If you ask a group of writers how they approach a part of their writing process, you’re going to get as many answers as there are writers–and sometimes more.

Today I’m reviewing a discussion by a group of writers on how to make fantasy feel real.

No matter if you prefer:

to write a story based on reality — with just enough fantastic elements to make your story work
to create your world from the ground up
to mix it up a bit
and no matter if:

you’re a pantser with no magic system
a world builder who adds the characters later
a white rabbit chaser til the end of the plot, when you look back and realize everything happens in ‘white rooms’ (before you edit…)
or your approach changes from world to world
these tips for writing fantasy worlds should work to help you draw your readers in, without invoking their sense of disbelief!


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Top 5 Writing Tips For Making Fantasy Feel Real
Keep it internally consistent
The effort used to invoke the magic and the scope of the magic should match from spell to spell, no matter the scale.
Look at economics
If magic gives someone an ability, someone else will come up with a way to:
counter it
sell it
steal it
Make sure your character’s motivations make sense
Both for them,
AND for the world they live in
Different norms and cultural expectations exist in different times, places, social classes, and worlds
Avoid Anachronisms
You don’t want to mentally throw people out of your story
Check the weaponry in that time AND place
Stew takes four hours to cook
EVEN if you’re right, if most people don’t think that happened in your technological period or location, they’ll be pulled out of the story
NOTE: Ignore this tip for diversity. People in the dominant culture tend to paint everything in their history with a brush to match themselves. The real world isn’t usually that segmented.
If you can’t be true to a period, write around the edges
There are always the fringes of society, where the ‘norms’ break down
If your character doesn’t fit in, there’s usually SOMEWHERE they can go
If they’re willing to pay the price
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How much are you willing to give to enthrall your readers with your world?

 

These notes are from the Balticon 52 panel, “Making Fantasy Feel Realistic”. The panelists were Leah Cypress, Lisa Hawkridge, Brenda Clough, and Jean Marie Ward.

Do you have any favorite tips for making fantasy seem real that I missed? Feel free to comment!