Spotlight Sunday - The Fantasy Fiction Formula

The Fantasy Fiction Formula

Deborah Chester

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Synopsis:

There's more to writing a successful fantasy story than building a unique world or inventing new magic. How exactly is a plot put together? How do you know if your idea will support an entire novel? How do you grab reader attention and keep it? How do you create dynamic, multi-dimensional characters? What is viewpoint and do you handle it differently in urban fantasy than in traditional epics? What should you do if you're lost in the middle? How do you make your plot end up where you intend it to go? 

From the writing of strong, action-packed scenes to the handling of emotions, let award-winning fantasy author Deborah Chester guide you through the process of putting a book together. Convinced there's no need to shroud the writing process under a veil of mystery, Chester supplies tips that are both practical and proven. They are exactly what she uses in writing her own novels and what she teaches in her writing courses at the University of Oklahoma. 

Along with explaining story construction step-by-step, Chester illustrates each technique with examples drawn from both traditional and urban fantasy. The technique chapters include exercises to assist novices in mastering the craft of writing fantasy as well as suggestions for avoiding or solving plot problems. More experienced writers will find tips for taking their work to the next level. 

With an introduction by author Jim Butcher, The fantasy fiction formula provides the information you need to gain skill and proficiency in writing fantasy like a pro.

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I've been an aspiring author since about the time I could read, emphasis on aspiring. I've started books, scrapped ideas, written and tried a new angle with the same general idea only about a thousand times. I always seem to get stuck about thirty pages in - is what I'm writing making sense? Does the plot work, are the characters developed? Is this something someone would actually want to read?

Around this time, I get writers block, like somehow the next scene will just come to me if I take a break. But it won't. Being an author is something that takes a lot of work, and writing any chance you can get. Writing a novel is like dealing with a monster, and I'm in way over my head trying to finish a 300+ page novel right off the bat. And this is why I've been writing short stories and flash fiction a bit more lately; building the tension and getting to the climax is done much quicker, and I find that easier.

But that doesn't mean I've given up on writing a full-length novel. I've just put it on the back burner so I can (hopefully) develop my writing skills a bit more before trying something so difficult. I'll take any advice I can get in how to accomplish this task; and the ones who know what they're talking about are the ones who have already reached the goal of being published.

Deborah Chester was Jim Butcher's teacher, and we all know how much I love Butcher's Dresden Files. So when The Fantasy Fiction Formula was given as a gift to me, I started to read it right away. Butcher's introduction got me excited for what advice I am going to get diving into this novel, and I can't wait to take in every word Chester has to offer. 

Unfortunately, I'm nearing the end of the semester right now, and that means papers piling upon papers, and don't forget to write that other paper, too! Once I get out from underneath all this work, my next go-to book is going to be The Fantasy Fiction Formula. I can't wait to take in all this knowledge just waiting at my fingertips, and learning some of the secrets to finishing a novel.


Give me all the info.