How K.S. Villoso nailed character voice in The Wolf of Oren-yaro
(Warning: semi-spoilers ahead.) Voice may be one of the most elusive aspects of storytelling, yet we all know a good voice when we read one. When the voice is really good, we may even notice it from the very first line or two – as I did when I started reading K.S....
Finding the right beginning for your fantasy or science fiction novel
‘Begin at the beginning,’ the King said, very gravely, ‘and go on till you come to the end: then stop.’ From Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Choosing where to start your story for a reader can seem like a simple decision. You start at the...
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...