The Random Ramblings of a Relocating Southerner

There's no rhyme or reason to what I reblog and occasionally blog, it's pretty much anything and everything that sparks my interest. The name is Erica, the age is 25, and this girl is lucky enough to be married to her best friend (and he just so happens to be the most amazing man on the planet! ❤️

[writers-are-writers]

prompt #1439

“I will not let you make yourself into the villain of this story simply because you’re a fool who won’t ask for help.”

[wordsnstuff]

Guide to Writing Dark Fantasy

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress

–

What Is “Dark” Fantasy?

Dark Fantasy subscribes to the tropes and conventions of fantasy, while mixing in elements of the horror, thriller, and sometimes dystopia. Loosely, the magical elements of fantasy take a gloomier, more frightening turn. Dark fantasy is not simply “fantasy, but make it sexy or gory”. (I’m talking to those who cite Game of Thrones as an example of the genre.)

Yes, a lot of authors choose to incorporate heavier subject matter into dark fantasy stories, but things like rape and copious amounts of gore and death are not genre-defining. Darkness exists in every adult story, even if it’s only in symbolism, but the darkness in this sub-genre specifically persists throughout each scene and coats every element. This includes character development, plot development, world building, etc. 

Death Still Has to Mean Something

Something you have to understand about dark fantasy is that death can be a tool, but the nature of the genre shouldn’t make it any less impactful. When a side character or an extra gets killed, it should affect the reader emotionally, even if death is very common. If the death isn’t going to surprise them, it should unease or upset the reader. Death should never serve the purpose of filling space. 

Incorporate The Horrific

A lot of dark fantasy authors and writers have trouble or fail to incorporate the dark elements in a rounded, even manner. A lot of authors go for the “show the reader something undoubtedly tragic or traumatizing and the tone will endure” or the “if I sporadically kill characters for no apparent reason throughout the plot, the reader will stay disturbed and none will be the wiser”. 

The Villain Is The Key

The antagonist must be complex and compelling, and you have to use them well. Dark fantasy is a genre which depends on a fantastic villain or antagonist. It’s wise to create an antagonist whom the reader can understand, but who is severely misguided or obviously facing their own demons. Stories with a standard “I’m evil because my mommy didn’t love me” or “The world has been unkind to me so let there be fire” villain is outdated and, at this point, you have all the opportunity in the world to do better. 

If there’s one place where you should invest your creativity, make it the antagonist. 

The Darkness Is In Everything

Incorporating horrific things into fantasy is what makes this genre, true, but it has to be a consistent effort and an author must play the long-game. The darkness has to penetrate your word choice, the way you deliver new information in the text, the way you build up to important events, etc. The horror shouldn’t just spurt out every couple of chapters. You want to create a dark atmosphere, and an atmosphere must stretch beyond one or two scenes here and there.

Flawed vs. Unlikeable

This is a major downfall of a lot of dark fantasy works. It’s difficult to create a character whose flaws are so integral to the storytelling without making them unlikeable, but if you don’t toe this line carefully, your readers will put the story down. Yes, the character must be flawed and complex, and there are no heroes in the situation, but if there’s nobody to have hope for, then the reader will abandon the story. Nobody wants to sit and watch something that is sad and frustrating for the sake of depressing themselves. Well, some do, but not enough to convince someone there’s a market for your story.

Common Struggles

~ How do you craft a dark fantasy ending?… Not all pessimistic stories have to have a pessimistic ending. You can give your characters a positive outcome (or even just somewhat positive) without sacrificing the work you’ve done to maintain the genre’s tone and message. Most dark fantasy is about topics that are larger than the story itself, such as equality (in many aspects), existence, freedom vs. security, society vs. individuality, etc. Dark fantasy tends to branch off from the typical fantasy in terms of messaging because incorporating darker aspects of reality forces the reader to face harsher truths. Make your ending about what you want the reader to walk away with, and you should have no problem figuring out how to do it. 

