To create the fantastic, we must first understand the real.
Walt Disney
Join me on this journey through the routes of fantasy subgenres. If you are just starting out, if you want to go in and get to know this genre better, if you are looking for a literary guide or perhaps if you are just browsing the page because you got lost in the links and ended up here, stay, fantasy is one of the most interesting genres that you can find, and here I will give you the reasons.
Let’s Warm Up
As a beginning writer, surely you tend to ramble between the specific topic you want to deal with in your novel, believe me, I’ve been through it. There are too many genres and many more subgenres that derive from fantasy, for example, high fantasy and low fantasy, among the most relevant.
Fantasy, luckily, has a great variety of colors you can use, offers freedom in expressive resources, descriptive elements, and characters of all kinds.
You should know that magic has a super important role in fantasy because there is no fantasy without a little magic. It will require great creative ability, because most genres place the plot in our world, a world that is familiar and close to us, but fantasy usually takes us to other places, other times, with cultures, beliefs, and different customs, and this will be a challenge, both for you and for the readers, who go into unknown worlds dominated by supernatural beings, magic and fantasy without limits. Therefore, creating a whole world involves having great creativity, and a great risk of ruining the story if you cannot control it.
Getting into the fantasy world
You should know that you can create a story without barriers, in which you complicate the plot using mythological characters, such as Zeus or Hercules, a terrifying plot with monsters from famous urban legends such as Slenderman or Anabelle doll, or perhaps dive into the deep ocean and swim with mermaids and talking fishes, well, you have an idea.
On the other hand, to use this genre, and be sure on what ground you are standing, I will leave you an introductory guide to the subgenres of fantasy: High Fantasy and Low Fantasy.
No more blah blah blah, let’s get into it!
HIGH FANTASY
– Can a man be brave when he is afraid?
– That is the only time you can be brave, Bran.
(Bran and Eddard Stark) “Game of Thrones” (1996), by George R.R. Martin.
Yes, high fantasy is a sub-genre, and sub-genres do not really receive much attention, however, these two specifically have great importance.
We have our story, developed in a parallel world, out of all reason and rule, about which our readers will not know anything. On the other hand, we have the existence of magic, let me stop the car here to explain a few things first. In the case of high fantasy, you have to ask yourself first ¬What weight does magic have in this world? If the answer is that it is a common phenomenon that alters the rules of the world, then it is clear, it’s high fantasy.
How to get awesome ideas for your novel: check the article here!
You must also recognize that to develop your story, you must totally separate your mind from what you have ever known, remember, that to achieve a good high fantasy book it is essential to create a different world, here you should include great adventures, heroic moments, at epic levels, which, thanks to fantasy, will not only be carried out by human beings, but also by creatures such as elves and dwarves, as it happens in The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien.
But not only the originality of this genre will control humans, but also all kinds of mythical and fantastic creatures, such as dragons, trolls, orcs, mermaids, will draw the environment around us.
The subgenres of the subgenre
Let’s continue with the questions; What is the setting of this universe? If it turns out to be medieval, then it will be medieval fantasy, if there are large-scale wars, epic fantasy. Both are part of the high fantasy subgenre.
Let’s stop here, I need, briefly, of course, to explain to you what these two subgenres of the high fantasy subgenre are about. Things are starting to get tricky.
As I told you, both are part of high fantasy, but, how to tell them apart?
Check this article for a list of 20+ myths and legends you can use in your fantasy novel!
The epic fantasy genre is par excellence, dedicated to all epic poems: epics, which were verses narrated about the adventures of great Heroes.
In our epic world there will be a problem that affects the lives of those who live there, could be a war or the extinction of a race, our protagonists will carry this weight on their shoulders.
Medieval fantasy
On the other hand, this is set in medieval times, or the Middle Ages. And you might be wondering, isn’t epic fantasy the same as medieval fantasy? Yes, I know they are very closely related because one really goes hand in hand with the other, and in turn, they are under the umbrella of High Fantasy but do not confuse them, because epic will not always have a medieval atmosphere, and medieval will not always be epic, meaning, including a huge war or portraying a big feat by an honorable hero.
