Our Articles

Having compelling characters in your novel can be the difference between a good story and a great one, igniting a reader\'s imagination with every turn of the page. Some of the most memorable fictional characters have lasted the test of time because of how the author described them. From Heathcliff to Fagin, from Scarlett O\'Hara to Matilda, the way these characters look, move, behave, and interact with others and their surroundings make them larger than life, leaving a lasting impression because they feel so real. In this article, we\'re going to look at the fourteen questions every writer should ask themselves when planning on describing their main characters. Use this guide as a checklist and learn how strong character descriptions can bring your book to life! How To Write Compelling Character Descriptions When it comes to writing character descriptions, many people instantly think of physical details. Yes, it\'s often important to show what your character is wearing or what colour their hair is, but real people are made up of more than just a police lineup description. To reveal character traits beyond a physical attribute you need to go deeper. When you understand your character\'s flaws, needs, fears, ambitions, childhood, and past and future goals, you can unearth a richer and more believable person. This involves looking at each non-visual medium as well as the surroundings of that character and how they influence them, their behaviour, and their persona. Why Are Character Descriptions Important? A professional writer knows that character description is incredibly important. Without character development, your story is just a plot that no one will care about. A reader connects not with the adventure, but with the person embarking on it. They\'re not invested in the love story but in the two people experiencing it. They don\'t care about how someone was murdered as much as who was murdered and who did it. When a reader empathises with a character, that story becomes so much more important. When a reader roots for the hero, or hates the villain, they will keep turning those pages. An author gets just one chance to make an impactful first impression, to include the right details to make their characters jump off the page - so make sure you make each character unique! Let\'s discover how you can do that by asking yourself the following questions... 14 Questions To Ask Yourself When You Describe Characters Here are the first fourteen questions any writer should ask themselves when developing their characters and describing them to readers. Feel free to add even more, but if you don\'t know the answer to any of these then your reader may struggle to imagine what each character is like. And remember, you can describe a character in many different and original ways, even if you completely leave out physical appearance - if a reader knows enough about them they will fill in the blanks. That\'s the magic of storytelling! 1. What Is Their Background? This question is very important. In Dickens\' Oliver Twist, an orphan boy joins a street gang of young London thieves. Dickens knew Oliver came from an affluent family originally, so ensured the boy\'s characteristics were gentle, a little meek, and his physical attributes fine and elegant. Dickens then provides the perfect foil character in Oliver\'s new pickpocketing friend, The Artful Dodger, who is described very differently. We know Dodger is from the rough streets of Victorian London by the way he talks, dresses, moves and behaves. This is a wonderful description of The Artful Dodger!He was a snub-nosed, flat-browed, common-faced boy enough; and as dirty a juvenile as one would wish to see; but he had about him all the airs and manners of a man. He was short of his age: with rather bow-legs, and little, sharp, ugly eyes. His hat was stuck on the top of his head so lightly, that it threatened to fall off every moment—and would have done so, very often, if the wearer had not had a knack of every now and then giving his head a sudden twitch, which brought it back to its old place again. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens 2. Can You Include A Foil Character? When you have two characters, try and make them opposite to one another - these are called foil characters. Foil characters are very useful in literature as they enhance and highlight the main character\'s traits by showing the reader opposite ones. For instance, if you want to emphasise how mean a character is, then have them go shopping with someone who\'s overly generous. Likewise, show how quiet and insecure someone is by having them recoil in horror as their companion booms and shouts and draws attention to them. 3. How Old Are They? How a child sees the world is very different to how an adult does. In Roald Dahl\'s Matilda, the protagonist is a very young girl who is incredibly clever. She\'s everything a \'good\' child should be and very advanced for her age. We can see that through the way she dresses (with a red ribbon in her hair), her habits (she loves to read and go to the library alone), and her resourcefulness (she can\'t carry all the books by herself so takes a toy trolley to put them in). In contrast - once again, those helpful foil characters - her parents are everything a \'bad\' parent can be. They don\'t cook proper meals, insist their children eat in front of the TV, and barely pay any attention to them (and when they do it\'s to critique them); they continuously put looks and money above their children\'s educational needs. The age of a character not only determines how they dress and the way they speak, but it can also influence how they act. If you want to portray a child as being cruel, they may pull another child\'s hair or call them names. If you want to show an adult in the same way (like Matilda\'s nemesis, Mrs Trunchbull) you may show her not sharing her special chocolates and scaring the children who she\'s meant to be looking after. Likewise, those attributes may influence their physical descriptions. As Roald Dahl said himself in his book, The Twits: A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely. The Twits by Roald Dahl 4. What Are Their Physical Features? Physical descriptions are the easiest way to paint a picture of a character - but they\'re also the least imaginative. For example, the physical characteristics of a character may be: Hair colour - brown hair, black hair, blonde hair etc. Eye colour - brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes etc. Build - tall, short, slim, overweight, muscly, average build (whatever that means) etc. But, unless the eye colour is vital to the storyline (in my own book, The Path Keeper, Zac\'s eye colour plays a fundamental role in the entire trilogy), using up half a page to describe how they look is boring. When describing bodily features and other details, try to think of very specific characteristics such as perhaps a scar, the shape of their nose, chewed fingernails, or hair that has greying roots. Although stay away from stereotypes, especially when it comes to race, ethnicity, and other minorities. Likewise, don\'t have them staring into the mirror contemplating their looks so the reader knows what they look like. Men, take note, no woman ever thinks about the size or shape of their breasts! Let\'s take a look at Dickens again and his character in Hard Times, the boastful, self-important Mr. Bounderby. Here\'s a bad example of how he could be described, using just physical attributes: He was six foot two and weighed 250 pounds, with brown hair and dull blue eyes. His suit was made from rough tweed and his leather boots looked expensive. He worked in a bank and his laugh was very loud. Not very evocative. It sounds like you\'re giving the police a description of the man who ran off with all your money. This is how Dickens actually describes Mr Bounderby: He was a rich man: banker, merchant, manufacturer, and what not. A big, loud man, with a stare, and a metallic laugh. A man made out of coarse material, which seemed to have been stretched to make so much of him. Hard Times by Charles Dickens 5. What Are They Wearing? Clothes say a lot about a person. Not just in terms of whether they are dressed formally, casually or in a uniform, but also in how they wear their clothes. Do they have a button missing? Are their trousers ironed with a crease down the centre or are they crumpled? Are there clothes old and worn, or new and from designer brands? What about their shoes? Is a woman wearing heels to do something that would be better suited to trainers? Does a man wear his expensive suit accessorised with odd colourful socks? In Margaret Atwood’s Booker-winning novel The Blind Assassin, the narrator Iris begins the story thinking back to her sister Laura’s death. Laura’s troubled personality shines through in Atwood\'s descriptions of her clothing: I could picture the smooth oval of Laura’s face, her neatly pinned chignon, the dress she would have been wearing: a shirtwaist with a small rounded collar, in a sober colour – navy blue or steel grey or hospital-corridor green. Penitential colours – less like something she’d chosen to put on than like something she’d been locked up in. