How to Write Fantasy: The Essential Guide for Aspiring Authors

So, you want to learn how to write fantasy, huh? Excellent choice. Welcome to my domain, where crazy imaginations reign supreme, magic crackles in the air, and dragons are as common as ads on YouTube (but without ‘Skip’ buttons).

I’m Candace Osmond, a USA TODAY Bestselling Fantasy Romance author and Award-Winning Screenwriter, which is a fancy way of saying I spend an unhealthy amount of time dreaming up magical worlds, tortured main characters, and plot twists that make readers scream. I’ve been writing and publishing fantasy novels for over 15 years, so trust me—I’ve learned a few things (usually the hard way) about fantasy writing, and I’d love to share them with you.

By the end of this nifty little guide, you’ll have everything you need to start writing your fantasy book, from world-building and magic systems to character development and publishing. I even included my own self-editing checklist, which I promise you can swipe!

How to Write Fantasy: Preparing for Your Novel

Before you dump all your ideas onto the page, let’s lay some groundwork to help make the whole writing process fun and easy. Think of this as gathering supplies before heading out on your fantasy adventure, because nobody wants to get halfway through their debut novel only to realize they have no idea where they’re going.

Trust me. **Glances at my debut novel.**

So, I have eight key areas I want you to focus on when preparing to write your fantasy novel, including fantasy romance, high fantasy, cozy fantasy, and more. If there’s magic involved, this guide is for you.

Identify Your Target Audience

This is one of the most important aspects of writing and publishing in any genre. You have to determine who you want reading your book. Are you writing for kids, teens, or adults?

Readers of high fantasy (think The Lord of the Rings) usually expect deep lore, tons of backstory, and some epic battle scenes. Dark fantasy fans love moral ambiguity and, well, darkness (think The Poppy War). If it’s fantasy romance you’re playing with (like A Court of Thorns & Roses), then determine the heat level, which usually scales from YA (young adult) to adult. Here’s a quick list for reference.

• YA: for ages 12-18, with characters in that same age range, so no explicit content on the page. 🚫
• NA: for all ages, but the characters should be 19-25 years old. 👍
• Adult: Age range for readers and characters is 19+, and the heat level is very graphic and detailed on-page. 🌶️

Your fantasy readers, no matter the fantasy genre, have expectations—know them.

Pick Your Fantasy Subgenre

As you can already see, fantasy isn’t a one-size-fits-all genre. The fantasy genre is a giant umbrella covering countless subgenres beneath it. It’s why I love being a fantasy author; it’s vast, allowing me to stretch my creative wings and explore fantasy fiction.

Here are just a few examples of some popular fantasy subgenres:

• High Fantasy: Epic quests, sprawling new worlds, and large casts of characters. Picture Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, etc. I don’t write a lot of high fantasy, but I love to read it.
• Urban Fantasy: Magic meets modern-day reality. Think The Dresden Files, A Darker Shade of Magic, or The House in the Cerulean Sea.
• Dark Fantasy: Creepy, gothic, and usually morally gray. A Song of Ice and Fire fits here, as does The Hollow Places and Black Sun Rising. If you want one of my own examples, The Wayward Witches is a dark fantasy I wrote.
• Romantic Fantasy: Love + magic = delicious tension. This is where I tend to hang out. Immediately, I think of A Court of Thorns & Roses, Wicked Lovely, Throne of Glass, or my own Ironworld Series.

Decide on Your Story’s Tone and Themes

Are you aiming for a sweeping epic to the tune of Tolkien or a lighthearted, witty adventure similar to the vibes that Rick Riordan gives? Do you really want to focus on power dynamics, love, revenge, or the consequences of using magic?

The tone and theme are important. Nail this down early before you even write your first chapter so you can carry the vibes throughout the story.

Set Up a Note-Taking System

Listen, your brain will betray you. You need to keep track of your world-building, characters, and plot with a system that works for you. I call this the book bible. It’s where you keep track of things like eye and hair color, religions, how magical systems work, backstories, family trees, any names or terms you make up, etc.

There are tons of great programs out there for this, but I just use OneNote because it’s like a digital binder with tabs, which is what the inside of my brain looks like.

But a book bible can look like anything.

• A notebook filled with scribbles
• A Trello board for digital organization
• An entire wall covered in sticky notes like a conspiracy theorist
• A simple spreadsheet

Building Your Fantasy World

This is where the magic happens—literally. An immersive and compelling fantasy world feels alive, almost like real life, with its own history, politics, conflict, and sense of reality. Think of a book you’ve read where you got so lost in the story or setting that you literally forgot where you were. Make notes about what specific things from that book hooked you so well. Replicate that in yours.

