The two things to know about your protagonist – and why they might actually be the same thing
You may have heard that there are two things you absolutely need to know about your protagonist to bring them to life on the page: What they want. What they fear. This makes sense. Desire and fear are the two big drivers of story conflict, especially when desire...
How to create the perfect monsters for your worldbuilding
The monster is a staple of fantasy and science-fiction worldbuilding, from Tolkien’s dragons and Balrogs to Hyperion’s Shrike. It is something other and strange, often terrifying, and normally far beyond the capability or experience of normal humans – a monster is not...
15 top fantasy and science fiction publishers
If you’re considering publication for your finished novel or work-in-progress, you’ve probably learned a thing or two about your options. That might include the two most commonly discussed paths: (1) self-publishing or (2) securing a literary agent, who, for a...
This prologue welcomes you absolutely
‘Come inside and meet the prologue,’ begins Catherynne M. Valente’s science-fiction novel Radiance, from which this article takes its title. ‘The prologue is patient. She has been told often that she is wholly unnecessary, a growth upon the story that the wise doctor...
The 5 biggest challenges of writing fantasy and science fiction (and how to overcome them)
Whether you’re working on your first fantasy or science fiction story or have multiple under your belt, you’ve likely started to realise that there’s no ‘easy’ or ‘difficult’ stage of the process. Every step of conceiving, constructing, and completing a story has its...
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...