MandarinMoon

We can’t assume that everyone knows the world we’re talking about, right? Luckily, author and previous Camp NaNoWriMo counselor Cass Morris has a few suggestions to help us more deeply explore our worldbuilding:

One of the most powerful things we can do as writers is create a world. What we write holds a mirror up to reality, where we can examine and criticize our own world or try to build a better one. We get to play god with our characters, and in doing so, we exercise a great deal of power in what we choose to reflect, to magnify, to laud, and to condemn.

So how can we make interesting choices, rather than relying on stale tropes, biased perspectives, or common assumptions about “the way things are” or “the way things were”?

Here are five basic concepts I suggest you explore to develop a richly detailed and unique world:

Like the last one of these I did, this is a long list of resources for writers to use. Use them wisely:)

Find The First One Here

*** = Separate List Of Resources Pertaining To That Specific Subject

Productivity & Writer’s Block

Ways To Unstick A Stuck Story

10 Outlining Methods For Writers

Things To Do When You Can’t Seem To Write

Ambient Sounds For Writers Masterpost

ZenPen

The Most Dangerous Writing App

Evernote

Writer, the Internet Typewriter

Wordcounter

Character Development

Writing Types Of Characters *** Making An OC ***

Character With Social Anxiety

Female Characters To Avoid

Writing Healthy Relationships

List of 300 Possible Secrets To Give Your Character

Fantasy & Miscellaneous

Myths, Creatures, And Folklore

Helpful Things For Action Writers To Remember

Writing The Opening Scene

Fictional Kisses

Master List of Writer’s Questions Answered’s Posts

Writing Advice Masterlist

The Little Details

How bodies decompose

Wilderness survival skills

Mob mentality

Other cultures

What it takes for a human to die in a given situation

Common tropes for your genre

Average weather for your setting

Free Online Sources For Research

Japanese creatures

greek creatures

creatures organised by type

creatures listed by letter

humanoid creatures

filipino creatures

chinese creatures

cryptids

‘fearsome critters’

angels

beings referred to as fairies

creatures that pretend to be human

a page on therianthropic creatures

shapeshifters

hybrid creatures

extraterrestrial creatures

deities

a page of mythology page links

a section of folklore page links

flying creatures

theological demons

fictional species lists

mythology related lists

legendary creature related lists

Writing Emotional Scenes

Creating Story Structure

What You Need To Hear Before You Publish A Book

Description

Words to Describe Someone’s Voice

An Article About Describing Voice

Voice Types

Vocal Qualities

Panix.com Character Chart

Vocal Impressions

Speech Patterns

Gender and Speech Patterns

Speech Accent Archive

Speech Impediment

What Makes A Man’s/Woman’s Voice Sexy

Synonyms-Antonyms.com

TheCaveOnline

550 Alternative Words for Said

Plot

Subplots

7 Ways to Add Great Subplots to your Novels

The 7 Shoulds of Writing a Subplot

Who Needs Subplots?

Subplots

Knowing Your terms: Subplots

Weave Subplots into your Novel

Understanding the Role of Subplots

Plot, Plot Layers, and Subplots

Plot and Subplot

Subplots - Chicken Soup for your Novel

How Many Subplots are Acceptable?

Subplots by Word Count

Too Many Subplots?

Generators

Appearance Generator

Archetypes Generator

Character Generator

Character Traits Generator

Family Generator

Job/Occupation Generator, (II)

Love Interest Generator

Motive Generator

Name Generator

Personality Generator, (II)

Quick Character Generator

Super Powers Generator

First Encounter Generator

First Line Generator, (II)

Plot Generator, (II), (III)

Plot Device Generator

Plot Twist Generator

Quick Plot Generator

Brand Name Generator

Medicine Title Generator

Name Generator

Quick Name Generator

Vehicle Generator

Town Name Generator

City Generator

Fantasy Race Generator

Laws Generator

Pet Generator

Setting Generator

Species Generator

Terrain Generator

Subject Generator

”Take Three Nouns” Generator

Word Prompt Generator

Color Generator

Decision Generator

Dialogue Generator

Journey Generator

If you decide to pursue traditional publishing, what are the steps after you've written and self-edited your manuscript?

1. Querying

For traditional publishing, you'll need a literary agent 90% of the time.

In order to get a literary agent, you need to query a bunch of them. It is also possible to secure representation at in-person pitch events or on Twitter events like PitMad.