~ How do you warn readers of possible triggers in non-fanfiction works?… Simply put, market your story honestly. Disclose any especially dark elements, and when advertising on platforms such as social media, perhaps provide an official disclaimer. The manner in which you warn readers of possible triggers is up to your own and whatever marketing team you have’s discretion.

~ How do you research dark topics while writing?… With purpose, caution, and practicality. I see a lot of posts that cover very tiny details that may go into fantasy, and while I encourage research of all kinds for every genre, I think fantasy is one where writers can get so caught up in getting every minute detail researched and recorded that they get burned out with their own ideas before they even put pen to paper. Research what you missed, then find holes as you write, and then do the rest of the research for the second draft once you’re finished with the first. Avoid burnout that comes with extensive research beforehand.

~ How do common fantasy tropes interact with darker aspects of the sub-genre?… There’s a lot of ways you can mix typical fantasy with typical horror/thriller and come out with dark fantasy. The main fantasy characteristics that persist in dark fantasy are setting and the way magic systems are executed in the story. Secondly, I see a lot of similarities in general world building. Where it deviates, I think, is in character development, plot structure, plot development, and messaging. The smaller events tend to be more mature, the character arcs turn more raw, the characters themselves are more flawed, and the plot develops in a much less linear fashion. The messages are heavier because the content is heavier. 

Other Resources

Resources For Fantasy/Mythology Writers

20 Mistakes To Avoid in Fantasy

Guide to Writing Fantasy

Guide to Story Researching

Commentary on Social Issues In Writing

On Writing About Sensitive Topics

Resources For Writing Royalty

Dark Quotes & Prompts

Angst Prompts

31 Days of Character Development : May 2018 Writing Challenge

Suspenseful Prompts

Sad Prompts

31 Days of World Building : August 2018 Writing Challenge

31 Days of Plot Development : January 2019 Writing Challenge

31 Days of Horror : October 2019 Writing Challenge

Resources For Creating Characters

Giving Your Protagonists Negative Traits

Writing Good Villains

Showing Vulnerability Without Death

Giving Characters Flaws

Creating Villains

Flipping Character Traits On Their Head

“Male characters are more relatable”

Tips on Character Motivations

Tips on Character Consistency

Resources For Plot Development

Guide To Plot Development

How To Write A Good Plot Twist

How To Foreshadow

Plot Structures

Describing Setting

Resources For Worldbuilding

Guide To Political World Building

Creating Diverse Otherworld Characters

Tips on Creating Magic Systems

Tips on Introducing Political Backstory

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : High Middle Ages & Renaissance

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1600s

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1700s

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1800s

Tips on Writing Fight Scenes

Tips on Writing Chase Scenes

How To Make The Journey Interesting

Tips For Horror Writers

Tips on Writing Pyschological Thrillers

10 Mistakes to Avoid in Horror

–

Masterlist | WIP Blog

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[suraira]

The Egg

By: Andy Weir

You were on your way home when you died.

It was a car accident. Nothing particularly remarkable, but fatal nonetheless. You left behind a wife and two children. It was a painless death. The EMTs tried their best to save you, but to no avail. Your body was so utterly shattered you were better off, trust me.

And that’s when you met me.

“What… what happened?” You asked. “Where am I?”

“You died,” I said, matter-of-factly. No point in mincing words.

“There was a… a truck and it was skidding…”

“Yup,” I said.

“I… I died?”

“Yup. But don’t feel bad about it. Everyone dies,” I said.

You looked around. There was nothingness. Just you and me. “What is this place?” You asked. “Is this the afterlife?”

“More or less,” I said.

“Are you god?” You asked.

“Yup,” I replied. “I’m God.”

“My kids… my wife,” you said.

“What about them?”

“Will they be all right?”

“That’s what I like to see,” I said. “You just died and your main concern is for your family. That’s good stuff right there.”

