Fantasy

What makes Fantasy work

• Magical or Supernatural Elements (essential): The story includes magic, mythical creatures, enchantment, or powers beyond the natural world.
• Secondary World or Altered Reality: The setting is a world (or version of ours) where fantastical things are possible.
• Quests, Prophecies, or Grand Stakes: Characters pursue a mission, fulfill a destiny, or confront a world-shaping conflict.
• World-Building: The text establishes rules, cultures, or geography of a fantastical world.
• Mythic or Archetypal Resonance: The narrative echoes myths, legends, or archetypal journeys (hero's journey, chosen one, etc.).

Tone and themes

Tone: Epic, wondrous, mythic, adventurous, or enchanting

Themes: good vs. evil, destiny, power and its cost, coming of age, loyalty, sacrifice, the natural vs. the unnatural, identity

Setting guidance

Secondary worlds, enchanted forests, kingdoms, magical cities, alternate versions of our world. The setting should feel distinctly non-mundane.

What Fantasy is NOT

• [Critical] Must include magical, supernatural, or fantastical elements — not just a historical or pre-industrial setting
• [Critical] Must not be primarily a sci-fi story where all 'magic' is explained as technology
• Should not be a contemporary realistic story with a single throwaway magical reference

Writing tips

1. Establish the rules of your magic or fantastical world early — consistency builds trust.
2. Even in epic settings, ground your characters in relatable emotions and motivations.
3. Show, don't tell, your world-building — weave details into action and dialogue.
4. Give magic a cost or limitation — unlimited power removes tension.
5. Familiar archetypes can work if you bring a fresh perspective to them.

Example openings

“The last dragon had not been seen in a thousand years — until it landed on the baker's roof.”

“She was born without magic in a kingdom that measured worth by the spells you could cast.”

“Beyond the Wall, the forest whispered in a language older than the kingdom itself.”

Mood keywords

magic, enchantment, quest, kingdom, prophecy, dragon, spell, ancient, mythical, destiny, realm, sorcery

Related genres

• urban-fantasy — Urban fantasy sets magical elements in a modern, usually urban environment. Fantasy typically uses secondary or pre-industrial worlds.
• sci-fi — Sci-fi extrapolates from science and technology; fantasy uses magic and myth as its foundation.
• fairy-tale-folklore — Fairy tale/folklore draws from traditional oral storytelling structures; fantasy is broader and can be entirely original.
• magical-realism — Magical realism presents magic as unremarkable within an otherwise mundane world; fantasy builds worlds where magic is extraordinary or systemic.

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