If you’re a fantasy writer, chances are you’ve written yourself into a corner. Maybe you need to come up with some magic rules, or maybe your story needs a villain to spice things up. Whatever the problem is, I’m here to help! By using these writing prompts and ideas, I can show you how to get out of any writing rut and continue with your next masterpiece:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Explore a plethora of fantasy writing prompts for igniting your creativity. |
| 2. Find inspiration to craft imaginative and captivating fantasy stories. |
| 3. Develop your writing skills by working on diverse fantasy-themed prompts. |
| 4. Use these prompts to create unique worlds, characters, and magical elements. |
| 5. Let your creativity run wild and embark on exciting storytelling adventures. |
Create A Magic System
Define the magic system.
Define the limits of the magic system.
Define the consequences of using a spell or magical object.
Define the restrictions of using a spell or magical object (for example, only certain people can use it).
Define the rules of using a spell or magical object (for example, you must learn it first).
Define what limitations there are to using magic within your world: for example, does it require concentration? Does it cause pain? Is there any other requirement for performing magic?
Building a strong foundation for your creative writing journey is essential. Explore our article on ways to get your creative plunge off the ground to discover valuable tips and strategies that can set you on the right path.
Write A Letter To Someone In Your Story
Write a letter to someone in your story. Whether it’s the reader, the author, or even one of your characters, writing a letter can be an excellent way of getting into the mind of your characters and explaining their motivations to readers.
Write A Backstory From The Perspective Of A Minor Character
You can also write a backstory from the perspective of a minor character. A background story is often filled with more intrigue than what your reader sees on screen, and it’s perfect for exploring the motivations behind characters who don’t have a lot of screen time.
When writing in this way, try to avoid having your characters speak or act in ways that contradict their established personalities. For example, if a character was always portrayed as being kind and caring in the movie/TV show/novel you are adapting, then it would feel out of place for them to be mean or rude in your extended universe piece (and it probably won’t work either).
Crafting micro fiction that resonates with readers requires precision and creativity. Dive into our insights on writing micro fiction that resonates with your audience to enhance your storytelling skills, even in the realm of fantasy.
Map Out Your Fantasy World
Let’s start with an important step: mapping out your fantasy world. You can do this by hand or on the computer, but either way, it’s an important step in getting to know your story better and figuring out what you want to write about.
A good map will help you decide where your characters live and exist within their world, as well as how far away from one another they are. It can also give you clues about what kinds of weather patterns your fictional world has, so consider things like climate (rainy vs. dry), temperature (hot vs. cold), and wind direction/speed/strength/duration.
There are many different aspects of weather that affect us in real life; think about what might affect people living in a fantasy world like yours!
Create Your Take On An Old Fairy Tale Or Myth
Have you ever had a story idea? Have you ever thought about how to make your take on an old fairy tale or myth? If so, this is the challenge for you!
Take a classic fairy tale or myth (or any other source of inspiration) and make it your own. Think about what this story means to you and what it would mean in your world.
What is your take on the story? If there was one thing that could be changed about the original, what would it be? How do you think these characters would react if they were real people living in our world today?
What kinds of themes are being explored by this piece of literature/film/artwork/etc., and how do they relate directly to real-life experiences we all share as human beings?
What plot points are missing from the source material that would make sense within this universe but aren’t present here yet because nobody has written them yet (i.e., there’s nobody for our main character’s love interest yet)?
How does adding these elements change things up for us now that we know more about what’s going on behind closed doors at night time when everyone thinks nobody else is watching…
Delve into a world of existential questions and thought-provoking narratives. Explore our collection of 15 works of creative writing that will make you question your existence for a literary journey that explores the depths of reality.
Learn About The History That Inspired Your Story
How can you write a story without knowing the history? It’s a valid question and one that we’ve all asked ourselves at some point. But it’s important to learn about the history of your story. Why?
It will help you write a well-rounded character
It will help you develop an interesting plot
It will inspire new ideas for scenes
If your story is set in ancient Greece, for example, then learning about Greece’s history (and maybe even visiting there) would help develop your characters and setting. If it takes place in modern-day New York City, then reading up on its past (and maybe even taking an architecture tour) could work wonders for your creative output!
Build A Creature From Scratch By Combining Elements Of Multiple Creatures
Start with a creature you’re familiar with, like a cat or a dragon. Then add in some other animal or mythical creature traits—the claws of a lion, the tail of an elephant, and the wings of an eagle. You can also combine elements from real-life animals as well as mythological ones!
Learn About Real World Survival Techniques, And Then Apply Them To Fantasy Scenarios
Learn about how to make a fire. This is one of the most important survival skills, and it’s easy to master. If you’re lost in the woods and it’s cold enough for snow or sleet, build a fire! It will keep you warm and help you cook food (or boil water if there are no coals).
Trap animals using snares. Snares are traps used primarily for catching small game such as rabbits or squirrels. You can create them by taking smaller branches, tying them together with string or wire, and then making a loop at the end that has some bait inside it–for example meat from an animal carcass that’s been hanging there since last week when we were hunting deer.
Tie one end of this trap around something sturdy (like a tree trunk), then put your bait inside so that when an animal goes through its mouth gets caught on its teeth which then pulls down onto this cord here.
When they pull down onto this cord here they get stuck because it’s tied off around this stake right here so the whole thing comes up into their neck area they’ll die within 24 hours unless they’re able
Engaging dialogue is the cornerstone of captivating storytelling. Learn the art of crafting compelling conversations in our comprehensive guide on writing dialogue that sells your story, an essential skill for breathing life into your fantasy tales.
To Get Out Somehow Themselves Before Then!
