Secrets of Writing Fantasy Novels by HG Nadel

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Secrets of Writing Fantasy Novels by HG Nadel The secret to writing a great fantasy novel is the laying of a firm foundation.

Writers of fantasy novels understand what fantasy is, fantasy is not something incredible. In fact, for a fantasy novel to work it must be believable. If your novel is not believable, you would sooner be writing a comedy.

To write a fantasy novel that works, your world, your characters and the intention, adventure or quest must all fit together. Long before to you get to write "once upon a time", or "in a land far, far away", you must create this time and place. The writer of a fantasy novel must know this place in as much detail as they know their real world.

In the creation of this fantasy place, the writer must pay careful attention to believable detail. Consider that if sun never rises in a fantasy place, the vegetation would not be vibrant and, well, unless there is some other element in the environment that should explain the impossible. If the land is barren, there is unlikely to be an adequate water source, unless somehow this source is polluted, stagnant and infertile. If the writer feels compelled to include a viable water source here, they must explain some force that makes it so.

If there are animals in this world, they must belong to this world. An arctic wolf is unlikely to fare well in a hot humid environment, but some cousin of the wolf that evolution has produced with a thin sleek skin will do nicely. Perhaps the writer


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