As an aspiring writer, you are certainly rich in imagination, which might enable you to incorporate magic into your writing, which is why this genre could be a perfect fit. The best part about writing fantasy is that you don’t have to put a cap on your imagination and creativity, as you can go all in to spin magical tales that involve dragons, princes, elves, wizards – you name it.
As a potential fantasy author, you will soon learn that fantasy is a nice that is quite rewarding and profitable. Nonetheless, along with the limitless possibilities, there are certain challenges that you need to overcome as a fiction writer as well.
Lucky for you, we have crafted a short guide for you that will help you write a fantasy book that will actually sell.
Read on to learn more!
Choose Your Target Readers
Before you start the writing process, you will want to identify your target readers – the people who will ideally be reading your books. Now the thing is that a number of sub genres exist within the genre of fantasy.
There are different types of fantasies in the market – and each fantasy subgenre has a different reader audience, which is why you will want to understand the different genres before you select your audience.
For instance, your fantasy book could fall into any of the following subgenres:
- Dystopia
- Paranormal
- Medieval fantasy
- Superhero fantasy
- Dark fantasy
You get the point – you have a number of subgenres to choose from. And you will also want to determine whether you are writing for adults or children. If yes, then what will be the age group, as different age groups are interested in different subgenres?
You will want to assess which audience is interested in which genre before you decide on the subject and start writing your book.
Read other Books
Now, if you want to write a book that sells, you will want to read other books. Ideally, you will want to read other fantasy genres and a lot of them because the more you read, the easier it will become for you to understand the structure and other essential elements of fantasy books.
As an aspiring writer of the fantasy genre, you will also want to re-read your favorite fantasy books – but – this time, you will be reading the books with a different mindset as you will be focusing on the various elements that the writers have integrated into their books.
For instance, while reading the different fantasy books, you will want to assess the characters of the novels and see whether the writers have crafted relatable characters, and if yes, then how. You will also want to assess the various supernatural and magical aspects that make the books fall into the fantasy genre.
You will also want to pay attention to the hooks of the books and the different elements that the authors have used to keep their readers hooked to the books from the beginning to the end. More importantly, while assessing the different fantasy books, you will also want to assess the book covers.
The thing about book covers is that these are extremely crucial in determining whether your book will sell or not. A cover can either make or break the book, which is why hiring one of the best fantasy book cover designers is recommended once you have completed your manuscript and are ready to publish the book.
The book cover designers will ensure that your cover attracts the reader’s audience and that it also stands out in the crowd of other books.
You will want to look at things from the perspective of a potential reader who is interested in buying books. Imagine walking along the bookshelves – you will be picking out books based on their covers, which is why you will want to ensure that your book cover isn’t dull but that it represents your book in the best possible manner.
You will always want to keep in mind the simple rule that your book is judged based on its cover, which is why you will want to ensure that the cover of your book is authentic to its genre and subject matter.
Focus on World-Building
As a writer, do you know where the actual fun lies? It lies in world-building. In case you don’t know, world-building is the art of constructing a world that is purely linked with a fictional universe. Different things come into play when it comes to world-building, and it all comes down to your imagination.
You will be imagining all the things that you want to be part of the world. We recommend using a mind map to make it easier for you to come up with the plot, characters, system, culture, climate, customs, setting, and history.
Focus on Character Development
You will want to focus on character development and ensure that you craft intriguing characters. The fun part of writing fantasy is that you get to develop fun and interesting characters. Again, you will want to use a mind map to do the needful.
You will want to consider using archetypes when writing fiction. However, you will want to ensure that your hero has some serious character flaws so that your readers find it easy to relate to your characters. No one wants to read a story where the characters don’t have character flaws that make them more human.
Start with an Outline
You will want to start with an outline, which will make things much easier. The thing about fantasy novels is that they are typically more plot-driven rather than dominated by characters. Ideally, you will want to integrate conflict and tension so that your readers will feel the need to read the entire story – from beginning to end.
So, when creating an outline, you will want to focus on all aspects of the fantasy novel, including portraying the central conflict, characters, and whatnot. The essential benefit of working with an outline is that it serves as a roadmap, and you will always know in which direction your story is going.