For querying, it is important to compile a list of agents who are reputable and who represent your genre and age category. Then, decide in how many rounds you will query these agents.

Follow their guidelines!

For most agents, you'll need a query letter - a one-page cover letter pitching your book. You'll also need a synopsis, which sets out the entire work in a few pages. Some agents may also request extracts from the manuscript.

2. Getting an agent

If an agent likes your submission they will contact you. Most likely, this will be to request part of your manuscript, or the entire work.

If they still want to represent you after reading the book, they will offer you representation.

You will then sign a contract of representation and the agent will get a percentage of the proceeds of your published books.

3. Agent edits

Not all agents are editors, but most are. If you get an editorial agent, the agent will work with you to polish your novel even more.

This will take as many rounds of edits as is necessary for both of you to be satisfied.

4. Going on submission

Once your book is ready, your agent will pitch the book to editors at publishing houses.

This will usually take multiple rounds and a lot of time.

This is like querying, only more excruciating.

Once an editor shows interest in your work, this process comes to an end.

This also means that the power is back in your hands. Your agent will now let the other editors know that you have an interested editor and that they will have to respond within a certain period if they still want to represent you.

5. Acquisitions

Even if an editor wants to publish your work, they need the go-ahead of the entire publishing house.

This is what acquisitions meetings are for.

The editor will pitch your book to the rest of the company. The marketing, financial etc teams will then decide whether they think the book can be profitable.

6. Offer and auction

If the publishing house wants to publish your book, you will receive an offer from the publisher.

If more than one publisher is interested, the book will go to auction, where the interested publishing houses will bid to publish the work. The best offer will then be accepted.

7. Contract

Once you've decided to publish with a certain house, contract negotiations will begin.

Your agent will be in charge of negotiating on your behalf. However, it is probably a good idea to educate yourself on the things to look out for and to consult with an Intellectual Property lawyer.

Once you and the publisher are satisfied with the contract, you will sign.

You will receive an advance, which is the amount the publisher predicts you will earn in royalties from the book. The first portion of the advance is usually paid upon signature of the contract.

8. More edits

Then, you will have various rounds of edits with your editor to ensure that the book is the best it can be.

Once this is complete, you will probably receive the second portion of the advance.

9. Behind-the-scenes stuff

Your publisher is then in charge of certain procedures necessary for publication e.g. formatting and cover design.

The publishing house will also create a marketing plan, which you should supplement with your own marketing.

10. Publication

And, presto, your book is published.

The process from offer to publication can take anywhere between just under a year to 6+ years.

Should you earn out your advance, you will receive royalty cheques from your publisher.

So, those are the usual steps in broad terms. Some aspects may vary, but this is what you can expect when pursuing traditional publishing.

If you decide to pursue traditional publishing, what are the steps after you've written and self-edited your manuscript?

1. Querying

For traditional publishing, you'll need a literary agent 90% of the time.

In order to get a literary agent, you need to query a bunch of them. It is also possible to secure representation at in-person pitch events or on Twitter events like PitMad.

For querying, it is important to compile a list of agents who are reputable and who represent your genre and age category. Then, decide in how many rounds you will query these agents.

Follow their guidelines!

For most agents, you'll need a query letter - a one-page cover letter pitching your book. You'll also need a synopsis, which sets out the entire work in a few pages. Some agents may also request extracts from the manuscript.

2. Getting an agent

If an agent likes your submission they will contact you. Most likely, this will be to request part of your manuscript, or the entire work.

If they still want to represent you after reading the book, they will offer you representation.

You will then sign a contract of representation and the agent will get a percentage of the proceeds of your published books.

3. Agent edits

Not all agents are editors, but most are. If you get an editorial agent, the agent will work with you to polish your novel even more.

This will take as many rounds of edits as is necessary for both of you to be satisfied.

4. Going on submission

Once your book is ready, your agent will pitch the book to editors at publishing houses.

This will usually take multiple rounds and a lot of time.

This is like querying, only more excruciating.

Once an editor shows interest in your work, this process comes to an end.

This also means that the power is back in your hands. Your agent will now let the other editors know that you have an interested editor and that they will have to respond within a certain period if they still want to represent you.

5. Acquisitions

Even if an editor wants to publish your work, they need the go-ahead of the entire publishing house.

This is what acquisitions meetings are for.

