#fantasywriting

[poemsbysafia]

وہ سلسلے ، وہ شوق ، وہ نسبت نہیں رہی ، وہ دِل نہیں رہا ، وہ طبیعت نہیں رہی .

Wo silsiley, wo shauq, wo nisbat nahi rahi, wo dil nahi raha, wo tabiyat nahi rahi.

[plotandelegy]

Practical and Unique Post-Apocalyptic Shelter Design Ideas for Fantasy Writers

 You've decided to destroy civilization in your fantasy novel? Sucks to be your character. Now let's make their situation a little better or worse but at the least unique, practical, and resourceful. 

Use What's Left Behind: The end of the world doesn't mean the end of human ingenuity. Think of what materials survived your apocalypse and how to reuse them. Crumbling skyscrapers can be reinforced and turned into vertical communities, or broken-down cars can be transformed into steel-tough barricades. Old school buses or train cars? 

The Importance of Defense: Your characters aren't the only ones who have survived. Threats lurk everywhere. Design shelters that have built-in defenses. Your skyscraper community may have drawbridges between floors, or your train car home can be easily detached and sped away in case of danger. Remember the secret exits!

Incorporate the Natural Environment: Trees, caves, and mountains offer robust options for post-apocalyptic shelter. A hollowed-out hillside, for example, provides cover from harsh weather and is easily defensible. Make sure the natural element isn't in a highly radioactive environment. The trunk of a massive, ancient tree could house an entire family. Underwater habitats in the middle of a lake or an ocean? 

Reinvention of Basic Utilities: How will your characters access fresh water, dispose of waste, or maintain a consistent food supply? A river or rainwater could be cleverly directed and filtered, or a salvaged solar panel can provide electricity for a makeshift greenhouse. Composting toilets aren't glamorous, but they get the job done. I may be too used to modern comforts because that last one is a big ew.

Adapting to Your Apocalypse: If you have a nuclear winter scenario, consider shelters with radiation shielding and heat sources. Alien invasion? Consider camouflage or underground dwellings. Zombie outbreak? Elevate your shelters; zombies can't climb! Well, I hope your zombies can't climb. If they do, you may be a sick unhinged person. Keep it up. Makes for better fiction.

Remember, It's Home: This is where your characters will spend a lot of time. Personalize these spaces to reflect the inhabitants. Maybe one character is obsessed with salvaging books, so there's a small library corner. Perhaps another is a mechanic, and there's a well-stocked tool area. Little details will make your post-apocalyptic shelters feel more like home. Or not. A lack of home-related details could add to a sense of impermanence. Having to pull up and run a lot, maybe leaving things behind in your haste, adds to the suspense.

No long ending paragraph today. Have fun writing!

-Indigo

[roarintheheavens]

My Marauders Opinions

Jegulus is such a bad ship. It's so unrealistic. Regulus is a bad person and James isn't the type to associate that. Does Regulus have the potential to be an extremely complex interesting character? Definitely, but not in a relationship with James and that doesn't make him a good person. He was a death eater, he agreed with his family and Voldemort's views. Did he redeem himself in the end? Yes. Right before he died.

There is nothing wrong with using He/Him pronouns for Sirius. Those ARE his pronouns. I personally do not think he is trans AT ALL but if you want to call him a she, I don't really care. It's not my problem, it's just kind of random.

All the girls had a crush on Sirius. You can't tell me otherwise. The only person more liked than Sirius was James.

Sirius and Remus are Bi but prefer boys.

James is straight but he's experimented and is really open about it.

Jily is endgame and Lily is the only person James every truly, romantically loved.

[ravensshire]

I just posted my newest book "Monster Ecology" where I break down how magical creatures from Dragons to Owlbears might live and where they might live in a magical world.

This is good for those playing TTRPGs and writers who want to use it as inspiration in Worldbuilding.

There were about 20 free copies available.

[aceofglaives]

So, having adhd and writing as a hobby can be a challenge, to put it mildly.