Here’s a little cheat sheet I use when establishing my fantasy worlds.

Geography and Setting

Ask yourself:

• What does your new world look like? Forests? Floating cities? Underground kingdoms? Use scrapbooks, vision boards, or Pinterest to create a visual for yourself. Personally, I love Pinterest, and you can make the boards private if you don’t want others to see what you’re working on.
• What’s the weather like? Does it rain fire on Thursdays? Does it rain at all? How does the weather affect the landscape, characters, world, etc.?
• What kinds of creatures roam the land? Are dragons just oversized cats with wings? Are you using existing fantasy creatures or making up your own? If making up your own, note names, histories, colors, appearance, sounds, diet, etc.

Magic and Mythology

Every fantasy world needs rules. Answer these questions about yours and track them in your book bible:

• Who has magical abilities, and how do they work?
• Is magic inherited, learned, or bestowed by a cranky old wizard?
• Are there magical elements like enchanted objects, portals, or cursed forests?

Politics, Economy, and Society

Good fantasy writing is a reflection of the real world. And the real world is made up of a lot of moving (and complicated) parts.

• Who’s the big guy (or gal) in charge? Kings, gods, corporations, or is it anarchy?
• How do people make money? Is there even a currency? What do they call it? Is magic a tradeable commodity?
• What are the cultural norms, traditions, and taboos?

These details and parameters will affect how your characters behave, talk, and evolve.

Crafting a Magic System for Your Fantasy Novel

Now for the fun bit. A good magical system is strong, balanced, and leaves an impact. It needs to be cool and unique, but it also needs to make sense. I see so many authors create elaborate magic systems that they clearly didn’t keep track of because, in chapter three, it says magic only works at night, but there’s an epic, magic battle in chapter eighteen that takes place during the day.

Set the parameters of your magic system and stick to it. Here’s the simple structure I follow.

Developing Your Main Character

Yes, a supporting cast and great secondary characters are needed, but a fantasy story lives and dies by its main character. Sure, you can have the most jaw-dropping fantasy world, the coolest magic system, and a twisty-turny plot, but if your protagonist is about as exciting as a segment on CSPAN, no one’s sticking around for the journey. Trust me.

And if you’re writing a series, the readers won’t buy past book one. Here’s how to fix that.

Give Your Character a Goal

Every great main character needs a purpose, even if your trope isn’t the hero’s journey. Ask what they’re striving for. What gets them out of bed in the morning (besides sheer stubbornness and questionable life choices)?

The usual goals in fantasy are revenge, power, love, or just five minutes of peace and quiet. Whatever you go with, make sure your characters’ goals are crystal clear because that’s what carries them throughout the story. It’s the why, how, and when of everything that happens.

Make Them Relatable

Yes, even if they’re a 500-year-old elf king with godlike powers and a tragic backstory, your MC needs to be relatable. Readers don’t connect with perfection—they connect with flaws, quirks, and emotions because it feels more real. It makes readers see themselves in the characters.

For this, I live and die by three key points:

• Give them fears. Maybe they can slay a dragon, but are absolutely terrified of small talk.
• Give them struggles. Okay, they’re destined to save the world, but can’t even figure out how to talk about their feelings?
• Give them heart. Even if they start out as a brooding loner, let us see cracks in the armor. Give us the grumpy sunshine!

A reader should be able to point at your character and say, “Oh wow, I totally get that.”

Create a Flawed but Lovable Protagonist

Pfft, perfect characters are boring. No one wants to read about someone who never makes mistakes or always has the right answer. Give your protagonist weaknesses, bad habits, or a crippling fear of geese (hey, I’m Canadian. Geese are TERRIFYING).

So, why are flaws so significant? They help you determine what your character says and does and will also help drive the plot.

• Do they have a quick temper that always gets them into trouble? Maybe this leads to a big bar fight with an orc that sends them down a side journey.
• Are they too trusting and keep getting betrayed? Maybe this creates a rift between them and someone else, leading the MC to do something they don’t normally do.
• Are they a little too reckless at times, diving into danger without thinking things through? Use this to create a painful death/loss of someone your character cares about.

Whatever flaw you choose, make sure it affects the plot and leads to growth. We want to see them evolve over the course of the story.

Backstory: The Why Behind the Who

Like real people, your character didn’t just pop into existence fully formed. Their past shapes who they are, what they want, and how they react to the world around them.