The editor will pitch your book to the rest of the company. The marketing, financial etc teams will then decide whether they think the book can be profitable.

6. Offer and auction

If the publishing house wants to publish your book, you will receive an offer from the publisher.

If more than one publisher is interested, the book will go to auction, where the interested publishing houses will bid to publish the work. The best offer will then be accepted.

7. Contract

Once you've decided to publish with a certain house, contract negotiations will begin.

Your agent will be in charge of negotiating on your behalf. However, it is probably a good idea to educate yourself on the things to look out for and to consult with an Intellectual Property lawyer.

Once you and the publisher are satisfied with the contract, you will sign.

You will receive an advance, which is the amount the publisher predicts you will earn in royalties from the book. The first portion of the advance is usually paid upon signature of the contract.

8. More edits

Then, you will have various rounds of edits with your editor to ensure that the book is the best it can be.

Once this is complete, you will probably receive the second portion of the advance.

9. Behind-the-scenes stuff

Your publisher is then in charge of certain procedures necessary for publication e.g. formatting and cover design.

The publishing house will also create a marketing plan, which you should supplement with your own marketing.

10. Publication

And, presto, your book is published.

The process from offer to publication can take anywhere between just under a year to 6+ years.

Should you earn out your advance, you will receive royalty cheques from your publisher.

So, those are the usual steps in broad terms. Some aspects may vary, but this is what you can expect when pursuing traditional publishing.

When I was a young writer, I didn’t fully understand what a scene was and what a summary was. Later, when I understood the difference, I wasn’t always sure when to use which. These days, I occasionally help writers with the same things. They may use summary for what should have been a scene, or they may write a whole scene for what really should have been summary. Understanding the difference and when to use which can be key when writing a successful novel.

Sure, some of it is subjective.

But what might be surprising to some, is that most of the time, one is more … “correct” than the other.  

Scene

A scene is a structural unit that tends to have these qualities:

- Happens in Real Time

A scene will largely happen in real time. This means we “watch” the characters move, act, and talk, as if it were happening in real life.

- Dramatizes (Shows > Tells)

A scene dramatizes. It uses showing more than telling. If a character is angry with a friend, we see that anger in action and conversation. We may witness her yell or kick a rock, for example. It’s like watching a stage play.

- Concrete

Because it is dramatized, a scene will usually be more concrete. It will more likely appeal to our senses and the physical world and experience.

- Characters Acting in a Specific Location

A scene will have characters in a location (in some very rare cases, the setting or society may act as characters). They might be talking on a train ride, or exploring a cave, or dueling in the snow.

Scene Examples

(Because a full scene often lasts pages, these examples are passages from specific scenes.)

“This won’t take long, Andrew,” said the doctor. Ender nodded. “It’s designed to be removed. Without infection, without damage. But there’ll be some tickling, and some people say they have a feeling of something missing. You’ll keep looking around for something, something you were looking for, but you can’t find it, and you can’t remember what it was. So I’ll tell you. It’s the monitor you’re looking for, and it isn’t there. In a few days that feeling will pass.” The doctor was twisting something at the back of Ender’s head. Suddenly a pain stabbed through him like a needle from his neck to his groin. Ender felt his back spasm, and his body arched violently backward; his head struck the bed. He could feel his legs thrashing, and his hands were clenching each other, wringing each other so tightly that they arched. “Deedee!” shouted the doctor. “I need you!” The nurse ran in, gasped. “Got to relax these muscles. Get it to me, now! What are you waiting for!” Something changed hands; Ender could not see. He lurched to one side and fell off the examining table. “Catch him!” cried the nurse. “Just hold him steady–” “You hold him, doctor, he’s too strong for me–” “Not the whole thing! You’ll stop his heart–” Ender felt a needle enter his back just above the neck of his shirt. It burned, but wherever in him the fire spread, his muscles gradually un-clenched. Now he could cry for the fear and pain of it. “Are you all right, Andrew?” the nurse asked.

- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Mrs. Reed occupied her usual seat by the fireside; she made a signal to me to approach; I did so, and she introduced me to the stony stranger with the words: “This is the little girl respecting whom I applied to you.” He, for it was a man, turned his head slowly towards where I stood, and having examined me with the two inquisitive-looking grey eyes which twinkled under a pair of bushy brows, said solemnly, and in a bass voice, “Her size is small: what is her age?” “Ten years.” “So much?” was the doubtful answer; and he prolonged his scrutiny for some minutes. Presently he addressed me—“Your name, little girl?” “Jane Eyre, sir.” In uttering these words I looked up: he seemed to me a tall gentleman; but then I was very little; his features were large, and they and all the lines of his frame were equally harsh and prim. “Well, Jane Eyre, and are you a good child?”

- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Summary

A summary has these qualities:

- Condensed Time

Summaries condense time. They may cover a month in a single sentence. They may talk about recurring events over a time period, within one paragraph. They may relay a past event (or in some cases, a future event) within a brief moment. They don’t happen in real time.

- Explains through Telling

Since the moment isn’t happening in real time, the audience is told more than shown what happened. This gives summary a stronger, guiding, narrative hand. Rather than experiencing the passage like the character, it’s more like the audience is being guided by a storyteller (generally speaking).

- More Abstract

For those reasons, telling is more abstract. It’s more likely to express ideas and concepts, rather than specific experiences.

- Characters and/or Setting may Change Swiftly (or Maybe Not Even Be Present In Some Cases)

A summary may not focus on a specific character or stay in the same setting. It may move quickly through settings or may not even mention a specific setting.

Summary Examples

Mother came home and commiserated with Ender about the monitor. Father came home and kept saying it was such a wonderful surprise, they had such fantastic children that the government told them to have three, and now the government didn’t want to take any of them after all, so here they were with three, they still had a Third … until Ender wanted to scream at him, I know I’m a Third, I know it, if you want I’ll go away so you don’t have to be embarrassed in front of everybody. - Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

John had not much affection for his mother and sisters, and an antipathy to me. He bullied and punished me; not two or three times in the week, nor once or twice in the day, but continually: every nerve I had feared him, and every morsel of flesh in my bones shrank when he came near. There were moments when I was bewildered by the terror he inspired, because I had no appeal whatever against either his menaces or his inflictions; the servants did not like to offend their young master by taking my part against him, and Mrs. Reed was blind and deaf on the subject: she never saw him strike or heard him abuse me, though he did both now and then in her very presence, more frequently, however, behind her back.

- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

When to Use Which

Most novels are better written with more scene than summary. Scenes dramatize the story, so that the audience feels like they are experiencing and participating in it. Scenes are more impactful. Scenes are more likely to stir emotions. Because they are more concrete, they are more likely to stick in the reader’s memory.

However, this is not to say all novels are better with more scene than summary. You can indeed find successful books with more summary. This can be particularly useful in books with huge casts and many viewpoint characters, books that take place over a long period of time (such as a character’s entire life), or books with powerful, present omniscient narrators. Not all books that rely on summary more than scene are bad.

But most books are better told largely through scene than summary.

And pretty much all novels need some of both.

So when do we use which?

Sometimes I edit passages that are weakened because they are summarized instead of dramatized. Other times I read scenes that offer very little dramatic value and should have been summarized.

Scenes

A good rule of thumb is the more significant the moment, the more likely it needs to be rendered as a scene.

Big turning points and climactic moments should almost always be a scene–whether that turning point relates to character arc, plot, or theme.

This means that the climactic moments of the beginning, middle, and end, should almost always be a scene.

Anything we’ve been building up to in the primary plotline related to the arc, events, or theme, should probably be a scene.

Looking For…

Ruth Rendell On Writing Suspense

In this post, we share snippets from Ruth Rendell on writing suspense.

OR ‘PEAKED’

BUT PIQUED

‘PIQUED MY INTEREST’

YOU ARE NOT ‘PHASED’. YOU ARE ‘FAZED.’

IF IT HAS BEEN A VERY LONG DAY, YOU ARE ‘WEARY’. IF SOMEONE IS ACTING IN A WAY THAT MAKES YOU SUSPICIOUS, YOU ARE ‘WARY’.

ALL IN ‘DUE’ TIME, NOT ‘DO’ TIME

‘PER SE’ NOT ‘PER SAY’

BREATH - THE NOUN FORM

THEY ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE

WANDER - TO WALK ABOUT AIMLESSLY

WONDER - TO THINK OF IN A DREAMLIKE AND/OR WISTFUL MANNER

BALL- A FUCKING BALL

IT’S SNEAK PEEK

NOT SNEAK PEAK

A SNEAK PEAK WOULD BE A MOUNTAIN ENGAGED IN ESPIONAGE

THEY ARE VERY LARGE AND WOULD FIND THIS GENERALLY DIFFICULT 

THANK

(OH AND ONE OTHER THING

BULLION = PRECIOUS METAL

SHUTTER:

A Cog Special for NaNoWriMo

Hey friends! I’m unable to participate in NaNo this year, but! I thought I could share with you a “prompt list” I developed for myself. One prompt a day, this list might just help you achieve a complete book in 30 days! (Maybe.)

