Hard versus soft magic system: which is better for your fantasy novel?
Hard magic and soft magic are two terms that get thrown around often in the fantasy writing community. But even if you know that these terms mean – don’t worry if not; we’ll go over it – you might still be left wondering what implications these categories have for...
What we can learn from The Hobbit
The Hobbit is one of the bestselling books of all time. It’s also one of the best guides to writing fantasy. Modern fantasy writers sometimes shy away from Tolkien, seeing him as dated or over-wordy. A desperate desire to see our work as original and unique means...
What actually is a ‘scene’ in a novel?
Is this a scene? If you’ve been writing fiction for long, you’ve probably asked yourself this question at some point, even if you didn’t think about it that way at the time. If you like to plan your stories, you might have found yourself creating a list of some or all...
Ways to use your invented language to create story conflict
If you love worldbuilding, inventing a language for your story world – be it a few words or a full-blown grammar – can be almost as fun as writing the story itself. But it can also be one of the hardest elements to work into your story in a meaningful way. You don’t...
5 reasons your novel might need a line edit
Just before Fabled Planet was born, I hesitated to add line editing to our list of services – solely because so few authors know what it is and how it can improve their manuscript. I included it anyway. Because the truth is, a lot of authors who come to an editor...
5 awkward questions to ask about your magic system
Magic is the exclusive domain of fantasy and a cornerstone of our genre. So it makes sense that when worldbuilding, this is something you need to spend a bit of time on. A perfectly designed system of magic might just pop into your head while in the bath… or it might...
Top tips on writing historical fantasy from 8 successful novelists
Fantasy is never created in a vacuum, and much of its foundation and inspiration comes from the past – be it mythology or historical cultures or events. This is all the truer if you’re writing historical fantasy, a story with fantastical elements rooted in a specific...
You’ve just received your freelance editor’s feedback! Now what?
Congratulations! You’ve written a full manuscript and chosen to submit, or are considering submitting, it to a freelance content editor (a.k.a. developmental editor). After a few weeks, you’ll have in your inbox an in-depth evaluation of your work. But while we...