Let’s move on.
Low Fantasy
Low fantasy, has less magic, and a lower fantastic setting, in many cases magic may not even be present.
Elements mostly include power struggles, moral ambiguity, and the society’s cynicism, which are the key to creating a more realistic and cruel world.
Magic is contradictory, it fills the worlds of high fantasy, but in the case of low fantasy, sometimes it does not even exist, and when it is present, it is difficult to cast spells, it is hard to learn or it is too tiring, therefore, magic Wizards are rare powerful beings in the story.
Many stories have a sober and rough style. The characters have to deal with unpleasant details like where to sleep, what to eat, how to survive in a wild environment against murderers and diseases.
There are no literary superfluities, because it requires showing the rawness of the real world.
Since there is no much magic to speak of, some stories are historical sagas. These could be placed in the medieval period or Renaissance Europe, although the current trend is to develop them in other worlds.
As the characters don’t have the power to face the danger, they serve a cause. They are mostly devoted to their country and its leader, or to some temple or priesthood.
The elements of religious conflict, forced marriages, espionage, treason, economic warfare, are usually common themes in this subgenre.
Low fantasy stories tend to focus on the feelings of their protagonists and their beliefs. Even more so than on the great causes of high fantasy. Therefore, it is important to emphasize the numerous love affairs and efforts to rescue true love or any other idea.
Conflicts are realistic, and bloody repressions are quite common. Battles tend to be won with physical combat and not magic. They will have a very dark tone and excessive violence.
Among the most significant examples of low fantasy books are: The Green Mile by Stephen King, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper, among others.
Going deeper…
Now, let’s get deeper into the subgenres of the subgenre. I know, even I am getting tangled up. We are going to talk a little about urban fantasy, and historical fantasy.
Urban fantasy, as its name indicates, is the one that takes place in cities, most of them present mythological beings, personified objects, or their protagonists embark on some investigative mission.
Historical fantasy, on the other hand, mostly develops in times before the 20th century. Usually the supernatural coexists with the mortal. This can be in an alternate historical reality where the past or present has been significantly altered.
Relax, it’s not the end of the world.
It’s very normal to be afraid of this genre. Its routes intertwine in many different ways. Nevertheless, I assure you that when you start writing you will have the satisfaction of unlimited creation.
I’ve been to the extreme point, of sitting in front of my laptop wondering: What am I supposed to write? Where is all this going to take me? And I simply apply the first law of fantasy: limitless imagination. I start with a crazy central idea, such as “the birth of a fairy without wings”. Then, I recreate step by step how everything got to that point. I also include what consequences it brought to her and the world. And it’s right there when the bases of my story start to emerge.
Read this article for more information on the most popular literary genres!
I know! It’s difficult to focus, fantasy holds too many elements, and playing with them is not an easy task. Look at it from this point of view, if you focus on the fact that your story should be about elven warriors, and a lion as a leader, referencing The Chronicles of Narnia, then you already know that your story will be High Fantasy, and if you dig even deeper, epic fantasy.
You just have to look towards a secure destination. Keep in mind that you can use resources from other genres. For example, you could use elements from horror, adding a monster or blood in abundance; romance, with a couple in the middle of a dramatic story of infidelities and errors. Perhaps you can add some suspense with a box of unknown origin hidden at the bottom of the sea. You see, a fantastic novel cannot be the end of the world.
Last but not least!
Knowing the specific subgenre in which you are writing can help you tremendously. The broadness of Fantasy, makes the mere classificaion of “Fantasy novel” not good enough. Agents, publishers, beta readers and critique partners will have more information on what to expect.
Also, this knowledge will help you guide your writing journey. Now you can do some research to know what are the parameters for each specific genre. For example, what wordcount you should aim to.
You can do it!
The road will probably be difficult or maybe full of errors. However, with the necessary effort, the disposition, the love for literature, and of course, a good few hours in front of the computer, you will see the wonderful fruit of your work, and how this led thousands of more writers to begin their writing journey. Trust yourself!