I just made a plot for my fantasy novel, which I've been writing on and off on for the last 8 years.

8 years bro!

And now I've finally found that coffeewriting is the way to go! (The rule is, you write for as long as your afternoon coffee - or tea I don't judge - lasts, which let you skip the steps of page or word count, something that always stressed me out). ☕☕☕

Also, I might update my destiny fanfic (Lightbearer) before the end of this year 😭

[malicedafirenze]

"I worry that people might find my main character unattractive if I let her eat her own corpse for magic reasons"

Coward talk, lean into the vore.

[flammiawriting]

welcome to my writebrl!

·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙

about meㅡ  my name is antonia, though you can call me astrea if you feel so inclined. my pronouns are she/they. i was born in 2004 and have been writing since i was roughly eleven. (we don’t talk about the first things i wrote.) i am currently going through my a levels of english literature, english language and history. i hope to study creative writing at university!

what i writeㅡ primarily i write any type of fantasy, though my favourites are definitely high and dark. i also write a lot of classical, focused heavily on greek mythology. 

my wipsㅡ 

The King (high fantasy)ㅡ king darius umbra returns home after dealing with the peace talks of the neighbouring queendom, luminos. however, on the return home he encounters far more struggles than he should. he has to deal with the burning of towns and the death of his men to return home to his spouse, eero. (#theking)

Words of Silence (high fantasy, dark fantasy)ㅡ iker rheon is a cursed assassin, it’s that simple. he kills people to get money whilst dealing with the fact he can never, and will never fall in love, unless he wants to kill the person, or, people he loves most. that is until he falls into another realm and falls in love with the thing he hates most: a god. (#wordsofsilence)

Gemstone Eyes (high fantasy)ㅡ sirko has lived too long now, that much, he knows. he is a lunar god that does anything everything vesta asks him toㅡ whether that be killing someone, or raising her children for her. (never mind the fact he falls in love with three of them and marries them behind her back.) (#gemstoneyes)

don’t be scared to say hello! 

·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙

[itusebastian]

A Construct's Unwavering Devotion

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, there was a powerful wizard named Arcturus. He was feared and respected by all for his incredible magical abilities and his ability to create powerful constructs. One day, Arcturus decided to create the ultimate construct, a being that would serve him without fail and with unswerving devotion. He called this being a Helmed Horror.

The Helmed Horror was an animated suit of empty plate armor, with intelligence, the ability to reason, and an unswerving devotion to its maker that persisted even after its maker's demise. It carried out its appointed tasks with complete loyalty and was intelligent enough to understand the difference between an order's intent and its exact wording.

One day, while Arcturus was away, the kingdom was attacked by an army of invaders. The Helmed Horror was the only one left to defend the castle and the kingdom. It fought with the cunning of a skilled warrior, taking to the air as it attacked weaker characters and spellcasters first. But despite its tactical cunning, the Helmed Horror lacked the insight to change its environment, fortify it, or otherwise take active measures to improve its defensive position.

As the battle raged on, the Helmed Horror fought with all its might, determined to protect its maker's kingdom. But despite its efforts, the invaders were too powerful, and the Helmed Horror was eventually defeated. But even in defeat, it continued to follow its maker's orders, protecting the kingdom and its people with its last breath.

From that day on, the kingdom remembered the brave Helmed Horror and the sacrifices it made to protect them. And even though Arcturus was no longer alive, the Helmed Horror continued to serve and protect the kingdom, forever loyal to its maker's memory.

[briarcrawford]

Common Problems With Fantasy Antagonists

As a fiction writer, you are allowed to bend reality to your will, but if you want to be realistic a bit, you might realize that many fantasy stories have antagonists that don’t make sense.

1. Killing Everyone

There is an evil crossing the land and killing everyone in the hopes of world-domination. That evil is a type of creature, which is pretty much always male. They are killing all humans they come across to concur the world. No one is safe, not even the children.

Spooky, right? But what about the person in charge of all those creatures? What will he do if he does succeed? Who will make him food? Who will farm the lands? Who will continue trade with other countries?