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood 6. What Is Their Job? When it comes to showing, not telling, a job can really help describe a person (as in the case of the banker above). If a novel opens with a nurse tending to a sick child and then stopping to pet a cat on her way home, it\'s highly unlikely she\'s going to be cruel and uncaring. There\'s no need to say \'Kate was a very patient and kind woman who loved children and animals\' if you\'ve already demonstrated that by her profession and actions. Likewise, a gardener will enjoy being outdoors and a sailor will be comfortable out on the ocean. Or, to make things more interesting, you could have your gardener scared of worms and your sailor unable to swim! 7. What Makes Them Unique? A character\'s personality is determined by how they move and act, as well as how they look. Give them a quirky personality and some character traits people won\'t forget in a hurry. If I write about a woman who collects buttons, which she then leaves behind on the body of every man she murders, you will probably have a very distinct idea of what she looks like. In contrast, a woman who lives in a hut in the forest, breeds ferrets, and makes her own clothes, will look, move, sound, and behave very differently. 8. How Do They Move? Physical attributes determine how a character moves, and body language says a lot about a person. For instance, if a teen character is awkward with long legs and arms, they may lope, amble, or bump into things. If someone is young and healthy they may run everywhere. If they are older, or unwell, they may move slower or more deliberately. 9. How Are They Feeling? You can describe a character\'s face and body language, or you can tell the readers what they are thinking and feeling. Facial expressions are a great way to determine what that character is like. For instance, a man with creases around his eyes from smiling a lot, is going to be a very different character from one who has deep furrows on his forehead from being constantly angry. I don\'t recommend you focus on skin colour, but if the character is white then describing pale skin that\'s clammy at the touch may indicate they\'re unwell, or that they don\'t get out of the house much. 10. How Do They Interact With Their Surroundings? The people in your book don\'t live on a blank page; all characters inhabit a place - the setting of your book. How they interact with their surroundings says a lot about their character. If the book is set in the jungle, the character who is scared and over-reacting is going to be a very different type of person to the one who is fearless. Surprise your readers. Maybe the muscly man is scared, and the older lady wearing a floral dress is the one who fights off the killer snakes. Consider other sensory details. Does your character like the smell of flowers, or does it remind them of their abusive grandmother? Or do they prefer the scent of bleach because they have a cleaning addiction that stems from their sad childhood? What about the food they eat, the sounds they pick up, and the way they see the world? Be creative with how they react to the environment. 11. What Do Other People Think About Them? It\'s always fun to have a character perceive themselves one way, and then demonstrate how they\'re perceived by others. Write character descriptions that are contradictory. If you have an obnoxious character that\'s despised by everyone he works with, have him think he\'s the smartest, most helpful person in the office. If you have a child who doubts their ability at school, have them be the teacher\'s secret favourite. In Emily Brontë\'s, Wuthering Heights, the protagonist Heathcliff is a contradictory mix of wild ways and gentlemanly expectations. You can see that juxtaposition in the way the author describes him: But Mr. Heathcliff forms a singular contrast to his abode and style of living. He is a dark-skinned gypsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman, that is, as much a gentleman as many a country squire. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë 12. What Do They Think Of Those Around Them? I am yet to meet a more fascinating character than Jean-Baptiste Grenouille in the novel Perfume, by Patrick Süskind. His extreme olfactory powers mean that he experiences the world through his intense sense of smell. Everyone around him has a pungent, overbearing odour, while he himself has absolutely no scent at all. This in turn results in him hating all human beings. People left him alone. And that was all he wanted. Perfume by Patrick Süskind That line alone tells you everything you need to know about how others perceive him and how he perceives them. Think about how your characters view their friends, colleagues, family members, children and partners. 13. How Do They Behave? How a character treats others is extremely telling of their values and personality. In Joanna Harris\' book, Chocolat, the main character Vianne describes a customer in her shop as: His face is small, delicately featured. He is the kind of man who breaks biscuits in two and saves the other half for later. Chocolat by Joanna Harris No eye or hair color, no clothing or job description. None of that is needed. We know exactly what kind of man he is by the physical description of \'small\' and \'delicate\' and his precise actions. 14. Are They A Cliché? It\'s too easy, when describing a character, to have them fit a specific (and unoriginal) mold. Is your hero tall, dark and handsome? Is your teenager surly and distant? Is your old man cranky and bigoted? In Jonas Jonasson\'s book, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, the main character is not only full of adventure and hope - but he\'s 100 years old. And nothing like you would expect an old man to be! People could behave how they liked, but Allan considered that in general it was quite unnecessary to be grumpy if you had the chance not to. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson Frequently Asked Questions How Do You Describe A Character\'s Appearance? When describing a character\'s appearance, only focus on the details which are relevant to the story. So if your character\'s going undercover and wearing a short blonde wig, it would be useful to know that their hair is usually long and brown, so their disguise is likely to be somewhat effective. Remember, your character\'s description goes beyond just what they look like. You can let your readers know a lot about a character by how they: Talk Move Dress Act Interact with others Interact with their surroundings As well as their backgrounds, their values, and how others see them. What Are Six Ways To Describe A Character? There are six key ways to describe a character: Physical appearance How they speak How they move How they treat others Unique tics and character traits How they interact with their surroundings Great Character Description Matters Good character description matters. Whether you are writing a novel, a short story, or even the blurb of your book - descriptive details in your writing will help your reader\'s imagination and bring your characters to life. I hope this article has given you inspiration for your characters and helped you imagine them beyond their dark hair and green eyes. The joy of being a writer is that once you have imagined your characters in depth, after that they should write the rest of the book for you. As author William Faulkner once said: It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does. William Faulkner Have fun catching up with your book cast!

Science fiction and fantasy are my go-to, both for reading and watching on television, but also when writing my own stories. I always thought I understood the difference between these genres, so imagine my surprise when my science fiction book was marketed by my publishers as fantasy.   In hindsight, this misunderstanding wasn’t surprising. Fantasy and science fiction as genres have considerable overlap. But understanding what makes these genres distinct will enable you to hone your writing to the right audience, enhancing reader enjoyment and helping at the marketing stage. So let’s explore the specific elements of both genres, what makes the genres different and the same, and why this understanding is so important.  What Is Science Fiction?  If you were anything like me as a kid and switched off during science lessons, then a quick Google will remind you that science is the study of the physical and natural world through experiments, observations, and measurement. So the science fiction genre is exactly as it sounds: fiction grown from scientific principles and theory. A weaving of storytelling with the laws of nature and physics.   Science fiction explores scenarios that are possible, at least with scientific advancement, making them all the more relatable and frightening. For someone science-adverse (like me,) it turns something stale into something wonderful and intriguing, binding science to emotions, humanity, the imagination, and ethical quandaries. I didn’t enjoy science as a student, but my rucksack was brimmed with science fiction novels by the likes of Asimov and Orwell.  The Key Elements Of Science Fiction  Science fiction tends to embrace advanced technology such as time travel or space travel, and/or a dystopian setting, where society embodies grave injustices or suffering. These science fiction elements allow readers to explore important, often scary, ethical or theoretical questions from the safety and comfort of their sofas. For example, will the ability to alter the past help or harm people? How can we spot the warning signs and stop our society from completely disregarding the rights of women? How can scientific development aid good and evil in this world and beyond?   