Creating a Strong Story
Outline your plot. Many novice fantasy authors rely too heavily on the fantastical elements of the story and neglect to develop the actual story itself first. Before you can write a compelling piece of fantasy fiction, though, you'll need all the elements of a strong and compelling plot. For this reason, it may be helpful to create at least a skeletal outline to help you track what happens and to whom in your story. Every plot should have some element that sets the story in motion. This may be an external conflict or an internal one, but something needs to happen in order for the action to progress. Rising action (in which the story develop and tension builds), the climax of that action, and the subsequent falling action are all crucial elements of a strong plot. The denouement (or "unraveling"), in which all of the tension is completely resolved, is essential to move the story towards its logical ending.
Develop the conflict. A good conflict is critical if you hope to write a strong plot for any type of fiction. Conflict motivates the characters, catalyzes the story, and creates tension that the reader will engage with. A common strategy is to depict the antagonist's motivations in direct conflict with the protagonist's. This creates a tremendous amount of tension and allows the reader to further identify with the protagonist. Conflict can be between a person and himself/herself, between two people, or between a person and an abstract concept (society, God/gods/goddesses, etc.). EXPERT TIP Julia Martins Julia Martins BA in English, Stanford University Julia Martins is an aspiring writer currently living in San Francisco, California. She graduated from Stanford University with a BA in English and has been published in Cornell University's Rainy Day Magazine, Stanford University's Leland Quarterly, and Bards and Sages Quarterly. Julia Martins Julia Martins BA in English, Stanford University Struggling to come up with a conflict for your fantasy story? Julia Martins, creative writer, advises that you start with your main character. "Think about what they want more than anything. Then, think about why they can't get what they want. There you go! You've just come up with your story's central conflict."
Create interesting and memorable characters. Characters are arguably more important than the plot. Even if a reader doesn't find the plot particularly interesting, he or she may continue to read a story because of its compelling and/or relatable characters. Characters should have a clear, well-defined motivation. This can be a need/desire, a goal, or simply a personality trait, but it should be clear what makes each character tick. Try to make your characters contradictory or otherwise complicated, as this can make them more realistic. Remember that no one in real life is always good or always evil, so fictional characters shouldn't be, either. Make your characters vulnerable somehow. Whether it's a physical vulnerability or an emotional one, some type of human suffering/vulnerability makes characters more relatable. Map out more characteristics and motivations for each main character than you'll actually explicitly include in your story. Just knowing what makes your characters happy/sad/frightened/etc. can influence how you write that character in subtle ways. EXPERT TIP Julia Martins Julia Martins BA in English, Stanford University Julia Martins is an aspiring writer currently living in San Francisco, California. She graduated from Stanford University with a BA in English and has been published in Cornell University's Rainy Day Magazine, Stanford University's Leland Quarterly, and Bards and Sages Quarterly. Julia Martins Julia Martins BA in English, Stanford University Julia Martins, creative writer, suggests: "To better understand your character, try filling out a character profile, which you can write yourself or find online. Even small details – like your character's favorite color or pet peeve – can help you get a better sense of who they are."
Expand and develop the plot. Infusing your plot with vivid details and complex developments will help bring your story to life for readers. Try to incorporate as many sensory details as you can so that readers get a real sense of what your characters experience and what your fictional world is like. You'll obviously want to include the sights and sounds of your world, but don't neglect the smells, tastes, and tactile feelings of that world.
End the story at a logical point. Don't drag your story on for chapter after chapter once the tension is resolved, but don't rush to be finished either. Figure out where the story should logically end by considering what readers may want to know about your characters in the chapter or two that follow the resolution of tension. Make sure your characters resolve their conflicts. Don't try to have acts of nature, a new character, or some divine element fix all the conflicts, or readers will be turned off very quickly. If your story is part of a larger saga, you'll have to balance the logical ending for this story and the hint of what's to come in the next story. If your story is a free-standing piece of fiction, think about what questions might linger after the tension wraps up. Consider what happens to the principal characters, as well as what might happen to the world you've created after the central conflict is resolved.
Understanding and Infusing Elements of Fantasy
Read as much fantasy fiction as you can. If you want to write an epic fantasy story, it's a good idea to read extensively within the genre. Trying to write within a genre you've never read will only produce mediocre work, and dedicated readers of the genre will recognize the lack of authority in your writing. Some popular and widely-adored fantasy authors include C.S. Lewis, T.H. White, Fritz Leiber, J.R.R. Tolkien, Susanna Clarke, and Kelly Link. Ask a librarian at your local library or an employee at your local book store to recommend some classic, influential fantasy novels for beginners to the genre.