• Were they an orphan raised by mercenaries?
• Did they grow up in a royal court with several siblings, constantly battling for favor?
• Did they have a peaceful life before a terrible tragedy set them on a path of destruction?
• Were they once a prince, but watching his father’s kingdom turn to ash made him run away to another realm?

Give your protagonist a backstory that informs their motivations, but don’t dump it all in one go. Sprinkle it throughout the story, revealing it piece by piece. Readers love discovering layers and little easter eggs along the way.

Supporting Cast: Relationships Matter

Writing secondary and even tertiary characters is probably my favorite thing to do. More so than the main character. I think of them as pillars, holding up the MC and giving the plot somewhere to stretch.

A supporting cast is a must. Your protagonist doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The people around them—friends, family, mentors, rivals, love interests—help shape their journey in the book. Here are some common go-to side characters to consider when building your world.

• The wise old mentor (who is probably doomed, sorry.)
• The snarky sidekick who steals every scene they’re in.
• The love interest with their own secrets and motivations.
• The villain who forces them to face their worst fears.

A good fantasy book has a cast of characters that each feel distinct and three-dimensional in their own way. They should have their own goals, flaws, and desires like anyone else—not just exist to prop up the main character.

The Character Arc: Growth or Bust

Readers want to finish a book and feel as though they just witnessed an amazing journey in both setting and person. By the end of the story, your protagonist shouldn’t be the same person they were in chapter one.

Growth. Is. Key.

• If they start off selfish, make them truly learn to care about others.
• If they begin as an insecure outcast, help them grow into a confident leader.
• Maybe they’ve always believed magic is evil, only to discover they have it within themselves.

Whatever you make of their journey, be sure it’s satisfying and well-earned. No sudden personality shifts. No convenient epiphanies out of nowhere. Readers want to see the struggles, setbacks, and victories that lead to the final transformation.

It doesn’t have to look like our own world. It’s fantasy, but make it hit as close to home as possible.

Structuring Your Fantasy Story

You’ve selected your fantasy subgenre, built your fantasy world, developed your main character, now what?

Well, now it’s time to give your story a structure to follow. All good stories need one!

Keep it simple. Your story needs a beginning, middle, and end. In other words, an epic opening, a climax, and then a happy ending (unless you’re going for a cliffhanger). Here’s how to structure your fantasy novel.

Overcoming Writer’s Block and Staying Productive

I have an unfortunate secret to tell you. Every writer experiences writer’s block, even ones in the fantasy genre. It doesn’t disappear with experience. It’s going to sneak up on you when you least expect it, like an assassin in the night, except instead of taking your life, it just kills your creativity.

But you didn’t just randomly forget how to write. Your brain didn’t suddenly misplace all its words. Most of the time, writer’s block is just a fancy way of saying, “I’m stressed, overwhelmed, or running on fumes.” It’s not a lack of ideas, it’s burnout disguised as a lack of imagination.

Even the Writer Gadgets team experiences the dreaded block from time to time. Check out what Declan has to say about writer’s block and see how he overcomes it. Here are my tips for overcoming blocks (which I experience ALL. THE. TIME.)

Read Your Way Out of It

When I hit a wall, I don’t just sit there staring at my screen, hoping the words will just come. Instead, I read.

Reading recharges my creative batteries and gets my imagination flowing again. Sometimes, I’ll pick up an old favorite for comfort (Wicked Lovely, I’m looking at you), or I’ll dive into something completely new.

I just finished Belladonna by Adalyn Grace, and my mind is buzzing with new ideas. Either way, surrounding myself with fantasy worlds reminds me why I love writing in the first place. It works, trust me!

Change Your Environment

If your brain’s anything like mine, then it’s a stubborn creature. If you keep trying to force it to write fantasy while sitting in the same old chair, staring at the same old blank screen, you’re going to get the same old nothing.

Try this instead:

• Take your notebook to a coffee shop and people-watch (great for character development).
• Write outside if the weather allows—nature is magic.
• Rearrange your desk or light a magical candle that smells like a fantasy world. (Yes, “Old Library” and “Dragon’s Breath” candles exist, and they are amazing.)

I once had a massive block and spent some time perusing thrift stores. I saw an old ship-in-a-bottle and imagined if it were actually a cursed pirate ship stuck in there.

This gave birth to a six-book series about time-traveling Newfoundland pirates and helped me hit a bunch of bestseller lists. So, take it from me: a small change in surroundings can trick your brain into waking up and getting back to work.

Play with Prompts and Short Stories

Sometimes, when I’m stuck, I pivot. Instead of trying to bulldoze my way through a scene that isn’t working, I play around with writing prompts or scribble out a short story for fun.