You looked at me with fascination. To you, I didn’t look like God. I just looked like some man. Or possibly a woman. Some vague authority figure, maybe. More of a grammar school teacher than the almighty.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “They’ll be fine. Your kids will remember you as perfect in every way. They didn’t have time to grow contempt for you. Your wife will cry on the outside, but will be secretly relieved. To be fair, your marriage was falling apart. If it’s any consolation, she’ll feel very guilty for feeling relieved.”

“Oh,” you said. “So what happens now? Do I go to heaven or hell or something?”

“Neither,” I said. “You’ll be reincarnated.”

“Ah,” you said. “So the Hindus were right,”

“All religions are right in their own way,” I said. “Walk with me.”

You followed along as we strode through the void. “Where are we going?”

“Nowhere in particular,” I said. “It’s just nice to walk while we talk.”

“So what’s the point, then?” You asked. “When I get reborn, I’ll just be a blank slate, right? A baby. So all my experiences and everything I did in this life won’t matter.”

“Not so!” I said. “You have within you all the knowledge and experiences of all your past lives. You just don’t remember them right now.”

I stopped walking and took you by the shoulders. “Your soul is more magnificent, beautiful, and gigantic than you can possibly imagine. A human mind can only contain a tiny fraction of what you are. It’s like sticking your finger in a glass of water to see if it’s hot or cold. You put a tiny part of yourself into the vessel, and when you bring it back out, you’ve gained all the experiences it had.

“You’ve been in a human for the last 48 years, so you haven’t stretched out yet and felt the rest of your immense consciousness. If we hung out here for long enough, you’d start remembering everything. But there’s no point to doing that between each life.”

“How many times have I been reincarnated, then?”

“Oh lots. Lots and lots. An in to lots of different lives.” I said. “This time around, you’ll be a Chinese peasant girl in 540 AD.”

“Wait, what?” You stammered. “You’re sending me back in time?”

“Well, I guess technically. Time, as you know it, only exists in your universe. Things are different where I come from.”

“Where you come from?” You said.

“Oh sure,” I explained “I come from somewhere. Somewhere else. And there are others like me. I know you’ll want to know what it’s like there, but honestly you wouldn’t understand.”

“Oh,” you said, a little let down. “But wait. If I get reincarnated to other places in time, I could have interacted with myself at some point.”

“Sure. Happens all the time. And with both lives only aware of their own lifespan you don’t even know it’s happening.”

“So what’s the point of it all?”

“Seriously?” I asked. “Seriously? You’re asking me for the meaning of life? Isn’t that a little stereotypical?”

“Well it’s a reasonable question,” you persisted.

I looked you in the eye. “The meaning of life, the reason I made this whole universe, is for you to mature.”

“You mean mankind? You want us to mature?”

“No, just you. I made this whole universe for you. With each new life you grow and mature and become a larger and greater intellect.”

“Just me? What about everyone else?”

“There is no one else,” I said. “In this universe, there’s just you and me.”

You stared blankly at me. “But all the people on earth…”

“All you. Different incarnations of you.”

“Wait. I’m everyone!?”

“Now you’re getting it,” I said, with a congratulatory slap on the back.

“I’m every human being who ever lived?”

“Or who will ever live, yes.”

“I’m Abraham Lincoln?”

“And you’re John Wilkes Booth, too,” I added.

“I’m Hitler?” You said, appalled.

“And you’re the millions he killed.”

“I’m Jesus?”

“And you’re everyone who followed him.”

You fell silent.

“Every time you victimized someone,” I said, “you were victimizing yourself. Every act of kindness you’ve done, you’ve done to yourself. Every happy and sad moment ever experienced by any human was, or will be, experienced by you.”

You thought for a long time.

“Why?” You asked me. “Why do all this?”

“Because someday, you will become like me. Because that’s what you are. You’re one of my kind. You’re my child.”

“Whoa,” you said, incredulous. “You mean I’m a god?”

“No. Not yet. You’re a fetus. You’re still growing. Once you’ve lived every human life throughout all time, you will have grown enough to be born.”

