This week I continue with my writing fantasy fiction series where I explore writing this genre in twelve steps. Check out my previous blog on OBEY YOUR WORLD-BUILDING LAWS and OUTLINE YOUR STORY
Perfect Your Character Development
Characters are central to most stories, even those with amazing worlds and incredible environments. It’s vital to know your character’s motivations, fears, loves, deepest desires, their history, likes and dislikes. Personally, I think this aspect is the most critical part of drafting a great story. It can be fun too.
What I do before sitting down to write a character is to create a file for that person including a recent history going back at least 6 months. Some authors use character boards which give inspiration during the story crafting. I often choose an image that represents that character for me.
The larger image of Katrine on the cover to the left is one I used to inspire me when writing The Master and the Sorceress. As you can see, it made the final cover of the book!
Use Real World Themes
I’m not so sure this is a vital part of drafting a good story depending on why you’re writing it. You don’t want to come across preachy and that can easily happen if you dwell on your own deeply held beliefs or traumas. However, many an author would strenuously debate me on this – that’s ok. I want my reader to enjoy an escape. Therefore, if my stories are too close to the real world, that can be ruined.
Having said that, prejudice of all types is a strong theme in my books. Women, including Princess Alecia, are fighting for recognition, magic practitioners are persecuted and there is deep seated suspicion between the elves and the humans. Above all, there is the ever-present divide between the nobility and ordinary folk. These themes are a great way to increase tension in a story. How many others can you think of?
Please return next week for part 6 of writing fantasy fiction, when I’ll discuss using enough detail without overwhelming your readers.