Determine what (if any) magical elements your story will contain. Not all fantasy novels include magic, but those that do typically establish a sense of order for the realm of magic. There needs to be some type of method and logic to the magic, and it should be clear and unambiguous for readers. Plan out the magical elements thoroughly. Consider whether those elements need explanation or exposition in order to make sense to readers, and decide what the "rules" or limits of that magic is in your world. If your story takes place in an historical society (or a fictional society based on some real historical culture), make sure you thoroughly research that society/culture so you can write about it honestly and accurately.
Hook your readers early on in the story. Catching a reader's interest from the start is important for any story, but especially in fantasy fiction. Dedicated readers of the genre will want to know that their efforts will be rewarded, and failing to hook your audience from early on may result in your readers losing interest as the story goes along. You don't necessarily need a huge, "bombshell" reveal early in the story. However, you should at least hint at exciting and intriguing things to come. You'll need to deliver on the things you hint at later in the story, so don't offer false promises of something exciting that never unfolds.
Introduce your main characters before drama ensues. Many fantasy authors open a story with some type of battle scene. While this can be exciting and may show off certain characteristics of the principal characters, the reality is that readers won't know who those characters are or why their deaths (and triumphs) are meaningful. It's okay to have a battle scene at the beginning, but be aware that readers may not be invested enough yet, and may not find it as compelling. If you do decide to open with a dramatic scene, step back after a paragraph or so to let the characters come alive on the page. Name your characters when they're introduced. Don't try to be mysterious by only using "he" or "she," as this may lose a reader's interest.
Resist the urge to incorporate every detail and description. Details are an excellent way to strengthen and develop your narrative. However, too much description can bog down the story with diversions and tangential information. Let your world come to life on the page by choosing which details are the most important and relevant. Rather than explicitly writing out each and every detail, work on finding ways to introduce details through exposition, reflection, and dialogue. This can make the narrative feel less heavy and allow it to flow better.
Revising and Editing Your Story
Approach your story with fresh eyes. When you've just finished a story, you're probably still very attached to the characters, world, and plot you've created. This can make cutting things out difficult, since everything feels perfect and essential. Because it's fresh in your memory, you may also be filling in gaps in the story with your own intimate knowledge of the narrative, but those gaps will be confusing to readers. Set your story aside for a few days to a week before you begin editing/revising it. Don't read your story during that time, and resist the urge to even look at it. If you don't trust yourself to approach the story with fresh eyes, consider asking a trusted friend or colleague to read your story. Ask someone whose opinion you value and who you know will be honest and straightforward.
Keep your tone consistent. Throughout the course of writing a short story, it can be easy for you to lose track of your tone. This may be particularly true if you work on your story in short bursts over a period of several weeks. Reviewing your story and keeping a consistent tone will help make it come together more clearly and eloquently for readers, and it will ultimately create a stronger story. Find one paragraph from your story that you feel embodies your ideal tone. Then print out a copy of that paragraph and hang it by your computer, or simply re-read it before you begin working on your story again.
Show, don't tell. One of the most common phrases in creative writing circles is "Show, don't tell." This means letting the reader see things unfold on the page, either through the narrative or through well-placed details. Showing the reader that someone is sad (by describing that character's body language, reactions, etc.), for example, instead of telling the reader that a character is sad will make a huge difference in your story.
Trim out anything that's confusing or unnecessary. Revising a story will inevitably require you to cut out some sections. Those sections may end up being rewritten, or they may simply not work for your story. Either way, you'll need to read your draft with a fine-toothed comb and ask yourself whether certain sections are necessary for the story in its current form. If anything is unclear or confusing for a potential reader, consider rewriting it if it's vital to the story. If it isn't vital, then simply cut it out. Look for needless and irrelevant tangents, descriptions, and other distractions. Cut these out and see if the story still makes sense without them.
Edit your story at the line level. Once you've worked out the bigger issues in your story, you'll need to turn your attention to the smaller, line-level details. While bigger issues can turn a reader off right from the start, line-level issues may frustrate readers consistently throughout the story, and should be reworked accordingly. Check your story for proper spelling and grammar. Ask yourself whether the adjectives you use are actually descriptive, or if they're boring "empty" adjectives. Cut out unnecessary adverbs. Generally speaking, too many adverbs bog down a story.
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