“So the whole universe,” you said, “it’s just…”

“An egg.” I answered. “Now it’s time for you to move on to your next life.”

And I sent you on your way.

[foxiswriting]

story outlining methods, pt. 1:

take off your pants!! (“take off your pants!: outline your books for faster, better writing” by libbie hawker)

this outline starts with a character — specifically their biggest flaw — and leads to five points that will make up the core of your story. it’s best for plots and subplots that focus on overcoming the flaw!

this outline doesn’t just have to be used for coming of age novels. it is just as important in your dystopian, fantasy, or thriller novels that the main character learns something or has changed by the end.

STEP ONE: think about your character

your main character — what is their name, and what are their important features?

what are your character’s flaws? what about their FATAL flaw? ex: hubris, overconfidence, stubbornness, etc.

STEP TWO: think about the end of the story

the story (whether the main plot, a subplot, or a facet of the main plot) is the journey lead to overcome the flaw. now that you know the character’s flaw, you know what lesson they need to learn.

the end of the story = the flaw mastered, the lesson learned.

STEP THREE: think about the external goal

the external goal is the plot, the outer motivation to push the character to the end of the story where the goal is mastered. if you remember my post on quests, you know that a quest has two reasons to be there: the external factor (shrek saving fiona for his swamp), and the real reason (the lesson learned)

the external goal should provide a chance for the character to recognize their flaw and begin to change. how does your plot tie into their character development?

STEP FOUR: think about the antagonist

thinking about the external goal should reveal who the antagonist is. the antagonist should want to achieve the same goal or a goal that impedes with the protagonist’s goal. the antagonist should be the biggest obstacle to the character.

STEP FIVE: think about the ally/allies

the character(s) that is capable of forcing the protagonist down the correct path. where your protagonist most likely will resist changing and confronting their flaw, the ally will help force them to do so anyway.

STEP SIX: think about the theme

so what’s the point of your book? if you are struggling to boil it down to one sentence, you might want to think about it a little longer. this is what keeps the story feeling coherent. what are you trying to tell us?

STEP SEVEN: think about the plot

each main plot element should somehow relate to the core of the book, aka the character’s development in overcoming their flaw

OPENING SCENE - set the stage. address the flaw or the theme

INCITING EVENT - what forces the character out of their everyday life and into the story?

REALIZING EXTERNAL GOAL - what makes the character begin seeking their goal?

DISPLAY OF FLAW - if the character’s flaw hasn’t been made blatantly clear, now is the time. make it known to the reader.

DRIVE FOR GOAL - what is your character’s first attempt to reach their goal?

ANTAGONIST REVEAL - how do you first show your antagonist’s opposition to your character?

FIRST THWART - what happens to your character that keeps them from reaching their goal?

REVISIT FLAW - show the character’s flaw again, even if they themselves aren’t aware of it yet.

ANTAGONIST ATTACKS - what does the antagonist do that makes things worse?

SECOND THWART - where your character fails most likely due to the attack

CHANGED GOAL - the character finds a new goal or focuses on the external goal in a different way

ALLY ATTACKS - what does the ally do to force the character to see the flaw?

AWAKENING - the character knows what they must do to reach the external goal. how will you show that the character has also awakened to their flaw? how will you show them changing?

BATTLE - the final showdown with the antagonist!

DEATH - the character’s flaw dies here. how will you show that the character truly is different now?

OUTCOME - show whether the character won or lost the external goal, reveal the theme of the story.

naturally, you don’t have to follow that outline exactly, but it can be a good place to start ;)

[icantthinkofanythingelse]

[thecollectorofawesomethings]

I want more fantasy to explore esotericism in magic systems.

I want it to feel like the people conducing the magical processes have as much understanding of it's origins and workings as a suburban dad knows how to manufacture an entire truck.

Show my mystery, explore what it means to have boons of power granted to you. Hell, give some eldritch horror themes to me! Make it fucking terrifying to get magic wrong or to seek it's mastery from the wrong places!