Examples Of Science Fiction Stories  A Clockwork Orange By Anthony Burgess   A novel set in a dystopian world where criminality can be influenced by behavioural principles. This story draws on the psychological theory of behaviourism, but also poses a broader ethical question: is freedom of choice more important than the prevention of evil? This story blew my sixteen-year-old mind.  Station 11 By Emily St. John Mandel  A brilliant novel about a terrifying new virus. Sound familiar? This novel was written pre-covid, demonstrating how science fiction can be so grounded in reality, that it often has a predictive quality.  The Secret Deep By Lindsay Galvin  A wonderful example of middle-grade science fiction, wherein the DNA of mermaid-type creatures is used to enable people to breathe underwater. Such a great book for making science interesting for children.  Starship Troopers By Robert A. Heinlein  This exciting novel is a great example of military science fiction, a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on weapons and war. This genre is particularly scary as technological advancements are moving so quickly, that some of these ideas may soon be a reality.  The Loneliest Girl In The Universe By Lauren James  This brilliant YA novel is not only set in space, a popular science fiction setting, but was apparently inspired by a question on special relativity from Lauren’s university physics course (for those who don’t know, special relativity is a theory explaining how speed affects mass, time and space.) It’s a lovely example of how science fiction is often birthed from real-world ‘what if… ?’ questions.  The Martian By Andy Weir  This novel follows an astronaut\'s struggle to survive on Mars. This is a great example of hard science fiction, a subgenre that embraces scientific accuracy.  What Is Fantasy?  Unlike science fiction, fantasy deals with the impossible. Think magic and the supernatural. As such, it’s firmly rooted in the imagination rather than in science and natural laws.   The Key Elements Of Fantasy  The main elements of fantasy are mythical creatures, magical worlds, and the supernatural. These elements are so distinct from the real world, that they allow the reader complete escapism from the mundane. They also fully engage the imagination, something that has been shown time and time again to improve children’s development. However, as adults, we tend to move away from imaginative play and fantasy worlds, and as we conform to society, so too can our dreams and creativity. Fantasy novels allow us to tap back into this freeing, fun, and creative state, where anything is possible. Extensive world-building is another vital element of the fantasy genre, and writers often create entirely new histories, languages, religions, and cultures. For my soon-to-be-published young adult fantasy novel, I devised a new religion and went as far as writing a handbook; a level of worldbuilding that isn’t unusual for fantasy writers.  World building makes the impossible believable and results in a deeply immersive experience for the writer, and ultimately, the reader. There’s a reason fantasy has some of the biggest fandoms like Twilight and Lord of The Rings. Not only do they inspire grown-up imaginative play, but the vastness of the imagined worlds encourages exploration through clubs, fanfiction, and fanart.   Examples Of Fantasy Stories  The Priory Of The Orange Tree By Samantha Shannon  This feminist reimagining of George and the dragon is a novel rich with world-building and mythical creatures. The original tale is from the 11th century, demonstrating the longevity of the fantasy genre, probably because our capacity to imagine and dream is a central part of our humanity that transcends time.  Pan’s Labyrinth This beautiful film shows how fantasy can be combined with real-life history. In this case, mythical creatures and magical quests are blended with the very real Spanish Civil War.  The Last Days Of Jack Sparks By Jason Arnopp  This clever novel follows an arrogant journalist to his death after he angers the devil during an exorcism. It falls into the fantasy genre because it deals with the supernatural, yet it also falls into several other genres including horror, thriller, and suspense.   Snowglobe By Amy Wilson  This beautiful story about a girl who can jump between worlds contained within snowglobes shows how fantasy fiction can help children explore big issues in a safe way. In this case; loss, coming of age, and the responsibility that accompanies power.  The Gilded Ones By Namina Forna  This thrilling young adult fantasy novel is about the persecution of supernatural creatures, specifically demons, by mankind. The story is told from the point of view of a demon, flipping the traditional idea that demons are evil on its head. It’s particularly original and immersive and explores themes of the \'other\' and of embracing difference.   Fantasy Vs Science Fiction   The main difference between fantasy and science fiction is that fantasy deals with the impossible, whereas science fiction deals with the possible. Fantasy features magic and monsters, the realm of the imagination, and science fiction is grounded in scientific principles. Both genres need internal consistency and logic, but in fantasy, the writer creates the rules, whereas, in science fiction, nature and physics dictate the rules.  In spite of these differences, significant overlap remains. Both science fiction and fantasy imagine worlds different from our own, and both deal with the hypothetical. Indeed, the similarities are so pronounced, it isn’t uncommon to blend both categories resulting in a genre known as science fantasy or fantasy science fiction. A great example of this is Star Wars. The setting is space, yet the force is magical.  Another key similarity is that the imagined elements of the external world heighten the internal conflicts and the goals of the protagonist. For example, in my fantasy novel, Antigua de Fortune of the High Seas, the main character must embrace her magical powers in order to heal the rift between magical sea creatures and mankind. At its core, her character arc is simple: you do you. But it wouldn’t be nearly so exciting if her self-discovery didn’t involve ocean magic.  Understanding these differences enables writers to tailor their books for specific audiences, therefore enhancing sales and reader enjoyment. This becomes especially important during marketing, ensuring your book reaches the target audience. Indeed, classification can be decided at the marketing stage, like in my debut novel, as the publisher considers which market is more buoyant or better suited to the story.  Frequently Asked Questions  How Are Fantasy And Science Fiction Similar?  Both fantasy and science fiction imagine worlds that are different from our own and deal with questions of ‘what if?’ As such, they both encourage the reader to keep an open mind – perhaps this is why both genres are particularly good at exploring broader ethical, philosophical, and emotional themes.  Both genres often blend existing history or culture with new and imagined elements, and also use the external elements of the genre, be that monsters or technology, to heighten the stakes and the internal conflict of the protagonist.  Can Science Fiction Also Be Fantasy?  Absolutely. Science fiction can have magical or supernatural elements. Think The Time Machine by H.G Wells, where the protagonist time travels to a fantasy land. Likewise, fantasy can include scientific elements, for example, The Avengers utilises advanced technology.   This blending of genres can be called science fantasy or fantasy science fiction. Sometimes the classification happens at the marketing stage, a decision informed by the popularity of a genre at the time of publication.  Can Science Fiction Have Magic?  Another resounding yes! Whilst you’re unlikely to find magic systems in hard science fiction, magic can exist in soft science fiction and other science fiction genres. Think Avatar, which is set in space, explores genetic engineering and contains elements of military science fiction, yet also contains a soul tree, central to the Na’vi’s spiritual belief system.  Also, supernatural powers can originate from science (think The X-Men by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee) and magic can arise from technology or affect technology, sometimes known as technomancy or technomagic. An example of this is The Last Days of Jack Sparks, by Jason Arnopp, where supernatural forces hijack social media.   Science Fiction Vs Fantasy: The Take Home  Both genres have huge merits. The plausibility of science fiction means the story falls closer to home, making the hypothetical all the scarier, whereas fantasy allows the reader to escape reality and tap back into a time when make-believe was encouraged.   Whilst it’s important to understand the differences and similarities between the genres, the most important thing is to write what works for your story and what sparks your own imagination.   Now that you understand the difference and similarities between these wonderful genres, you can unleash your creativity and let your imagination run wild. 