By killing off all humans, the only option he would have left is to have those creatures he controls do the work, which brings to mind a goblin-like creature carefully baking a four-course meal.

Another popular option is to have all of the attackers be creatures, including their leader. They want to kill and eat all the humans…and what after that? What do they do once all the humans are gone? This is why predators in nature tend to have limits.

For example, a mother wolf typically has 4-6 pups a year, while a mother rabbit has the capability to have 168 babies a year. This is just one of many ways to keep the rabbit population healthy, despite the predator’s hunting them.

To get around this, some writers have the creatures be an invasive species, or have those creatures enslave the humans, or simply say that the creatures are just trying to cut down on the overpopulation of people.

2. Evil Creatures

If you need high population of antagonists for your main characters, and don’t want to have your readers feel uneasy about slaughtering other humans, then writers typically turn to evil creatures.

You are, of course, free to do whatever it is you want in your own fiction, but some readers complain that having every soul of a race of human-like creatures be evil is not only overdone, but can also be taken as racist if you are not careful. As well as that, some writers tend to be too vague with the goals. They have an evil lord, they have evil creatures, but the writers do not explain why the evil creatures bother to follow the orders of the evil lord.

Why should they put any effort into their work if they won’t get any value out of it? Have they been promised something? If not and they just like killing, what is stopping them from disbanding, ignoring the lords orders, and simply going on a killing spree wherever they please?

Even if the evil army is all humans, the fact that they would all be evil and thoughtless is unlikely. In many wars throughout the world, there have been people who try to help their enemy.

3. The Faceless Army

Too often, writers only concern themselves with the heroes of stories, and that makes an entire army of boring look-a-likes and a evil leader who we don’t meet until three books later. No one stands out all that much, so no enemy is more threatening than another.

Putting more thought into the enemies your character will face can make them seem more real, more threatening, and easier to imagine. This is not to say you have to carefully describe every enemy, just that carefully picking a few here and a few there to pause on can really add to the story.

4. No Clear Plan

If you plan on having an evil army that you say is led by a crafty and dangerous foe, prove their intelligence! Show us them:

Scouting

Disrupting or stopping supplies and resources

Spying

Slipping false information

Setting traps

Misleading

Assassinating leaders or people that bring hope

And more! There is more to war than two enemies meeting in a battlefield, and if you are trying to say that the evil person has been planning this attack for years, then he should probably have a better plan then “I am going to send out these creatures to hit things with their weapons.”

5. Kingdom Locations with Unfinished World Building

Writers love to pick lonely dramatic places for their evil characters to live in. Sometimes it is in an eternally icy landscape, sometimes a lava field, sometimes a desert. That is fine, and there is nothing particularly wrong with these locations if you plan for them, but if not, they don’t make all that much sense.

I have read of evil characters living in eternal winter with no trade partners, and yet they are eating grown food. That had to come from somewhere. Did they work out some sort of greenhouse system? Do they have secret trade partners that send them supplies in return for a promise of safety? Is there no life on land, but plenty of fish and sea greens in the sea?

As well as that, what do they heat the castle with? You said there was no life, so certainly not trees. Is it coal? Magic?

Where do they get their clothes? If there is no life at all on land, that means no plants, no prey to eat those plants, and no predators to eat that prey. That means no fiber and no hides to make clothes from.

Where does their money come from? War is incredibly expensive, so how do they make their money? Do they have some sort of resource only available to them? Who dares trade with them?

_____

That’s it for now! These are just common problems that I come across while reading fantasy, but that does not mean you have to fix them in yours. Fiction does not have to be realistic, so feel free to go with your gut.

[poemsbysafia]

“Godhood is just like girlhood; a begging to be believed.”

- Kristin Chang, from “Churching”, published in the Up the Staircase Quarterly.

