Why Does Grimdark Fantasy Speak to Audiences?
In an essay for Lit Hub, Alexa Schmitt Bugler wonders why fans love dark, brutal fantasy.
"Grimdark is a feeling as much as a genre," Bugler...
What Does Your World-Building Need?
In a guest post on C.S. Lakin's blog, Kahina Necaise discusses the challenges of fantasy world-building and what you can do to master this skill....
The Special Challenge of Magical Violence
Fight choreography is a tough skill to master. In addition to pacing and description, writers need a basic understanding of the effects of violence...
Worldbuilding for Urban Fantasy
In an article for Writer's Digest, Steve McHugh shares five tips for writing urban fantasy.
Stick to the Rules of the World You’ve Created. That sounds...
Add a Dose of Magic Realism to Your Writing
In a post on Writer Unboxed, Ellen Buikema offers tips for using magic realism in your fiction. "Magical Realism portrays the real world with...
Can Magic Exist Without Mystery?
In a post on Writer Unboxed, Vaughn Roycroft discusses how he uses magic and spirituality in his writing without relying on the traditional fantasy...
The Rules of Magic Realism
A headline on Electric Lit promises a "master class on magic realism" and the lengthy article by Marie-Helene Bertino delivers. Bertino eschews definitions and...
A Little Magic Goes a Long Way
The fun part about writing fantasy or magical characters is the feeling that you can break just about every rule of physics and nature....
2000 Years of Dragons
In a new episode of Lit Hub's History of Literature podcast, host Jake Wilson and writer Scott Bruce discuss how dragons have appeared in...
Tips for Writing Fantastic Noir
In a post on the SFWA blog, May Haddad offers advice for blending noir with fantastist genres. "Fantastic noir is a subgenre that blends film...