ACT ONE

11/01 - Develop what most inspires you. Let your world blossom, your character present themself, or your conflict begin.

11/02  - Introduce your protagonist’s day-to-day routine. Show who they are in their own element before their life spirals out of control.

11/03 - Show readers a conflict that’s been occupying your protagonist’s mind–use this as an opportunity to reveal another dimension of your world and the characters that inhabit it.

11/04 - Delve deeper into the side characters. Explore their superficial relationships with your protagonist.

11/05 - Bring in a new face. This face might belong to a new friend, a love interest, or even the villain.

11/06 - Take a moment to breathe, then destroy your protagonist’s world. Break it in such a way there’s no taping it back together. (And remember! This doesn’t have to be a bad change! Just an irreversible one.)

11/07 - Let your readers wallow in the fallout. Show how your protagonist initially responds and who they reach out to (if anyone).

Congratulations!! You’ve completed Act One! You’re well on your way to a book!! Remember to take a small breather and reward yourself. Look how much you’ve accomplished in as little as a week!

ACT TWO

11/08 - Your protagonist is on the precipice; let them jump. Encourage them. This is where the plot truly begins.

11/09 - Show your character the paths they can take. They don’t have to choose one yet, but let them know what their options are.

11/10 - Introduce conflict between your protagonist and one of the characters they thought they trusted.

11/11 - Explain away the conflict. Put your protagonist and that character back on somewhat firm ground–maybe there’s still suspicion, but it won’t break them. Yet.

11/12 - Make your character choose a path. It’s too late in the game to be all wishy-washy about what to do and how to do it.

11/13 - Show them that they’re not yet equipped to handle the primary conflict of your novel.

11/14 - Let them take a step back and re-asses. Let them consult with those that they trust and try to find how to best tackle the conflict.

11/15 - Give them a way to grow the skills they need or learn the information they need to best succeed in the main conflict.

11/16 - Renew their confidence. Little-by-little, help them remember that they can do this.

11/17 - Let your protagonist’s relationship with another character take an unexpected turn. This could be anything from them having helpful knowledge/skills to having a connection with the villain to being romantically interested in the protagonist.

11/18 - After all their hard work is paying off and your protagonist thinks they might just be able to succeed in their goal.

11/19 - The newfound skills/information/etc. your protagonist has gathered are put to the test, and they come out victorious. Delight all around!

Take a moment to think and reflect. Have a nice tea and prepare for everything to go utterly, terribly wrong, because that’s where we’re going with this.

11/20 - Your protagonist’s worst fear is confirmed and all the bravado they’ve gathered comes crashing down around them. (Hint: This is a great place to bring back the 11/10 conflict.)

11/21 - Your protagonist struggles to cope with the last blow they took, but they don’t have much time. They need to compose themself.

11/22 - Time to gear up for the grand finale. There’s no going back now, and everyone knows it. Let your protagonist and their allies gather.

Look at you go!! You’ve written the majority of a book?? You’ve made it through the hardest part and you’re in the home stretch. You can do it!!

ACT THREE

11/23 - Shove your protagonist into a room with the conflict that’s been haunting them from the beginning and let them have a moment with it.

11/24 - Bang! Pow! Climax time!

11/25 - Just when your protagonist thinks they’re winning, make it all go wrong. A fundamental piece of the puzzle is missing and we’re in disasterland now, lads.

11/26 - Let a side character prompt the protagonist’s defining moment–let them do something unexpected to prompt an even more unexpected response.

11/27 - Ideally, this will be victory time! Everything we’ve been hoping for since the beginning comes to fruition and all the protagonist’s hard work pays off. Alternatively, you could make this end real bad. It’s up to you.

11/28 - Let the results of the final conflict settle in. These could be good or bad, depending on your story, or even better: both.

11/29 - Go back to the beginning. Rewrite the first scene or develop a prologue. Now that you have a sense of the ending, you’ll have a better idea of where things should’ve started!