[plotandelegy]

Mastering Story Physics: Crafting Believable Magical Systems for Immersive World-Building

Photo: Standard License - Adobe Stock

Have you ever read a book with a magical system so captivating you almost believe it's real? That's where story physics comes into play. It's like everyday physics, but instead of dealing with gravity or quantum mechanics, the rules are for our fictional universes. The more consistent and logical the rules are, the easier it is for readers to suspend disbelief and get lost in a story. If you're dreaming up a world of your own, here's a quick guide on getting everything to line up smoothly for maximum reader immersion. 

Begin with the Basics

Foundation: Start by understanding the natural world's physics. It helps to know the rules before you bend or break them.

Consistency: Decide on the rules of your universe and stick to them. If magic drains energy in chapter one, it can't be consequence-free in chapter five.

Limitations: Every system, magical or not, should have its limits. This can create tension, obstacles, and more intricate plots.

A Dash of Reality:

Relatability: Even if your world is filled with flying pigs, there's gotta be something relatable. Maybe those pigs need sleep, or they're terrified of storms. Ground some aspects in reality.

Cause and Effect: If a character uses a spell, there should be a consequence. It can be as simple as being tired or as complex as altering the fabric of the universe.

Complexity and Depth:

Layers: Think of your magical system as an onion Peel back layers to reveal deeper secrets or complexities as the story progresses.

Evolution: Allow your system to grow and change. Just like technology advances, so can magical methods or tools.

Character Interaction:

Practicality: If magic or advanced technology exists, characters should use it daily, not just in dire situations.

Learning Curve: Characters shouldn't master the system overnight. Watching them struggle, learn, and adapt can be super engaging.

Stakes and Balance:

Consequences: Every action should have an equal and opposite reaction. If someone's saving the world with their powers, what are they sacrificing?

Power Checks: Ensure there's something to check or counteract powerful entities. Without a good reason, no one likes an invincible hero (or villain).

-Indigo

[ravensshire]

I draw owlbear cubs while talking about fairy lore. 

[cainsdiary]

heyooo writeblr i'm very new here so. introduction.

im cain, i like writing fantasy, sci fi and adventure, sometimes horror and always cynicism, i'm currently trying to write my first full novel (potentially a series?) and im also just excited to meet new ppl on here!

my favourite author currently is derek landy (i'm obsessed with the way he makes fun of his own characters through the plot, i picked up this habit after reading his work) and ofc obsessed with his skulduggery pleasent series

im nonbinary (mostly out of spite of society's expectations but also bcos i dont feel a connection to any gender tbh) and most of my characters are gay as fuck!

i'm not really sure what else to put in an intro so? i'm also rly into martial arts and weightlifting and i'm about to start a bachelors degree in communications design (graphic design kinda) and i spend 80% of my time just nerding out at home! other than online i'm insanely antisocial so expect me to be around a lot :>

[allnovellas]

Building a Fictional World for Your Story

In any story, the setting plays a crucial role, creating the stage on which your characters perform. In fiction, and particularly in genres such as fantasy and science fiction, the creation of a compelling, immersive world is paramount. But, how do you go about building a fictional world that feels real to your readers? Starting Points for World Building Before you start building your world,…

[lazywriterkylie]

Alright, everyone!

Next Thursday, I will be posting my first chapter on my blog:

https://lazywriterkylie.blogspot.com/?m=1

The link is also in my bio on Instagram (@lazywriterkylie) and I'm gonna figure out if I can pin it here on tunblr 🥰. It is a Google blog, so all you need to do is follow the link and look for Chapter 1 right there on that website. Easy as pie! There is no need to create a separate profile or anything. You can follow my blog if you have a Gmail account so you don't miss any chapters!

However....

If you're more of an avid reader and creating a (free) profile on a website curated specifically with readers in mind doesnt bother you, then I have some good news...

If you follow this link:

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/68917/champion-harbinger

It will take you to the Royal Road website, where you can create a profile and read Chapter 1 right. Now.

How cool is that?

Thank you so much for following along as we've been building up to the release of my first chapter! I am so excited to start this adventure with everyone!

Also, like my placeholder cover for Act 1? 😁