Young Adult literature has become increasingly popular in the past few years. One subgenre that has been catching a lot of attention is fantasy. People cannot seem to get enough of this type of book. If you walk into your local bookstore, chances are half the stock will be of the fantasy genre. What is it that makes people crave such stories?
Having a strong central conflict is necessary to have a successful fantasy story.
There needs to be one conflict that outweighs the others and is the general focus of the book or series. This conflict has to have a believable cause. The characters cannot fight something without a probable reason because this will confuse or bore the reader. If the story extends past the final battle or resolution of the conflict, there must also be consequences that follow a natural course. Even though the story is fantastical and improbable, the reader will become frustrated if there is nothing realistic or natural at all in the story.
Magic is a necessary element in any fantasy story.
Every fantasy story needs to have some sort of a magic system. Without it, the story would be placed into another classification. Magic systems must play a key part in the story as well, and not just be thrown in because it is convenient. It has to be consistent and explained, as well as unique and imaginative. Magic is classified as anything considered impossible and is not present in the real world. Commonly used categories of magic include sorcery, witchcraft, supernatural beings, enchantment, advanced abilities or powers, and fantastical creatures.
Fantasy stories need to have complex characters to keep the reader interested.
In a fantasy story, it is easy for an author to create bland characters and rely on an intricate magic system to entertain. In order for a story to be successful, the characters must be as intricate as the magic. They should be believable, flawed, relatable, and realistic. Even though fantasy is made up and unreal, people look for characters they can understand and connect with in books. In truth, they are looking for human qualities in fantastic situations. Their subconscious wants to read about basic human motivations, such as love, money, power, fear, security, and pride.
Well-developed settings must be created in order for a fantasy story to stand out.
Fantasy takes place in a world other than the real one, so writing a fantasy story requires an extensive process commonly referred to as “world-building.” An easy way to begin building a setting is by basing it off of a real location. This helps a writer be better able to visualize their setting, which in turn helps them to manipulate it into something that would fit in their fantasy story. Some authors take a different route and create a world entirely of their own making. Writing a fantasy story in an impossible fictional world is a source of entertainment for the reader, and it can also make them think about issues present in the real world.