There are so many opportunities out there to get your work discovered - and creative writing competitions, in particular, are a brilliant way to hold yourself accountable. Jericho Writers member Nikki Logan is a great example of taking a chance that greatly pays off. With her very first creative writing venture having made it to the Women\'s Prize Discoveries Competition shortlist, we know she\'s on her way to big things. We caught up with her about how things have been since the competition, and what she found useful along the way. JW: Hi Nikki! So, tell us a little about your background as a writer. When did you start writing? I\'ve been a copywriter since 2009 and had articles published in regional magazines, newspapers and trade publications, but I didn’t start trying my hand at creative writing until about five years ago when I decided to write a novel inspired by my Grandad’s life story. Even though I was a writer, it was at that point I realised just how different copywriting is to creative writing and I didn’t really have a clue what I was doing. During the first lockdown in 2020, I was furloughed and took the opportunity to hone my skills in storytelling. I had a four-year-old to entertain in and around the house and was pregnant with my second child at the time, so I started with a free and flexible eight-week course online, Start Writing Fiction, through The Open University. It gave me a first look at some of the techniques and skills needed to write fiction - but I knew I had so much more to learn. I researched online creative writing resources and came across Jericho Writers. Due to lockdown, they were hosting their Festival of Writing online from June until September for the first time, so I signed up. I learnt so much and there was a real sense of community, so I joined the Summer Festival in the following year, too, and then became a member. The Summer Festivals have helped me transform my creative writing, so much so that I’ve been able to make the opening of my novel strong enough to stand out from over 2,500 entries! JW: You were recently shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction’s Discoveries Competition – for your first creative writing project, no less! What was the process there? Did you know you would be entering the prize before you had finished your work? This is the second year the competition has taken place. I was aware of it last year, but wasn’t in a position to submit, so I made a note of this year’s deadline and worked towards it, more for accountability than anything else. The Discoveries competition is quite rare as it’s for unpublished women writers who are not required to have finished their novels. And it’s free! To enter you only need to have written 10,000 words of your opening, which you submit with a synopsis. I knew this was an achievable goal to help me progress my novel and actually wrote quite a bit more before the deadline. If I’m honest, I didn’t expect to get anywhere with it, knowing it was such a big competition and this was my first creative writing project that I’d not let anyone else cast their eyes on! I had no idea if what I’d submitted was any good. It’s also a development programme, not just a competition. Practical support is offered as part of the prize for longlisted and shortlisted entrants, which will be a brilliant help. The Summer Festivals have helped me transform my creative writing, so much so that I’ve been able to make the opening of my novel strong enough to stand out from over 2,500 entries! JW: How have things been since being shortlisted? It’s been such an incredible experience already. I was shocked when I found out I was on the longlist of 16 out of over 2500 entries. Then a couple of weeks later I was shortlisted down to six, and was named the Discoveries Scholar at the end of the competition. Since then, I’ve attended the hugely celebrated Women’s Prize for Fiction event held at Bedford Square Gardens, London, in June. This was amazing. I joined them for an evening of readings by the six shortlisted authors and then the next day for the ceremony, when Ruth Ozeki was announced the winner with her novel The Book of Form and Emptiness and gave the most inspiring and touching speech. I was also lucky enough to join an intimate in-person workshop with the wonderful Kate Mosse and JoJo Moyes, who imparted their wisdom on translating novels for screen and theatre. If I’m honest, I didn’t expect to get anywhere with it, knowing it was such a big competition and this was my first creative writing project that I’d not let anyone else cast their eyes on! I had no idea if what I’d submitted was any good. As a longlistee, I have just completed a brilliant two-week online Discoveries Writing Development Course held by Curtis Brown Creative (sponsors of the competition). I received such encouraging feedback and guidance from our tutor, author Charlotte Mendelson, as well as the other longlistees, who are an incredible group of talented writers and have already become such a friendly and supportive network to turn to. As a shortlistee, I have been invited to attend studio sessions with Audible (another sponsor of the competition). And as the Discoveries Scholar, I have been awarded a place on a three-month Curtis Brown Creative course to help me complete my novel, which I am so excited about! It’s all felt quite surreal. Since being shortlisted, I’ve even had literary agents approach me requesting my manuscript! JW: What kinds of resources shaped your writing to be what it is now? I\'ve signed up to various webinars and listened to podcasts with authors – I love The Honest Authors’ Podcast by Gillian McAllister and Holly Seddon. I’ve also carried out years of research on the topic and themes of my novel. It’s surprising how much my research has shaped my writing, even down to the much smaller storylines. It’s helped me add depth by really being able to “show” scenes, rather than “tell” so readers hopefully feel transported into the story. I do try not to refer back to research before I write a scene, though, as I have enough understanding and it helps the story come across more naturally. It’s all felt quite surreal. Since being shortlisted, I’ve even had literary agents approach me requesting my manuscript! Jericho Writers\' Summer Festival of Writing has been the greatest resource I have relied on. I still refer back to my notes on webinars like Debi Alpers’s expertise on voice and psychic distance and Rebecca Horsfall’s session on \'Show, Don’t Tell\'. I also enjoyed hearing tips from authors like Julie Cohen on plotting, Philippa East on getting a publishing deal, and Cesca Major, whose scene outline template I use religiously! It was exciting to join webinars with literary agents too, like Laura Williams, Liv Maidment and Juliet Mushens, who really helped demystify the steps to getting a novel published. Enter as many competitions as you can. If you succeed, they can be a great platform for exposure and endorsement and, if nothing else, they give you a deadline to progress your novel. What have you got to lose? JW: Do you have any advice for writers in the middle of their early projects? As someone who is still in the middle of an early project, I understand how isolating writing can be, especially when you’re putting in so many hours without knowing if what you’re producing is any good or not. I would definitely recommended joining writing groups and communities or even just finding one person in a similar position to you for encouragement, feedback and a bit of accountability. Don’t be afraid to put your work out there for critique. It’s daunting, but I have done this since entering the Discoveries competition and it’s been invaluable as well as made me even more excited about completing my novel! And finally, enter as many competitions as you can. If you succeed, they can be a great platform for exposure and endorsement and, if nothing else, they give you a deadline to progress your novel. What have you got to lose? About Nikki Nikki is a copywriter from Suffolk who is currently writing her first novel inspired by her grandfather’s experience as a post-war Caribbean migrant in Deep South USA and England.   The opening of the story was recently shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction Discoveries 2022 competition. She was also chosen from the shortlist of six as the Discoveries Scholar, winning a place on Curtis Brown Creative’s three-month Writing Your Novel course.   She is drawn to character-driven novels and believes fiction is a powerful tool to entertain as well as inform and influence social empathy, changing the way people see the world.   Follow Nikki on Twitter. 