11/30 - Show your readers where everyone ended up–did they get a happy ending? A sad ending?

I’ve decided to make a masterlist of asks I’ve done to make them easier to find for you guys (and for myself). I split them into categories as best as I could by genre and topic. Also, some asks have some helpful tips in the notes as well to check out (some are marked but not all) and if you have anything to add that you think would help, feel free to reply or reblog with your addition. I’ll try to keep it updated with future asks. (Update: you can now see the Ultimate Ask Masterlist 2 and my list of Random Writing Tips)

Now without further ado, the strangest and most wonderful list I’ve ever made.

World Building

Urban fantasy prompts/creating urban fantasy world (also linked under fantasy)

Links to help with world building

Creating a pantheon of gods

Things to research when writing a historical novel (also linked under Historical)

Using metaphors in descriptions

Too much world building?

Asking questions to develop a magic system

Wizard school ideas

Why magic would drain from a world

Tips for descriptions

Reasons for civil war

Character Development

Writing confusion in your character

Obstacles to character goals: traveling abroad

Reactions to sadness

Reactions to a devastating event

Showing a character’s anxiety towards something

Showing a character’s secret without revealing it

Reasons a character would die for another

Secrets in a character’s past

Culture shock with loss of rules

Growth of a trainee witch

Characters provoking other characters

Dealing with moving to a completely new place

Why a 19yo would allow a strange boy to live with her

Why a character would want a do-over in life

Showing a character going from good to bad

Possible good messages when the villains aren’t reformed

Kid growing up surrounded only by adults

Quirks for characters

Showing friendship with reserved characters

Introducing an antagonist

Introducing side characters

When you don’t think your character’s backstory fits

Writing Different Types of Characters

Writing antiheroes

The reluctant hero

Writing a violent character afraid of their mind

Making an immoral character likeable

Not a normal girl

Sympathetic villain

Making sure your character isn’t just a flirt

Writing intelligent characters

When your hero isn’t very heroic

Confident characters

Writing an antisocial character

Character Family

Visiting family for the first time

Showing closeness in siblings (opposite twins)

How a joker and a quiet character can become friends

Daughter of a party organizer prompts

Parent jobs where the kid needs to keep up appearances

The mom that left comes back…a vampire

Including character’s parents

Why a character would leave another

Sibling relationships

character with an abusive father (and how to show fear)

Romance

Writing a slow paced love story

love interest vs the ex revamped

Platonic male x female relationships

Random places to get married

Suspense and romance with a “different” male lead

sad relationship prompts

Asexuality and romance

Mutual pining

Romance with large age differences

Childhood friends falling in love

Fluffy unique first kiss

Ways of showing commitment in characters (vampire edition)

Friendship to romance

Small situations for a couple story

fantasy creature and human fluff

characters meeting and falling in love during war

Why best friends might fall in love

Unlikely soulmates prompts

Sci Fi

Using dreams as energy

Time travel prompts (asked for male x female protags)

Time travel: how saving someone can go wrong

Reliving memories

Android characters

Writing humanoids in post apocalypse

Consequences of growing a baby in an artificial womb (theoretical)

The evil AI that characters can’t (shouldn’t) destroy

Girl and guy get trapped in the same body

Rich people in post apocalypse

Discovering you have a doppelgânger

Superheroes

Teenagers, hormones and their superpowers

Weird superpowers

Superhero kids reluctant to be superheroes

Aliens

beings traveling to Earth

Why an alien wouldn’t be able to leave Earth

Reasons an alien would be sent to live on Earth

Human/alien team surviving on hostile planet together

Fantasy/Paranormal

Urban fantasy prompts/creating urban fantasy world (also linked under world building)

gods losing their powers

creations turning on their creators

How elemental powers might work

Why NOT to destroy the world when it’s your goal

Mistreated genies

Tropes of a fantasy (also linked under Writing Motivation/Tips)

