Have you ever been mesmerized by the world crafted by authors like J. R. R. Tolkien in The Fellowship of the Rings or his other novels?

If so, what is the one thing that kept you grounded and took you on a mystical journey?

Most probably, it would be the compelling writing style, storyline, and characters within the work that brought life to the fantasy.

While writing a fantasy novel (don’t forget that it is a broad genre with several sub-genres), the author will have to put in a lot of effort. It is as part of presenting a complex plot with no complications in understanding to the readers. For that purpose, the author will require excellent writing skills to create an imprint on the readers.

Here, in this article, we will explore the different components and factors that can act as ingredients for making a good fantasy novel.

Let’s not beat around the bush and get right into the discussion.

Remember, Fantasy isn’t One Size Fits All

As we have mentioned, fantasy is a broad genre with several sub-genres. They include urban fantasy, epic fantasy, magical realism, low fantasy, dark fantasies, superhero fantasies, and several others.

Therefore, as you plan to write your fantasy novel, you don’t always have to stick to mythology or legends, yet, bringing these elements to your work can indeed be beneficial.

But no straightjacket rule describes fantasy as a depiction of myths or fairytales. You have the freedom to step into the medieval world or even move forward and create a contemporary fantasy with dragons and demons.

Jenna Moreci, the author of a fantasy novel called The Savior Sister and several other works, explains that fantasy as a genre is evolving. She also adds that nowadays, writing a Tolkien-esque fantasy won’t gain any agency representation. Therefore, as a writer, you have to delve into the different themes that would interest your target audience. For that purpose, identifying a sub-genre would be critical.

Through this, you can work on your novel efficiently, and you can even bring in a blend of multiple genres within your work.

For instance, you can bring romance and a sub-genre of fantasy like portal or superhero to your novel. However, while doing so, ensure that you provide justice to both these genres in their representation.

Ensure Your Novel Has a Satisfying Opening and Closing

To provide your readers with a riveting reading experience, it is essential to have an excellent opening and ending.

There are different ways of going about opening your fantasy novel. By the way, here, you have to think about the sub-genre your work will be focusing on. In these types of novels, especially the ones that involve an alternative universe, it is essential to describe the world, its places, customs, and cultures in detail, but don’t dump it all in the initial chapters. Provide information as it becomes relevant, allowing the readers to gradually get to know your world as the story develops.

Consider creating a suspenseful prologue that will keep your readers engaged and curious throughout the novel. Here the reader will always be on a quest to know what happens next. You can also move right into the action and evoke the reader’s curiosity.

Another way to craft an opening for your fantasy fiction will be by furnishing secondary resources that would benefit the readers while moving forward with the story. Although these are some methods, you can always try something new as it is all about how creatively you present things and how they can grab the attention of the readers that matter.

Did you write an opening compelling enough to make readers hooked onto the story in their quest to see what comes next? Good… then, it’s time to think about the ending.

Think about what ending would satisfy your readers? This is important if you want them to leave you a good review and seek your other books too.

Cliffhanger endings are acceptable only if you are planning to write a sequel. Through this, your readers would wait for the next part to find answers to the questions that went unanswered in the first part.

While creating an ending, knowing how you would end your novel before writing it is integral. You can always leave a few things unsaid for them to think about and find answers.

Along with writing the perfect beginning and conclusion, your fantasy novel should have excellent plotline, characterization, and developments to keep your readers hooked.

Throughout the narrative, you have to bring in elements that would keep the story alive and engaging for the readers.

Have a Fresh Subject

Nobody would be interested in reading a fantasy novel that deals with a subject previously worked on by several other authors. In simple terms, no one would like to read a replica of Game of Thrones or another J. R. R. Tolkien classic.

So, as a fantasy writer, one thing that you have to bring to the table is freshness in the storyline and the portrayal of characters. However, there is nothing wrong with gaining inspiration from these classical authors. But the concern is when writers follow the same themes and patterns within their story.

Since a few people find time to read books, ensure that your work is a must-read. For that purpose, create something fresh, original, and new.

However, while doing so, focus on the logic, sequencing, characterization, plot development, and other aspects of writing a novel. Thus, you could pen down a work that would grab the attention of many fantasy enthusiasts.

Final Thoughts

These are some factors you would have to bring to the table to craft a compelling fantasy novel. Along with this, you have to focus on the pacing, dialogues, characters developed, usage of magic, legends, myths, and other elements.

Therefore, before penning down your novel, visualize your story and ensure that it will be something you enjoy writing.

So, by keeping these things in mind, why not work towards the creation of a fantasy novel that would become a bestseller?