Do you dream of seeing your own cookbook on the shelf?   If so, this article is for you. From key considerations before you start, to exploring different kinds of cookbooks and knowing what to expect from the creative process, this guide can help you bring those recipes to the page. So put on your apron and let’s get started!  Things To Consider Before Creating Your Cookbook What Is Your Concept?  If you met someone for the first time and they asked about your cookbook project, could you describe it in less than two sentences? If not, it’s time to refine your concept. You’ll need it to stand out in the crowded cookbook market with a clear unique selling point. Whether you’re the next star of vegan baking or want to share the healthy Mexican recipes your dad taught you, you will need to hone your idea before you go any further. It needs to be memorable, authentic and true to you and your style of cooking.  Who Is Your Audience?   It is so important to have a core readership in mind. Perhaps you already have an online community via social media or a blog – if so, try to understand who they are and how they respond to your posts and recipes. Do they love quick, simple midweek meals, or blow-out complicated dishes for impressing friends? Many of the most successful cookbook authors engage with their audience from the earliest stages, involving them as they create a book concept, asking them questions and generally building excitement and buzz with a ready pool of potential readers.   If you don’t have an online following, it’s still helpful to consider who you are writing for. Is it likely to be a self-purchase or a gift? Perhaps your writing reflects contemporary concerns such as budget, health, or sustainability, in which case, how might your book make a difference? Do you love writing about the stories behind food, as much as the food itself? Food brings us together, and the best cookbooks offer the same sense of connection you get from sharing a meal.  Once you have your reader in mind, you can return to them whenever you’re making decisions. So, for instance, before you add that micro-herb to your garnish or start describing an elaborate way to chop up an avocado, ask yourself: will this appeal to my reader? Maybe it will, and that’s fine too, but keep checking back. Find Your Tribe  Building a community with other food writers can help you share ideas and create a supportive environment for planning and publishing a cookbook. From Twitter to FoodTok to Instagram, there are so many like-minded cooks sharing ideas, bringing up the next generation of writers, forging partnerships, and organising food pop-ups and supper clubs. It’s a vibrant, inspiring place to be, and super exciting if you are just starting out. Get involved and bounce ideas around and it will help you get a broader sense of what you want to do. Plus you have a ready group of cheerleaders when the book comes out, and some of them may even help you when it comes to the recipe testing process. Knowing The Market  Many of us have favourite cookbooks with scribbled notes and splattered pages. Do you look at other books on the market, too? Try reading consumer reviews on Amazon and other retailer websites. Take frequent trips to bookshops to see what is already out there and figure out how your book might stand out. Flick through pages of the books to see what you like and don’t like. Get a sense of the different book formats (hardback and paperback, size and number of pages). Compare how books are structured. Do you like an illustrated approach or a photographic one? Consider how many photographs should be included and if the food looks aspirational or easy to achieve. It’s also worth looking out for the smaller details like icons and tip boxes. What elements would you bring together for your dream cookbook? All of these factors can help you decide on the type of cookbook you’d like to write, whether that’s with the backing of a publisher or as a solo venture.  Popular Types Of Cookbooks  Traditionally Published Cookbooks This is often seen to be the dream scenario for cookbook writers. Although it depends on the size of the company, there are huge benefits to working with a publisher’s expert team: from editorial guidance to design and photography, and from sales and commercial channels to marketing and PR support. If you want to explore this option, create a list of publishers that already publish books in similar areas, ranging from those with the largest to smallest lists. This is a very competitive route to publication, because cookbooks are the most expensive kind of books for publishers to create and print. Many writers feel the benefit of working with literary agents to navigate the early stages and their relationship with a publisher. Editors are often happy to look at proposals directly from authors (especially at smaller publishers), so both routes are open to you.  Self-Published Cookbooks Increasingly, writers self-publish cookbooks, either by setting up an e-book that’s downloadable from their website or working with a small printer to print and bind small print runs of physical books. (See our self-publishing courses for writers here.) Self-publishing has the advantage of being a faster process, so you can bring your book to market quickly, plus it is a great way to build demand and engage with your community. However, it can be an expensive and time-consuming process, and you won’t have the expertise and commercial benefits touched on above, so just keep this in mind as you plan. It might be worth considering crowd-funding – especially if your book is responding to a real need. Many writers begin by self-publishing their books and make the switch. The authors Shaun and Craig McAnuff started with a self-published cookbook that they sold through their channels, to huge success, before they went on to publish the bestselling Natural Flava with Bloomsbury.   Examples Of Cookbooks  To give you an idea of the broad spectrum of cookbooks on the market, I’ve selected five cookbooks that are all very different but have been very successful in their space.  The Roasting Tin – Rukmini Iyer (Square Peg, 2017): With its vibrant design, compact size and deliciously simple food, the bestselling The Roasting Tin (and subsequent spin-offs) is a fantastic example of how a totally fresh concept can captivate readers.    Ottolenghi Simple – Yotam Ottolenghi (Ebury Press, 2018): Simple brings together richly flavoured, easy and inventive recipes from bestselling author and chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Thanks to the simple and fast methods, this book reached a wider audience than previous books as it appeals to both adventurous and less confident cooks around the world.   Pinch of Nom – Kate and Kay Allinson (Bluebird, 2019): The fastest-selling cookbook of all time, this phenomenon comes from the team behind the huge online community of the same name. Packed with full-flavoured, home-style recipes that also happen to be slimming-friendly, Pinch of Nom has become the go-to cookbook for millions.  Midnight Chicken – Ella Risbridger (Bloomsbury 2019): This illustrated cookbook breaks convention, by charting the redemptive power of cooking during difficult periods of life. Part memoir and part cookbook, this is a deeply personal, beautiful read as well as a collection of creative and achievable home recipes.  Made in India – Meera Sodha (Fig Tree, 2014): The best cookbooks take you on a journey in the kitchen. With Meera Sodha’s debut cookbook, she brings the home cooking from her Indian family home in London to a broader audience – with easy methods, fresh flavours, story-telling and an incredible, bold design.   How To Write A Cookbook Step By Step  These are the key steps to take when writing a cookbook. 1. Choose Your Concept  As mentioned above, owning your concept is a vital stage of the process. Think about what your concept is and what makes it really fresh and different. Test it with friends and family. Keep it punchy, fresh and authentic to you.  Once you have this completely planned out, think about title ideas. You don’t have to land on the final title straight away, as it might percolate as you write. You’ll also need a clear subtitle or strapline to help explain what the book is and its unique selling point. Make sure there isn’t another title with the same name on the market.  2. Plan Your Structure  There are lots of ways to organise cookbooks. Don’t be afraid to think creatively, providing the book is still user-friendly and clearly signposted. How do your readers like to cook? This might be led by your concept. For instance, if your book is about speedy cooking, perhaps you could organise it into ’10 minute’, ’20 minute’ and ’30 minute’ chapters. Or is it best to lead with the method of cooking or main ingredient? Consider your audience and what will grab their attention.  Now start populating your list, balancing the number of recipes in different chapters. This might change and develop during the writing stage, but creating a list like this upfront will help you to avoid repeating ingredients and give you the skeleton to work from. At this stage don’t worry if your recipe titles aren’t the best, as they can be refined and checked as you go through the process.  Don’t forget to plan for the other chapters too – your introduction, key ingredients list, and favourite kit, if appropriate. Perhaps you want to write about what has inspired your love of cooking, or a family member or place that is special to you. Adding your personality and your story makes it feel impactful.  3. Create A Proposal  If you have decided to self-publish, you may wish to skip this step and move straight to developing your book, although the process is still likely to be worthwhile. Putting together a book proposal (a visual document introducing you and the concept) is key if you want to approach a publisher. If you get an agent, they will help you to put this together.  