Most of all, I want imagery which brings characters to places mortals we're never meant to find and I want to feel in the writing what it's like to try and cope/reconcile with what they are experiencing.

Give me warlocks written like a Stephen King character in a setting like Tolkien's, but with cosmic horror gods behind the veil.

[writtenwolves]

Writing Prompt #85

“You can’t just kill it. It’s not a man.”

[wildworldwritingprompts]

Prompt #058:

One hundred years ago we found a hole in the ground that took us to the stars.

[song-tam]

no I don’t want some contemporary meet-cute I want to be a second-born royal stuck in a marriage alliance for political gain and then dramatically run away from the castle in a ball gown after an assassination attempt on the royal family and get stuck with an annoyingly attractive thief where at first we hate each other but then start to enjoy each other’s company and become vulnerable and good friends with each other then slowly start to fall in love and then go back to my castle and benevolently rule over the kingdom is that really too much to ask universe

[hekatepoetryxxwriting]

How to start a fantasy book

1. Create a whole world in your head

2. Make a pinterest aesthetic board about said world

3. Plan out some chapters and characters

4. Start chapter 1

5. Finish chapter 1

6. Start chapter 2

7. Never finish chapter 2

8. Scrap idea and find a new idea to fixate on

9. Never finish that either

10. Cry

[headspace-hotel]

Fantasy creature design prompts

Land creature adapted for flight—don’t just slap wings on an animal and call it a day, think about how the creature’s physiology would change!

Creature adapted to caves/total darkness (no eyes, sensory whiskers, etc)

Imagine that the only creatures with magic in your world are invertebrates. What are some of these creatures? (Bonus points if you don’t use cephalopods, insects or arachnids!)

Deer with Weird Antlers—but what are those weird antlers for? And exactly how weird can antlers get?

An amphibious creature, as comfortable on land as it is in water, with gills, lungs, or both.

A creature that doesn’t belong in a tree, adapted for an arboreal lifestyle.

A large animal, but VERY VERY SMALL. Bonus points if you don’t go for the obvious ones like elephants or whales.

Just, the wildest and most nonsensical possible theory for what Bigfoot actually is.

Symbiotic relationships! What would a symbiotic relationship between a large hoofed mammal and a species of algae be like? A feline and a type of fungus? A rodent and a plant?

A creature that, like an angler fish, becomes fused to its mate.

A creature that is fully aquatic, adapted to live somewhere that isn’t water.

In your setting there is a scummy, nasty pond. What is a good reason not to dip your toes in there?

A creature that is just as dumb as a post. These things are notoriously stupid. What adaptations do they have for survival that allowed them to give up on developing cleverness?

A creature that hides in plain sight. What would a creature adapted to hide a magical mushroom forest look like? A Demon Hellscape? What about in a Fantasy Wal-Mart?

Giant arthropod that’s not a spider, centipede or scorpion.

Domesticated Arthropods that are friendly! What are they used for? Can fuzzy moth fiber be spun into wool?

What sorts of pests or parasites would plague a dragon?

What sorts of predators would a dragon have to worry about?

Creature that relies on senses other than sight, hearing, or smell. What are these senses, and how does it use them?

Bioluminescence! But why is it bioluminescent?

A Varmint. Like a raccoon or opossum, this creature is a pest and it gets into your garbage and it’s SO ANNOYING and there are so many of them!

Eusocial creatures that build large nests or hives, but that aren’t insects. Bonus points if their social order doesn’t revolve around a “Queen.”

A creature that spends much of its life standing very, very still. Why does it do this, and how is it adapted for that kind of lifestyle?

A creature that’s just ENORMOUS. Like HUGELARGE GIGANTIC. Why is it so big?

Imagine a world where humans obtain magic through some kind of parasite. What is it, what what effects does it have? How does it benefit from this relationship?

Imagine a creature whose prey is, specifically, humans. What kinds of adaptations would if have for this?

