Exploring Vvardenfell: How Morrowind Created an Immersive Secondary World
Christopher Mahon
Back in 2012, I was sitting with a group of fantasy writers at the PNWA conference in Seattle. Everyone had begun rolling off their favorite authors, and soon there were…
writing advice
The Writer’s Plague
Joshua Robertson
If you are a booklover who didn’t die before 1997, I would wager you have difficulty finding a decent story among the piles of…muck. In the past twenty years, authors—henceforth…
Plot Twists That Defy Genre Expectations
Nicola Alter
Most of us love a good plot twist. We’re always trying to predict where a narrative is headed, but we’re usually thrilled when it takes an unexpected turn, surprises us,…
Sieges and Siegecraft – Part Two: Defenders
Aaron Miles
Shore up the defences, man the walls and get those supplies inside! Last time, we looked at siegecraft from the attackers’ side; this time, we’re on the defensive. There are…
The Failed Novelist or Why Giving In Is Not The Same As Giving Up
Michael Everest
Editor’s Note: The following piece is an impassioned response to a recent controversial article. Please be aware that it contains one or two instances of “colourful” language. Giving in isn’t…
Tabletop Tuesday: Preparing a Dungeons and Dragons Campaign
Stephen Rhodes
Welcome to Tabletop Tuesday! Here at Fantasy-Faction, we’re passionate about all things fantasy, be it books, films, or video games. However, this new semi-regular feature aims to celebrate the classic…
Sieges and Siegecraft – Part One: Attackers
Throughout the bloody pages of innumerable fantasy books there are countless examples of the siege in fiction. From epic wars that last for years to brutal assaults that are swift…
When Characters Shed Names
We real-world folks can get very attached to our names. Most of us only change them when we get married or divorced, convert to a new religion, or arrive in…
Scrivener for iOS
Adrian Faulkner
Picture this. You’re sitting on your own in the doctor’s surgery and they are running 30 minutes late. Or there’s been some signalling failure and your train home is at…
Is Winter In Fantasy Always Evil?
Winter is often seen as the dark and unwelcome season, and understandably so—if you live far enough from the equator it can mean longer nights, cold temperatures, icy conditions, grey…
Society in Story
There are a number of elements fantasy writers focus on during worldbuilding, traditionally they pour over decisions like mapping locations, designing a magic system and setting empires/species against one another…
Romance in Fantasy – Part One
Amy Rose Davis
I’ve said it before: I write romantic fantasy. I never start out a story intending to write romance, but somehow, romantic threads always show up. I used to fight this…