So, what should it contain? Start with your concept and structure. Include a detailed biography, detailing any experience and social stats if relevant. Why are you the person to write this, and why now? It is advantageous to have an awareness of the market and the books you\'ll be competing with, and also how your book could be marketed and promoted. Do you have any partnerships or existing relationships to boost its profile? If you have no idea about this, don’t worry, but it could make you stand out.  Consider when you want to publish. How long do you need to write? Do you need to coincide with a particular season – Veganuary, or the perfect gift for Mother’s Day?  Include several complete versions of your own recipes in the proposal, so readers can get a sense of your writing. Choose your recipes carefully so they show your potential and varied repertoire. An optional extra is to include designed-up recipe pages featuring images. It could help editors quickly visualise your project.  Most importantly of all: do not forget to proofread your proposal, and ideally, ask another person or two to read it before you send it anywhere.  4. Write Your Recipes  Some writers like to record voice notes as they cook, and then write up the recipe afterwards. Or they split their time by spending one complete day cooking and taking brief notes, followed by a day of writing recipes in more detail and editing at their desk. Having an organised process and writing everything up quickly while things are fresh in your mind can help you capture important aspects you discovered as you were cooking.  If you can, list all the ingredients in the order they appear. Do you need to consider the correct measurements for your readers, for instance, metric or imperial, or cups? Do you need a piece of special equipment, such as a blender, that it would be good for readers to know about before they start? Do you want to list prep and cook timing? Consider the cost of ingredients, and how much is used.  Recipes need to be clear and precise, without assuming knowledge that might put off less confident cooks. Do you think your reader will understand the word ‘sauté’? Is there another way to describe it? Also, think about ways to make the recipes accessible and achievable. Could you suggest ingredient swaps or additional options to change things up? Are there tips that will make trickier techniques easier to understand? Don’t forget the details: oven temperatures, size of tins etc.   It’s also really useful to include serving, storing, and freezing advice, if appropriate. Think about the features you love when cooking yourself. Never steal recipes from other sources or people – this must be your own work, consisting of your own recipes, from the perspective of copyright laws as well as ethics. The nature of cooking is that many recipes are passed from one person to another and adapted along the way, so always consider whether you should credit anyone. Do you want to mention friends, chefs or other food cultures that have introduced you to ideas or influenced the recipes in your list? If one of your recipes is inspired by Thai flavours, for instance, but you’re not from the culture yourself, make sure you mention the authentic dish and explain how you’ve made it your own. Respect food traditions. Food writer Mallika Basu has helped to put together insightful cultural appropriation guidelines for the Guild of Food Writers website, so I urge you to take a look here.    5. Test Your Recipes  Test, test and test again. Ask friends to test, and maybe point them in the direction of specific feedback – for instance, ask your recipe testers to focus on whether it works within the time suggested or tastes good. You could even allocate one element for each recipe tester to pay the most attention to. This is so important with all recipes, as when you’re writing yourself it is too easy to skip over a step by accident or leave out an ingredient. Don’t only pick your foodie friends, but also ask people who never cook and you’ll get the most interesting feedback from your recipe testing. This is especially important with baking recipes, which have so many variables. No one likes to invest time in a recipe that doesn’t work, so remember to take this stage seriously.  6. Edit The Text  If you’re working with an expert editor, they will fine-tune and sense-check your recipes with you, and if you are self-publishing, you should consider paying a cookery editor to check your text if you can. A good copyeditor will put together a style guide for your book, like a checklist that avoids inconsistencies or any confusion. They will ask the fiddly questions you might not have thought of, like: is it black or white mustard seeds you’re using here? What level of heat should your hob be on? How finely should you chop the onion?   7. Finalise The Design   Now, this is when the fun can begin – bringing your book to life! Your first set of decisions has to do with how to publish. This bog has plenty of pages which will help support that decision, but this is a complex industry. Our collection of writing courses includes courses that deal with getting published in the traditional way (through an agent and publisher) as well as ones that will help you self-publish. If you\'re serious about your book, you\'d be very well-advised to explore these courses seriously before proceeding - writing a book is hard; selling it can be harder. Depending on your publisher, there might be the opportunity to be collaborative in the design of your book. Decisions will be made as to whether it should be black and white or full colour, with illustrations and/or photographs. Many of us assume that a cookbook should have images, but some of the biggest global successes have featured black-and-white line drawings (see Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan). As well as the inside design, the cover design is so important in grabbing attention and positioning your book in the market. Should you be on the cover, or does your audience need to see the food? These decisions are a real balancing act between budget, vision, commerciality, and market.   If a photoshoot goes ahead, perhaps you will be photographing the recipes yourself, but there are amazing food photographers working with publishers who specialise in making the food look the best it can be. These people will work with a whole team including a food stylist, prop stylist and art director.   8. Proofread And Index  Proofreading is an incredibly important stage, as it’s the last opportunity to check for mistakes, typos, and to make sure everything is correct in the design before you get your cookbook published. Publishers will organise this for writers, but if you’re self-publishing, try to get a professional proofreader to do the job.  Do you need an index? It may be that you decide a recipe list at the front of the book is enough, but the most user-friendly cookbooks include a detailed index so that readers can easily find the page numbers for a recipe by ingredient, cooking technique, key words, and more.    9. Announce Your Book  The timing of your book announcement should be carefully thought through. It’s not necessarily the best idea to publish as soon as you can – for instance, if it’s a book of barbecue recipes, time it with late spring or early summer. Think about your commitments too, because you don’t want to publish just before a two-week holiday or a period when you’ll be really busy with other work. If you have an online community, it’s a good idea to announce a few months early to give them a chance to pre-order and get excited about the book. Perhaps you want to do an ‘unboxing’ video, where you share a video of you seeing your finished book for the first time. If you’re working with a publisher, they should help you put together a strategic plan for your announcement.  And don\'t forget to take some time to celebrate your achievement! Celebrate in whichever way suits you. Have a party, spend a cosy night in, or, for a nice change, order a takeaway instead of being the one who does the cooking! Frequently Asked Questions How Do I Write My First Cookbook?  Choose your concept carefully, start with a detailed plan and immerse yourself in the cookbook market. Think carefully about the structure and layout. Keep your audience in mind at every stage. Involve other people in your project if you can – whether that’s by bouncing ideas, recipe testing, checking and editing recipes or giving you their honest feedback.   Can Anyone Write A Cookbook?  Yes! Nothing is stopping you. You don’t need to be a trained chef or have worked in the food industry, as successful home cooks and cookery writers Jack Monroe, Nigella Lawson, and Nigel Slater have proved. You just need a lot of passion for food and a great concept that resonates with a readership. And in a competitive market, you need to inject something fresh and new.  How Do You Structure A Cookbook?  Most cookbooks include around four or five recipe chapters, but this is very much an individual approach. You can choose how to structure your cookbook best according to your concept and readership. If you can, try to spread out the recipes evenly through the chapters so you don’t end up with a super short or long chapter. As long as the recipes are clearly signposted and easy to follow, the rest is up to you.   How Many Recipes Should Be In A Cookbook?  The standard expectation is that a cookbook should have between 70 and 100 recipes, but larger compendiums have at least 200. Think carefully about how many you want to include. You might want to save some back for cookbook number two!  Creating A Cookbook  Hopefully, this guide has given you the inspiration and tools to start writing your own cookbook. Feel free to express your style of cooking, and let your voice shine through. The best cookbooks are as much about the people and stories behind the food as the recipes themselves.  