Remember: these traps aren’t going to catch someone who knows what they’re doing; however, I would recommend trying these techniques out before really applying them while hiking or camping because they can be very effective depending on what kind of environment we’re talking about.”
Create pins or bookmarks with inspiring quotes from other writers/bloggers/friends etc. that you can look at when you need inspiration
If you are looking for inspiration and ideas, here are some creative writing prompts to get your writing juices flowing:
Write down your goals. What is the one thing that has been on your mind lately? Write out why it’s important, what you hope to gain from it and when you would like to achieve this goal.
Ask for help from friends or family members who have expert knowledge in a specific area of expertise that is relevant to your goal(s).
Read an inspirational book about achieving goals or overcoming obstacles, try reading Goal Digger by Lora Andres, Do More Great Work by Michael Bungay Stanier, or The War of Art.
Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield (all three books can be found on Amazon). For example: “The more we think about our dreams and visualize them in detail as if they have already happened, the quicker they will manifest into reality indeed into any area of our lives where we have created an intention.” – Wayne Dyer 4.
If you’re not sure where to start with this new idea or project then consider starting with something small such as writing a blog post with tips based on research done through Google searches related to topics such as “writing prompts”.
From there, expand upon those points by creating another blog post for each topic covered within that first article which expands upon those points further such as “how does having these skillsets benefit us?” 5. If you don’t know how long something should take but want some sort of guideline then estimate based on past experience (i
Take A Break And Read Some Books In Your Genre To Get Back Into The Writing Mood.
Read a book in your genre. If you’re writing a fantasy story, read some fantasy books that have inspired you along the way.
If you’re writing science fiction, read some great science-fiction stories from the past to help you get back into the swing of things.
Read something outside of your genre as well. If you’re writing romance novels, go ahead and pick up some non-fiction or non-romance fiction titles to help inspire new ideas for your next project!
You can also try reading something that is not in any known category; this will help expand your mind and allow for inspiration when it comes time for brainstorming on the next chapter or scene of whatever novel/storyline/etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., (if anyone writes these types of articles anymore).
Brainstorm all the things that could go wrong and do a little outlining to prepare for them. This can save you time later on.
When you’re getting started, it can be helpful to brainstorm all the things that could go wrong and prepare for them early on. This way, if something does go wrong later in the process, you’ll have a plan in place to deal with it.
Plus, if you do this now while your idea is fresh in your mind and before you get bogged down by any other details of writing or time restraints (like an upcoming deadline), then it will be much easier for you to execute these plans on paper later on when needed.
The best way I’ve found to brainstorm what could go wrong is by making lists: one list of all the things that might happen during my story; another list of ways I’ll try to prevent those things from happening; and lastly, a final list of emergency plans just in case none of my prevention methods work as expected!
Read Through Different Blogs (Writing Blogs, Fanfiction Blogs, Etc.) And Get Inspired By Other People.
If you’re looking for inspiration, it may be helpful to read through other blogs. This can be a great way to get ideas and see what other people have done that you like, but don’t feel like you have to copy their exact style; instead, take their idea and make it your own.
Embrace writer’s block as an opportunity for creative growth. Our article on utilizing writer’s block to improvise and generate ideas offers valuable insights for fantasy writers seeking inspiration during challenging moments.
If You Get Stuck, Use One Of These Ideas As Inspiration!
If you’re struggling to come up with a story idea, or if you just need some inspiration, here are some prompts that can help. Remember that these are just ideas—you don’t have to use them exactly as they are written!
A writer is stuck on their next novel and wonders what they should write about.
A person needs to pay their bills but doesn’t know how they’ll do it this month.
A family member has been missing for years and all hope seems lost in finding them again until an unexpected letter arrives in the mail…as well as unexpected consequences for those involved in its arrival.
Conclusion
If you’re struggling with a story, try some of these writing prompts. They can help you get back on track and find inspiration in new places! If none of these ideas work for you though, try coming up with a unique idea that fits with your story world.
Remember that sometimes the best way to write is by doing it yourself so as long as it gets done eventually then don’t worry about what others think too much because they might not even read your work anyway.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to help you explore more fantasy writing prompts and ideas:
Now Novel: Fantasy Writing Prompts
Discover a variety of fantasy writing prompts to spark your imagination and inspire your next creative endeavor.
Reedsy Blog: Creative Writing Prompts for Fantasy
Dive into a collection of fantasy-specific writing prompts that can help you develop unique and captivating story ideas.
ScreenCraft Blog: 101 Fantastical Fantasy Story Prompts
Explore a comprehensive list of 101 fantasy story prompts that cover a wide range of themes and concepts.
FAQs
What are some key elements of successful fantasy writing?
Successful fantasy writing often involves crafting immersive worlds, well-developed magic systems, unique creatures, and compelling characters that resonate with readers.
How do I overcome writer’s block while working on a fantasy story?
To overcome writer’s block in fantasy writing, take a break, explore new sources of inspiration, brainstorm alternative plot directions, or focus on developing your characters in more depth.
Are there any common clichés to avoid in fantasy writing?
Yes, there are several clichés to avoid in fantasy writing, such as the chosen one trope, predictable magic systems, and one-dimensional villain characters. Strive for originality and unique twists.
How can I create a believable and coherent magic system for my fantasy world?
Creating a believable magic system involves establishing rules, limitations, and consequences for magic use. Consider how magic affects society, characters, and the plot to ensure coherence.
What are some strategies for world-building in fantasy writing?
Effective world-building involves crafting a rich history, cultures, and geography for your fantasy world. Consider social hierarchies, religions, languages, and the impact of magic on the world’s dynamics.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.