Creatures that do not reproduce sexually. What do they do instead?

A creature that is commonly ridden. But, what made this creature a better candidate for domestication than any other creatures?

A creature that, like the Creepers in Minecraft, explodes. Why would a creature do this?

A creature that, like a hagfish, can produce massive quantities of slime. What kind of creature is it, and what is the slime for?

A creature that, like a web-spinning spider or ant lion, constructs some sort of trap or snare for its prey. What sort of creature is it, and what sort of trap do they set?

A creature that, like a peacock or bird of paradise, has some incredibly elaborate display structures to attract mates. What are they?

A creature that is very, very, VERY poisonous. What is it? What about its appearance warns predators that it’s not a good option for a meal?

A creature emblematic of courage, like a lion, or of nobility, like an eagle. What qualities would a creature that a ruler or conquerer would like to be compared to have?

A creature where if you’re compared to it, it’s definitely an insult or even a swear word. Why does it have this reputation?

A creature that is nearly as intelligent or as intelligent as a human, but that isn’t “good” or “evil” in a sense that we would understand.

Social creatures where the females are larger or more dominant than the males.

A creature that seems that it would be INCREDIBLY difficult to domesticate, but domesticated. Explain how and why.

Three breeds of the same creature: one used for plowing and pulling heavy things, one used for swift transportation, and one used in war.

Three breeds of the same creature: one used for pit fighting, one used for herding, and one used for hunting.

A domesticated creature that is not being used to ride, pull things, guard things, produce food or fiber, hunt or retrieve, as companions, or any other common reason for domestication—why are they useful or needed?

A creature that, like a cuckoo bird, leaves its young to be cared for by parents of other species. What species does it target, and how?

An extremophile—a creature that is adapted to incredibly harsh and hostile conditions, such as polar ice caps, hydrothermal vents, or active volcanoes. How does it live there?

A creature with a non-standard number of limbs. Explain this adaptation.

Imagine that after human extinction, a different species evolves to fill our niche, developing great intelligence and tool use. What species is it, and how does it adapt?

[thestuffedalligator]

“So he gives me a magic sack. Says it’s because of my kind heart or whatever. Basically if I say this one rhyme, any bird or beast I see gets put into the sack, and the sack never gets any heavier.”

“Standard fairy tale shit. I get it.”

“Yeah. And I’m like, cool, like I live in the city and I’m vegan, so I don’t need to catch anything, but cool, magic.”

“Right.”

“And it’s great up until about a week ago when I put a cop into the sack.”

“…Theo.”

“Listen.”

“Why.”

“I don’t think straight under pressure. There’s a cop waving a gun at my face, I look over and see that I have the sack, and - I don’t know. I figure, fuck it, maybe I can go into the woods and release him later.”

“Into the woods?!”

“Look-”

“Like it’s a fucking gopher?!”

“Fucking let me tell my story.”

“Jesus. Okay. So you have a cop in the sack and you’re going to release him into the woods.”

“And that’s when the cop’s partner comes out of the car.”

“Fuck me.”

“So then I also have to put him into the sack, but now I can’t release either of them-”

“-Into the woods-”

“-because then it’ll be two against one. So then I’m like, ‘Fuck. Fuck. What the fuck am I supposed to do now.’ Then the next day-”

“The next day?!”

“I bought a ten piece chicken nugget meal that night and put it into the bag, I figured they’d be fine. Then the next day, these detectives come over and they’re looking for the two cops. And that goes to shit, so I have to put them into the sack. And then more cops come to the apartment, and-”

“I’m going to cut you off right there. How many cops do you right now have in this sack?”

“I think I have a whole Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode in here. I’ve spent the last day fucking shoveling as much McDonalds as I can into the sack and I have no idea what the fuck I should do.”

“Is the woods still out of the question?”

[writing-killed-my-last-braincell]

Writing Prompt No.29

She'd had nothing left to lose.