Everyone loves a great fantasy story; from classics such as The Hobbit, Alice\'s Adventures in Wonderland, and The Lion, The Witch, And the Wardrobe, to recent bestsellers such as Her Majesty\'s Royal Coven, Nevernight, and Cinderella Is Dead, there\'s something for everyone. I\'m the author of six fantasy books and have been writing this genre for over eight years. There\'s nothing I love more than bringing the impossible to life! Although writing fantasy can be so much fun, for first-time fantasy writers it can also be a little overwhelming. So in this article, I will be sharing my top tips as to what makes a great fantasy book, and what to avoid. I will also be explaining how to write fantasy plots, craft characters, and build your fantastical worlds. Before we start, let\'s talk genre... What Is The Fantasy Genre? Fantasy fiction, in short, is fiction that centres around the impossible. That can include everything from talking animals, time travel, parallel universes, mythical beasts, and of course a compelling fantasy world full of magic. Fantasy novels and sci-fi are often confused with one another as both genres involve things that don\'t exist in the modern world. The easiest way to differentiate the two is to remember that sci-fi tends to revolve around science and the environment (including dystopian end-of-the-world storylines, aliens, adventures in space, and anything involving technology), whereas fantasy is magical. Good old-fashioned magic that has no grounding in science. Fantasy Subgenres Fantasy is a very broad term that describes all fantastical literature, but as you can imagine there\'s a big difference between a book set in an imaginary world full of elves and dragons, and a book set in today\'s world but with characters that happen to be able to do magic. This is why, with such a vast array of fantasy books available, the genre is split up into many subgenres (all of which apply to children\'s books, middle grade and young adult categories). High/ Epic Fantasy Low Fantasy Portal Fantasy Urban Fantasy / Contemporary Fantasy Paranormal / Paranormal Romance Fantasy Romance Superhero fantasy Sword and Sorcery / Heroic Fantasy Medieval Fantasy / Arthurian Fantasy Historical Fantasy Comic Fantasy Science Fantasy Grimdark Fantasy Gothic Fantasy / Dark Fantasy The New Weird Speculative Fiction Horror / The Gothic Fairy Tales / Fables/ Fairy Tale Retellings Dystopian Fiction Magical Realism Let us look in more detail at the three fantasy subgenres - epic fantasy, paranormal, and Gothic. High/Epic Fantasy According to The A to Z of Fantasy Literature,  \"high fantasy\" was coined by Lloyd Alexander in 1971 and was further developed by Kenneth J. Zahorski and Robert H. Boyer, who stated that \"high fantasy consists entirely of fiction set in secondary worlds, while the \'low fantasy\' with which it is immediately contrasted consists of fiction set in the primary world.\" In other words, high fantasy novels contain very few things you may expect to find in the modern world. Instead of guns and cars, the bad guy may use magic and a flying monster to kill on the move. Instead of living in houses, the characters may live in holes in the ground, caves, or tree structures. Instead of being human, the book cast may be made up of elves, dragons, unicorns, and other mythical beasts (or creatures the author has made up themselves). Because of the limitless possibilities in regards to what these worlds can contain, not to mention the world-building and backstories required to make them come to life, many high/epic fantasy novels are part of a fantasy series and they often contain an extremely high word count. Examples Of Epic Fantasy Novels A Game of Thrones by George R R Martin The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis Eragon by Christopher Paolini Strange The Dreamer byLaini Taylor The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas Paranormal / Supernatural Fantasy Paranormal fantasy includes supernatural elements. Instead of dragons and elves, you may have vampires, zombies, witches, werewolves, ghosts and any other creature that uses magic or defies death. Normally these creatures persecute humans, and they can often live in the modern world. Other times the paranormal elements may be combined with genres such as romance, history, horror, and urban fantasy. In my series, The Path Keeper (N J Simmonds), I have angels living amongst us. And in my co-written, paranormal romance novel Vampires of Moscow (Caedis Knight), our protagonist is a truth-seeking witch and undercover journalist investigating crimes in Russia\'s paranormal hidden world. Examples Of Paranormal Fantasy Novels The Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman A Song Below Water byBethany C. Morrow Pet Sematary by Stephen King Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead City of Bones by Cassandra Clare The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion Gothic Fantasy The term \'gothic\' in fiction is generally applied to fantasy and horror. With fantasy, the \'fear and haunting\' aspect is connected to something supernatural and not of this world. Whereas with horror, it doesn\'t have to have a paranormal element to it, the eeriness may simply be attributed to the protagonist\'s psychological fears or another human. For instance, the gothic novels Rebecca and Wuthering Heights are categorised as such due to the characters feeling haunted and the setting being so remote. But nothing fantastical is at play. Generally, gothic fantasy books are set somewhere creepy; a forest, an old mansion, a deserted manor house, or a windswept, secluded location. Gothic fantasy either involves magic and/or supernatural beings - think witches, vampires, or even a portal to another world. Many gothic classics have been retold by contemporary writers and given a fantastical twist (this is very popular in YA). An example of this is Within These Wicked Walls(Lauren Blackwood) - an Ethiopian retelling of Jane Eyre. Examples Of Gothic Fantasy Novels Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern Dracula by Bram Stoker Gallant by V E Schwab Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo The Lighthouse Witches by C J Cooke Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Fantasy Writing Styles If you are about to start writing your first fantasy novel you may well be a little intimidated by the task ahead of you. With so many fantastic fantastical novels gracing the bookshelves, it\'s hard to choose what kind of voice and style you would like to give to your work. Luckily, like with most books, your fantasy writing style can vary. There are no set rules as to how to write a fantasy novel. Let\'s take a look at some of the different ways you can approach your story. You Can Be Wise And Poetic “Stories have changed, my dear boy,” the man in the grey suit says, his voice almost imperceptibly sad. “There are no more battles between good and evil, no monsters to slay, no maidens in need of rescue. Most maidens are perfectly capable of rescuing themselves in my experience, at least the ones worth something, in any case. There are no longer simple tales with quests and beasts and happy endings. The quests lack clarity of goal or path. The beasts take different forms and are difficult to recognize for what they are. And there are never really endings, happy or otherwise. Things keep overlapping and blur, your story is part of your sister’s story is part of many other stories, and there is no telling where any of them may lead. Good and evil are a great deal more complex than a princess and a dragon, or a wolf and a scarlet-clad little girl. And is not the dragon the hero of his own story? Is not the wolf simply acting as a wolf should act? Though perhaps it is a singular wolf who goes to such lengths as to dress as a grandmother to toy with its prey.” The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern You Can Be Witty And Satirical Some humans would do anything to see if it was possible to do it. If you put a large switch in some cave somewhere, with a sign on it saying \'End-of-the-World Switch. PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH\', the paint wouldn\'t even have time to dry. Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett You Can Write From Multiple Points Of View (George R R Martin writes from 9 points of view in A Game of Thrones, and many more as the series progresses) \"I don\'t even know who my mother was,\" Jon said. \"Some woman, no doubt. Most of them are.\" He favored Jon with a rueful grin. \"Remember this, boy. All dwarfs may be bastards, yet not all bastards need be dwarfs.\" And with that he turned and sauntered back into the feast, whistling a tune. When he opened the door, the light from within threw his shadow clear across the yard, and for just a moment Tyrion Lannister stood tall as a king. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin You Can Go Back And Forth Through Time Long ago, men went to sea, and women waited for them, standing on the edge of the water, scanning the horizon for the tiny ship. Now I wait for Henry. He vanishes unwillingly, without warning. I wait for him. Each moment that I wait feels like a year, an eternity. Each moment is as slow and transparent as glass. Through each moment I can see infinite moments lined up, waiting. Why has he gone where I cannot follow? The Time Traveler\'s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger The Only Limit Is Your Imagination If anything, fantasy allows you even more creative ways to write your story as there are no limitations in terms of what is realistic. As long as your book makes sense within the parameters of your own world lore, your own rules, then you are free to be as expressive as you like. You want to write your story from the the point of view of a dragon? Go for it. You want to tell the story in three different ways, as it plays out across three different parallel universes? Why not? You want to include weather that doesn\'t even exist? Eat your heart out! Let\'s take a look at some of the fun things famous fantasy writers have done to make their work memorable and unique: J R R Tolkien created a whole new language in Lord of the Rings. Terry Pratchett had Death talking in capital letters and desperate for a vacation in Mort. Dhonielle Clayton created tiny mini pets, like elephants, that were small enough to fit in teacups in The Belles. Lewis Carroll featured a giant caterpillar smoking a hookah in Alice\'s Adventures in Wonderland. Stephanie Meyer didn\'t keep her vampires out of the sun for fear of death in Twilight, but instead made them sparkle. How Many Words Is A Fantasy Novel? The answer to this is, \'a lot more words than most genres.