Fantasy Genre Story Mistakes to Avoid
As you sit down to write the story you’ve been dreaming up, there are some key pieces to avoid as you take us to new worlds and realms.
I love writing fantasy stories. They push me to be my most creative and write about things that don’t happen in our everyday world.
Keep reading as I take you through some of the biggest mistakes you can make as you’re beginning to write your fantasy piece.
Lengthy Intros
At the start of it, one big mistake to avoid is making too lengthy of an intro. It’s best to get right into setting up the plot and showing the reader why they should care about your characters. If you’re writing a short story - this rings even more true.
Once you master the quick intro for short stories, you’ll be even more ready to write your novel’s intro. Make your intro gripping, intriguing, and magical - you’ll be sure to grab the reader’s attention.
Lack of a Focused Conflict
Oftentimes, stories hinge on conflict. Like when Daniel captures the King of the Lizards in my first book. This bully's actions put all of my main character’s (Clara) lizard friends’ lives in danger. Can she save them all in time? See, conflict.
Conflict is necessary to make the story more interesting or move it along. A mistake to avoid is having too many conflicts going on. It’s best to have a primary, large conflict to allow your readers to focus. If there are too many conflicts, your story becomes hard to follow.
Excessive Dialogue
Depending on your writing style, you could love or hate dialogue. We spend so much time developing our characters in and out and we want to give them a strong voice and point of view. However, if there is too much dialogue, the reader could become annoyed or disinterested.
It’s best to give your readers the minimum of what they need to follow your story. As you develop your characters’ voices, you can write sharper, more impactful dialogue.
Don’t feel attached to your first draft, get through writing (I like this exercise on writing momentum), and refine as you go through the following drafts. Think about what could be said better, and cut lines that aren’t needed. Having someone else or an editor always helps to improve the book.
Take your time to develop and get to know your characters. As you refine your characters’ voices, you have the opportunity to write sharper, more impactful dialogue concisely.
Cliché Characters
There can be a time and place for cliché characters, but when you’re wanting to write something meaningful and impactful - it’s best to leave them out of your story! Develop characters that are different and intriguing for your readers.
If you have ideas for characters based on who you know in real life or are inspired by other pieces of fiction, think about what differentiates them. If your idea is a little cliché when all is said and done, think about a twist you can make on your idea to surprise the reader and add depth to your story and character. Who doesn’t love a good plot twist?
Too Predictable
Don’t write a story that is too obvious - it doesn’t challenge you as a writer or your readers. Have fun, and write the unexpected. Keep your readers guessing, and they’ll want to keep reading.
Writing Fantasy Books
I love writing fantasy stories for other teens and kids, and I love to inspire others to write too. I hope you love (or grow to love) this genre too. As you write your own fantasy story, keep these tips in mind. We all want to read and write things that grab us - so get to writing your story and share it!
My book, The Strange Stillness of Time, is available for pre-order now. Make sure to stay in the know about my acting and writing adventures by following me on Facebook and Instagram! Until next time...