First, let’s l ask ourselves, “What is Fantasy?” Fantasy is all about imagination or “make believe.” It is the opposite of reality. Fantasy stories include fairy tales, science fiction, magical worlds, talking animals and more. Fantasy stories come from the creative part of our brains and can start from a dream, an unusual happening, a new idea, or even a silly thought. Best of all Fantasy is very easy to write because there is no such thing as “wrong” imagination.
One of the best ways to begin a Fantasy story is to create a new world. Describe your world. What does your fantasy world look like? Is it a new planet? A city of the future? Or perhaps an undiscovered island? Try to picture your world in as much detail as possible. Imagine what kinds of creatures live there, what the weather might be like, the color of plants, etc. Don’t forget to use all the five senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell) in your description. You might even consider making a detailed map of your new world like Tolkien did for Lord of the Ring. Decide where there are buildings, mountains, or oceans.
Next think about the timeframe for your story. Does it take place in the future and have all kinds of robots and new technologies? Or does it take place in a past where the only weapons were words and bows and arrows. You should also think about the culture of your new world. Where do the people (if you have people) in your world live, how do they get food, do they have wars, or do they live quiet peaceful lives? Think about kinds of jobs they have, what sports they play, what kind of music they have.
Once you have decided on the all the rules of how, where, and when of your story, you can begin deciding on the kinds of magical or supernatural things that might occur in your new world. Are there dragons that fly? Are there people who can walk through walls and disappear? Are your main characters talking rabbits? Or is your world populated with wizards and witches?
Once you can picture your new Fantasy world in great detail, it is time for you to think about your story. It may even be useful to create an outline of your story. Fantasy, like any story you write, will follow the rules of story telling. You will need to think about a hero and a villain. You will also need to have a problem or a conflict to make the story interesting. You will find yourself using all the regular elements of any good story: character, setting, plot, dialogue, tension, etc. What will make this story different and unique is that it will have been created by your imagination and your ideas.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Write a story about a mermaid that wants to be a fairy
- Write a story about a baby alien that is found by neighborhood kids
- Write a story about a talking mushroom
- Write a story about a planet that has only water, no land
- Write a story where ants are giant and people are tiny
If you do try building a new world and writing a Fantasy story, please think about submitting it to the Magic Dragon. We’ll be delighted to read it.