Seven Tips on Creating a Fantastic Fantasy Villain
Lady Rosalie Skinner
After reading Amy Rose’s terrific article on Antihero-vs-Villain we can look deeper into what Fantasy authors might like to consider when crafting our bad guys. Tip I: The archetypical villain,…
writing advice
How Being a Better Reader Will Make You a Better Writer
Ashley Barnard
My husband has taught college film for the last twenty-five years. He’s very passionate about film, and regardless if he’s in the classroom or not, he can’t help pointing out…
Writing the Other by Cynthia Ward and Nisi Shawl
Paolo Chikiamco
I’m a Filipino, and a geek, but I’m not used to feeling like an Other, like I’m not a part of the mainstream. I live in the Philippines, so I…
Moms in Fantasy: Beyond the Stereotypes
Amy Rose Davis
To balance my father issue article from last week, I present to you the flip side: mothers in fantasy. I have to say I’m a bit disappointed in some of…
Father Issues
Fathers and father figures have tremendous influence over children in their early years, and by extension, they have a lot to say about what children become as adults. Fantasy is…
Colloquialisms
When writing fantasy we are always looking for ways to bring color, culture and a unique perspective to the world we create. Although we try to avoid clichés, we can…
Disney Parents: Dead Mothers and Absent Fathers
Quick, think of an animated Disney movie that features a hero or heroine with two parents who are alive and present in the main character’s life for the entire movie.…
Marketing for the Broke Author
Starting when I was about twelve and ending just a few years ago, I wished on many stars, pennies in fountains and birthday candles to be a published writer. I…
Avoiding the “Instabond”
Making Your Characters Fall In Love on the Page Last week, I got a little wordy talking about things to remember when creating compelling romantic relationships on the page, and…
Writing Fantasy Gender Stereotypes – Part Two: Writing the Opposite Gender
Faith M. Boughan
This is Part Two of a series on Writing Fantasy Gender Stereotypes. If you missed Part One you can read it here. This past July, I attended Polaris, a sci-fi…
Worldbuilding for Fantasy Writers
Leo Elijah Cristea
Worldbuilding: that old mainstay of fantasy that is as much like Marmite as…well, Marmite. Some writers live for worldbuilding, for the meticulous crafting of worlds and settings which they subsequently…
Writer’s Den: What’s in a Name?
Thomas A. Knight
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Or so wrote the great William Shakespeare. But would it really? Names are important in fiction. It’s hard to identify…