That's why they feared her. Every last one of them

[thephilocalistpen]

Hi! So I’ve seen that writing with a specific ambience/music really helps me, so I decided to share some references with you in the genre of Fairy Tale or even Royalty/Fantasy. The references are from Spotify and YouTube so you can check out the links! Feel free to add your own in the reblogs.

Spotify.

Fairy Fantasy Music.

Celtic Fairy Music.

Soft Magical Fairy tale.

fairy tale/academia/royaltycore.

dark royaltycore.

princess-core.

fairy tale princess vibes.

Magical Forest Music.

old disney aesthetic.

classical fantasy.

YouTube.

Anastasia: Music & Ethereal Ambience.

Howl’s Moving Castle: Royalty-core playlist.

you’re dreaming of a whimsical fairytale land.

Dancing through the hidden garden.

dreamy playlist.

Disney relaxing piano collection.

Mystical Forest Music.

Greek Harp Music.

Songs That’ll Make You Feel Like A (Waltzing) Princess.

you’re falling for the protagonist in a fantasy novel.

this playlist will take you back to the last romanov royal ball.

Hope this helps!

[wordsnstuff]

Guide to Writing Dark Fantasy

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress

–

What Is “Dark” Fantasy?

Dark Fantasy subscribes to the tropes and conventions of fantasy, while mixing in elements of the horror, thriller, and sometimes dystopia. Loosely, the magical elements of fantasy take a gloomier, more frightening turn. Dark fantasy is not simply “fantasy, but make it sexy or gory”. (I’m talking to those who cite Game of Thrones as an example of the genre.)

Yes, a lot of authors choose to incorporate heavier subject matter into dark fantasy stories, but things like rape and copious amounts of gore and death are not genre-defining. Darkness exists in every adult story, even if it’s only in symbolism, but the darkness in this sub-genre specifically persists throughout each scene and coats every element. This includes character development, plot development, world building, etc. 

Death Still Has to Mean Something

Something you have to understand about dark fantasy is that death can be a tool, but the nature of the genre shouldn’t make it any less impactful. When a side character or an extra gets killed, it should affect the reader emotionally, even if death is very common. If the death isn’t going to surprise them, it should unease or upset the reader. Death should never serve the purpose of filling space. 

Incorporate The Horrific

A lot of dark fantasy authors and writers have trouble or fail to incorporate the dark elements in a rounded, even manner. A lot of authors go for the “show the reader something undoubtedly tragic or traumatizing and the tone will endure” or the “if I sporadically kill characters for no apparent reason throughout the plot, the reader will stay disturbed and none will be the wiser”. 

The Villain Is The Key

The antagonist must be complex and compelling, and you have to use them well. Dark fantasy is a genre which depends on a fantastic villain or antagonist. It’s wise to create an antagonist whom the reader can understand, but who is severely misguided or obviously facing their own demons. Stories with a standard “I’m evil because my mommy didn’t love me” or “The world has been unkind to me so let there be fire” villain is outdated and, at this point, you have all the opportunity in the world to do better. 

If there’s one place where you should invest your creativity, make it the antagonist. 

The Darkness Is In Everything

Incorporating horrific things into fantasy is what makes this genre, true, but it has to be a consistent effort and an author must play the long-game. The darkness has to penetrate your word choice, the way you deliver new information in the text, the way you build up to important events, etc. The horror shouldn’t just spurt out every couple of chapters. You want to create a dark atmosphere, and an atmosphere must stretch beyond one or two scenes here and there.

Flawed vs. Unlikeable

This is a major downfall of a lot of dark fantasy works. It’s difficult to create a character whose flaws are so integral to the storytelling without making them unlikeable, but if you don’t toe this line carefully, your readers will put the story down. Yes, the character must be flawed and complex, and there are no heroes in the situation, but if there’s nobody to have hope for, then the reader will abandon the story. Nobody wants to sit and watch something that is sad and frustrating for the sake of depressing themselves. Well, some do, but not enough to convince someone there’s a market for your story.

