and that opinions may…
The Many Faces Of Fantasy
David Carani
Consider the number of subgenres in fantasy. Depending on who you talk to, there are anywhere from five to ten to fifteen (more depending on how specific you would like…
Avoid Rejection – Editors’ Pet Peeves
Lady Rosalie Skinner
Hi, my name is Rosalie and I am the first to admit there is a lot about writing I don’t know. There is however, a lot I have learned about…