And guess what? This has led to entire books.

My collection of fairy tale retellings? That started as me messing around with prompts. One small idea turned into an entire fantasy book. So, don’t underestimate the power of creative detours.

Try this:

• Write a 100-word micro fantasy story about your protagonist’s worst fear.
• Reimagine a classic fairy tale but with a twist (like Cinderella, but she’s secretly an assassin).
• Free-write whatever comes to mind for 10 minutes—no stopping, no overthinking. It doesn’t matter if it’s garbage, as long as words hit the page.

The goal isn’t to write pages of perfect fiction—it’s to loosen up and get back into the flow.

Writing and Revising Your Fantasy Book

The first draft is always going to be ugly unless you’re Anne Rice, who used to say that she only ever wrote a single draft, did not look back, and just handed it off to her editor once she wrote the words THE END. But that’s not usually the case for most writers. So, accept the fact that your first draft will be far from perfect.

That’s fine. Start writing anyway.

I always say that writing the first draft is like shoveling sand into a pile. You can build the castles later. You can’t edit or polish a half-written good book. But you can mold masterpieces with a completed crappy draft because you at least have the full picture.

Write Without Editing

Editing while writing is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos. It’s just crazy. So, forget about editing and perfecting and just get those words out!

Revise Like a Pro

Once I’m done with a first draft, I like to set it aside and forget about it for a few days. Even a few weeks if my publishing schedule allows for it. This way, I can return to it with fresh eyes and start the revising phase. Revision is different for every writer, but I follow the basic steps:

• Go back to the beginning and read through the manuscript, focusing solely on the flow of the plot. Address or at least highlight any major plot holes. Then, fix them.
• Then, do a second read and focus on character development. I bust out my handy book bible and make sure my characters are behaving as they should be and any physical details are aligned.
• Finally, I do a third pass, focusing on showing versus telling. One of my favorite quotes is by Anton Chekhov, “Don’t tell me the moon is shining. Show me the glint of light on broken glass.” I have it hanging on the wall near my desk as a reminder to SHOW more than I TELL. This means instead of saying the grass is green, you could say, “The spindly blades of grass were varying shades of emerald, like the rolling hills of Scotland that filled her childhood memories.”

Always Get Feedback

Beta readers are an amazing free resource that every writer should use. If you don’t have trusted beta readers, you can find them frequenting the thousands of Facebook groups dedicated to reading.

Self-Edit

So, once you’ve read through your manuscript seven million times and are sure everything is as it should be, it’s time to send it off to an editor. But first, use my self-editing method to help polish things and keep your editing costs down.

1. Read through with your own eyes.
2. Then, another pass using a text-to-voice tool like Microsoft Word’s Real Aloud feature where it reads your book out loud like an audiobook. The ear picks up on things the eyes tend to miss.
3. Do a pass through Grammarly Premium.
4. Do a pass through ProWritingAid.
5. Throw the manuscript into Google Docs and use its built-in editor mode. I find it catches things that Word misses.
6. Then, one last read-through, but with you reading it out loud yourself.

Now it’s ready for your editor.

Publishing and Marketing Your Fantasy Novel

Your fantasy book is finito—now what? I’ll tell you what…DO NOT IMMEDIATELY SELF-PUBLISH! So, much work needs to go into marketing a book before its release, and you only get one real shot.  

First, Choose Your Publishing Path

I’m a hybrid author, having books published both traditionally and independently. So, I know the best and worst of both worlds. Here’s a little insight:

Market Like a Pro

• Build an author platform with social media, an email newsletter, hosting giveaways, and networking with other authors. This is so important. Get to know the community of readers and writers around you. Work with them, help them, and they’ll help you.
• Use quality images and graphics to build your brand and share your book. There are tons of great tools like Canva, DepositPhotos, Creative Fabrica, and more where you can find the perfect graphics to market your platform.
• Get reviews (legally!) You can do this by building an ARC team of early readers who read your book for free in exchange for leaving an optional review. I love tools like Bookfunnel for direct access to ARC readers.
• Paid ads. When you’re ready, kickstart paid Facebook ads to broaden your reach and find new fantasy readers. Once you have more than one book, use one as a free lead magnet to entice readers to sign up for your newsletter and promote it using a paid ad.

Are You Ready to Write Your Fantasy Novel?

Writing a fantasy novel isn’t just about dragons or Orcs or magic—it’s about creating an adventure and a world that readers call home. I touched on things like selecting your subgenre, developing characters, creating a magical system, structuring your novel, and so much more. I hope my advice and insights will help you stop wondering how to write fantasy and just start writing!