Male character ideas in a fantasy

Immortal woman prompts

Beauty and the Beast revamp

How Death and a teenage girl become adventure teammates

Powers for magical beings writing down history

Girl meets demon from forest behind her house

Reverse fairytale prompts

Revamped fairytale prompts 2

Manatees being confused by mermaids

a princess befriends a baby dragon

Making a character believe in a cure for a curse

Egyptian gods living among us

A love between the sun and the moon

What fantasy creatures do on Halloween

Human and fantasy creature become pen pals

Creatures

Monsters and urban legends

Fantastic creatures

A little bit on dragons

Kind dragons

Magic and Witches

witch x wizard romance

witch prompts

Witch being protective over a human-turned-doll

magical boarding school

Ideas for curses

A young witch exploring the boundaries of her powers

Traps a wizard could set for a thief

Angels and Demons

Angels and demons

Angel as a human on earth

Jobs for angels and demons who fall in love

Physical impacts on a demon who keeps dying and coming back

Demons hunter prompts

Vampires

Human meets vampire 1

Human meets vampire 2

How to hide your vampirism from your family

Royal vampires

Vampire hunter gets bitten by a vampire

Reasons a locked up vampire would go after your character

Why a vampire and vampire hunter would work together

Vampire x werewolf forbidden love

Ghosts

Helpful ghost prankster prompts 1

Helpful ghost prankster prompts 2

Human and ghost solving mysteries together

1776 woman with supernatural abilities prompts

A medium whose friend is in a coma

Medium question Pt. 2: their fatal flaws

Battle Scenes

Writing Battle Scenes Tips

How to lead up to an action scene

I am so so so so sorry it has taken me forever to reply (I just finished exams) but Thank You so much for sending this in. This kind of question actually wasn’t asked before but I did get a similar one recently from an anon about how to create a magical world in a more modern setting so I’m going to try to answer them both here :) First the prompts:

The protagonist’s family has always had a protective power to keep their town safe and were once revered. Now, they are outcasts and many doubt their validity. Until the power skips a generation and things start to go very bad.

(This one could maybe also a superhero-isa one but it could also work for more fantasy like characters). A group of humans with the ability to manipulate the elements have always been in hiding but the climate on Earth has become so bad they can’t keep turning a blind eye

In the modern world the relative few with magical abilities are superior to those without. They are the “able” people of the world

Non-magical humans can buy black market items from those with special abilities to take on their power. The protagonist is either one of the people who has had their power stolen or a non-magical human who has seen the danger that these items can create.

People with the ability of premonition are entrusted to make sure that events unfold the way they were predicted, no matter what. One of these people has done some terrible things and let even worse things happen, but one premonition they just can’t ignore.

Someone born into a family that has always had special abilities doesn’t get theirs and puts a lot of effort into not being found out. Maybe too much effort…

I hope those fit what you were looking for (also sorry again for taking so long  😬) Now a few tips on building the urban fantasy world:

One thing to keep in mind about fantasy in general but maybe especially in urban fantasy is to get a good hold on what your fantasy elements are exactly early on. There are so many fanatical elements to play with—it’s basically whatever you can imagine—and you don’t want to go too heavy on the fantasy in an urban fantasy, otherwise it might not feel like one. So decide what elements you’re including, like are you going to have witches and wizards only or will there also be vampires, demons and other creatures? Also, are they benevolent and helpful, or selfish and mean-spirited? Is this side of the world a secret or is it open?

Then figure out how these elements will affect the setting. For example, in a world where demons and ghosts are a known fact, I’d imagine that people would take and understand death a little differently. If magic is real and the world leaders have it or have someone who does, world crises would be quite different, and probably wars too. There are probably endless impacts depending on which elements you choose. Again, just be careful that you don’t go over board. The key difference between fantasy and urban fantasy is the setting. You still want the story’s world to be recognizable as the modern world to readers to get that cool kind of juxtaposition and “what if” sort of scenario. 

Here’s the main piece:

SAGAL: Why did you move from England, reputedly cold and dreary, to the upper Midwest? Was England not cold and dreary enough?

GAIMAN: Nobody had really explained the whole cold thing to me.

SAGAL: Really?

GAIMAN: Yeah.

SAGAL: It was a surprise?

GAIMAN: Well, no. I was arrogant. I was foolish. The English thing where you think you know it all, I thought I understood cold. I thought, okay.

SAGAL: Oh yes.

GAIMAN: Water gets white and fluffy and it falls from the sky. Puddles go hard and slippery. That’s cold.

SAGAL: No problem.

GAIMAN: I did not understand the acres, the depth.

SAGAL: Right.

GAIMAN: How much colder it can be. I didn’t understand what it means to walk out of doors and take a deep breath, the hairs in your nose freeze and you go, “Oh, it’s a little below zero.”

SAGAL: Right.