\' Writing fantasy means creating creatures, worlds, names, words and magical elements that don\'t already exist in reality, not to mention conducting a ton of research. For that reason alone, this genre takes a lot longer to write and tends to be a lot chunkier. Word Counts Of Famous Fantasy Novels Here are a few examples of fantasy word counts: Harry Potter and The Philosopher\'s Stone - 77,000 Storm Front - 84,000 A Song Below Water - 101,000 The Raven Boys - 113,000 Graceling - 114,000 Six of Crows - 137,000 Eragon - 156,000 The Magicians - 157,000 Eye of the Word - 310,000 And these are just standalone fantasy books (middle grade and YA books being somewhat fewer words than adult fantasy or epic fantasy). A series can be a lot longer! What Do Agents And Editors Look For? My own trilogy included 116,000 words for The Path Keeper, 125,000 for Son of Secrets, and a whopping 148,000 words for Children of Shadows. It\'s normal for book-length to grow as the series does. Although do note that most agents and editors aren\'t interested in looking at a fantasy novel that exceeds 120,000 words. So if this is your first book, try and keep the word count as low as possible. 100,000 is a good number. 5 Things That Make A Great Fantasy Novel With so much to consider when it comes to penning your fantasy story, the number one thing you need to do is grab your reader\'s attention. But fantasy readers have expectations, and there are five crucial things they all expect the fantasy novel to contain. 1. Magic Systems This is such an important element because you can\'t have a fantasy story with no magic. From middle grade series, like Harry Potter, to the science fantasy, such as Star Wars, every well-loved fantasy story includes some kind of magic. So think carefully as to how yours works. The good news is that you don\'t have to stick to any preconceived ideas of what magic is. Your characters don\'t have to use wands. Maybe they are able to steal magic from others, or they\'re on a quest to find it, or it arrives in a gift-wrapped box on their birthday. Maybe the magic is passed down through generations, or it only works for a day, or perhaps everyone in their community has a different ability. Whatever you choose to do, the most important part of creating a magic system is that you are consistent and those reading your novel have a clear idea of how the magic works. 2. World Building A fantasy novel is generally set in either a fictional universe or it\'s full of magical elements intertwined in real life. I could write an entire article about fantasy world-building - but for now, I\'ll stick to the basics. When creating an imaginary world it\'s fundamentally important to know everything about it. Changes are you won\'t use 90% of your information, but to know it means your story will be more believable. It doesn\'t matter if your world is another planet, somewhere like Middle Earth, or our own world but with hidden supernatural portals - a believable world is what will keep readers hooked. Connect with all five senses, think about who lives there, how that world functions, how your characters interact with it, and how to tie it into the story. 3. Complex Cast Of Characters Whether your book features humans, supernatural entities, or mythical creatures, a good fantasy novel needs believable characters that readers can empathise with. No one is going to relate to a blue-skinned werewolf who eats worms - but perhaps they will if that werewolf is trying to protect its young or has been rejected by a love interest. So whatever your cast of characters looks like, make sure you add a little humanity to them so your readers still root for them. 4. The Quest No fantasy novel is complete without the hero\'s journey; your main character needs a challenge, a quest, a problem... because your book is about them trying to solve it. It\'s as easy (and as complicated) as that. Character development is key to all stories, but never more so than in this genre. So think about the character\'s arc. Who they are before they set out on their mission should be very different to who they are when the quest has been fulfilled. When writing a series, it always helps to know what will happen in the last book so that everything you are working towards comes together at the end. Every book has a beginning, middle, and end - and the entire series should too. This means you may need one overarching theme for the series, with each book focusing on individual battles/quests/challenges ultimately leading to your character reaching their final goal. 5. Nemesis - Good Vs Evil Every fantasy story needs a baddie or someone/something to rebel against and fear. That may be the government or king, it may be a physical monster, or perhaps even Satan himself. A nemesis is a great foil character too. Their evil attributes should highlight the hero\'s worthy attributes. Your main character should still be flawed, no one is perfect, but ultimately good must overcome evil. 5 Things That Make A Fantasy Novel Bad Many a novice writer makes the fundamental mistake of coming up with a great idea and jumping straight into the deep end of their book. Fantasy stories need planning, research, and lots of time. The deeper you go, the stronger the story. Here are some common mistakes. 1. Lack Of Consistency When writing fantasy it\'s a lot harder to write freely without having an end goal. By all means, you can do that when you\'re still at the exploration stage, but there are so many fantastical elements to keep track of (where your book is set, magical elements, character building, myths, monsters) that it\'s too easy to confuse yourself. When you confuse yourself, you confuse the reader. Or worse, they get bored and stop reading! So make extensive notes about how your magic works, list key names and places, draw pictures and maps, create mood boards, and ensure you are consistent throughout. 2. Too Many / Not Enough Tropes There are no consistent rules in writing, but readers of certain genres do expect to see the tropes they love. If your fantasy story doesn\'t have enough tropes, readers will be left disappointed. Likewise, if your fantasy characters are predictable and the book reads like a long list of unoriginal scenarios, that\'s just boring. Try and get the balance right! Popular Fantasy Tropes Damsel In Distress The Secret Heir Mistaken Identity Nemesis Dead Parents/Loved Ones. Dark Lord Training Sequences The Quest Good vs Evil Magic! Mix it up and play about with tropes. Perhaps the damsel in distress rescues herself, or the monster is the good guy and the wise sage is not on the hero\'s side, or the hero IS the Dark Lord. 3. No Visuals Fantasy readers love to be thrown into a magical world they\'ve never encountered before - but sometimes it\'s hard to imagine it. This is why fan art is so popular in this genre. A good fantasy book needs a great cover designer (this goes for self-publishing as well as traditional) and if possible a map of your kingdom(s). Even if the diagrams and pictures are just on your author website. Many great books include visuals that look like medieval maps - personally, I love them even more if the sea includes giant squid! 4. Prejudice Fantasy authors are often influenced by the classics, but a lot of prejudice can be found in older books that readers (quite rightly) don\'t want to read today. This is where beta readers and sensitivity readers come in. Be careful when explaining characteristics and skin colour, even having the bad guy wearing black and the good guy wearing white can be problematic. Also be careful about cultural appropriation in terms of setting, characteristics, customs, and attributes. 5. Bad Pacing A good fantasy story needs to keep you hooked from the beginning to the very end. That means your pacing needs to be right. Fantasy stories need to show the following, in this order: Set the scene (What is the hero\'s life like? What does they have to lose?) Show the inciting incident (What is the challenge they have been set?) Step into another world (Sometimes literally, sometimes in terms of a new experience or journey) Introduce new characters (Companion, nemesis, wise sage etc) Face challenges and obstacles... (Training, battles, monsters) ...interspersed with calmer moments (Introspection, dialogue, romance scenes, false hope) Lose it all (Someone dies, the hero fails, they no longer want to carry on) Find courage (Draw from what they have learned on their journey, help from unexpected places) Achieve their goal (Beat the baddie, find the treasure, rescue their love, save the world) Return home a changed person (Here we must see how the hero has changed and also mirror the opening scene) If you dwell too long on any of these scenes or rush past any crucial steps, the story will lose its flow. No one wants to read a battle scene that lasts for 5 chapters or read 300 pages building up to a kiss that never happens. So consider pacing when plotting your novel and ensure everything happens at exactly the right time, for exactly the right amount of time. Frequently Asked Questions What Are The 5 Elements Of Fantasy? Magic System World Building Complex Characters The Quest Good vs Evil How Do You Write A Fantasy Character? Fantasy characters need to be larger than life, which means you can really go to town and be inventive. Give characters creative/unusual names. Give them interesting skills or powers. Make sure they are all different to one another (what characteristics do they have that make them unique?) Ensure that by the end of the book they have changed/learned a lesson. Don\'t be cliche or prejudiced when describing culture, physical features, and customs. If they are not human, ensure they still have some humanity to them so readers can empathise and relate. Make your hero likeable - even if they are flawed. We need to want them to win! What Is A Fantasy Example? The dictionary definition of \'fantasy\' is: The creative imagination; unrestrained fancy. To imagine; visualise. An unnatural or bizarre mental image; illusion; phantasm. In other words, fantastical literature involves any type of person, magic, or world that couldn\'t/doesn\'t exist in our own known reality; magical powers, monsters and creatures from your own imagination, everyday things/people/animals doing things they don\'t normally do (growing, talking, floating) and worlds that are unlike our own. When writing fantasy, the possibilities are endless! Time To Get Writing If you have managed to get to the end of this very long article then congratulations, you are now ready to tackle your fantasy novel or short stories like a pro. I hope you found it useful. Good luck and have fun - a whole new magical world of novel writing awaits you!