Common Struggles

~ How do you craft a dark fantasy ending?… Not all pessimistic stories have to have a pessimistic ending. You can give your characters a positive outcome (or even just somewhat positive) without sacrificing the work you’ve done to maintain the genre’s tone and message. Most dark fantasy is about topics that are larger than the story itself, such as equality (in many aspects), existence, freedom vs. security, society vs. individuality, etc. Dark fantasy tends to branch off from the typical fantasy in terms of messaging because incorporating darker aspects of reality forces the reader to face harsher truths. Make your ending about what you want the reader to walk away with, and you should have no problem figuring out how to do it. 

~ How do you warn readers of possible triggers in non-fanfiction works?… Simply put, market your story honestly. Disclose any especially dark elements, and when advertising on platforms such as social media, perhaps provide an official disclaimer. The manner in which you warn readers of possible triggers is up to your own and whatever marketing team you have’s discretion.

~ How do you research dark topics while writing?… With purpose, caution, and practicality. I see a lot of posts that cover very tiny details that may go into fantasy, and while I encourage research of all kinds for every genre, I think fantasy is one where writers can get so caught up in getting every minute detail researched and recorded that they get burned out with their own ideas before they even put pen to paper. Research what you missed, then find holes as you write, and then do the rest of the research for the second draft once you’re finished with the first. Avoid burnout that comes with extensive research beforehand.

~ How do common fantasy tropes interact with darker aspects of the sub-genre?… There’s a lot of ways you can mix typical fantasy with typical horror/thriller and come out with dark fantasy. The main fantasy characteristics that persist in dark fantasy are setting and the way magic systems are executed in the story. Secondly, I see a lot of similarities in general world building. Where it deviates, I think, is in character development, plot structure, plot development, and messaging. The smaller events tend to be more mature, the character arcs turn more raw, the characters themselves are more flawed, and the plot develops in a much less linear fashion. The messages are heavier because the content is heavier. 

Other Resources

Resources For Fantasy/Mythology Writers

20 Mistakes To Avoid in Fantasy

Guide to Writing Fantasy

Guide to Story Researching

Commentary on Social Issues In Writing

On Writing About Sensitive Topics

Resources For Writing Royalty

Dark Quotes & Prompts

Angst Prompts

31 Days of Character Development : May 2018 Writing Challenge

Suspenseful Prompts

Sad Prompts

31 Days of World Building : August 2018 Writing Challenge

31 Days of Plot Development : January 2019 Writing Challenge

31 Days of Horror : October 2019 Writing Challenge

Resources For Creating Characters

Giving Your Protagonists Negative Traits

Writing Good Villains

Showing Vulnerability Without Death

Giving Characters Flaws

Creating Villains

Flipping Character Traits On Their Head

“Male characters are more relatable”

Tips on Character Motivations

Tips on Character Consistency

Resources For Plot Development

Guide To Plot Development

How To Write A Good Plot Twist

How To Foreshadow

Plot Structures

Describing Setting

Resources For Worldbuilding

Guide To Political World Building

Creating Diverse Otherworld Characters

Tips on Creating Magic Systems

Tips on Introducing Political Backstory

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : High Middle Ages & Renaissance

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1600s

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1700s

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1800s

Tips on Writing Fight Scenes

Tips on Writing Chase Scenes

How To Make The Journey Interesting

Tips For Horror Writers

Tips on Writing Pyschological Thrillers

10 Mistakes to Avoid in Horror

–

Masterlist | WIP Blog

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[linafication]

here’s your reminder to let yourself create. not create ‘well’, just create. draw badly. write shitty poems. sing stupid songs. make whatever you want & have a great time doing it. that’s what creation is for. it’s self expression, not perfection

[theres-whump-in-that-nebula]

Dialogue Prompt #56

A: “You really thought you would escape unscathed?”

B: “Well… No…”

[beat]

B: “But I did try… Do I get an ‘A‘ for effort?”