You can't write what you don't know. But what about the fantasy genre?

In an earlier post, I wrote that you can't write about something you don't know. In that post, I was referring to the feelings of being in love or experiencing heartbreak caused by love. If you want to write about sword fights, you should read about the topic and watch tutorials. In the fantasy genre, however, imagination is key!

Image from the Wix collection

What qualifies a book as fantasy?

It's fantasy! To qualify as fantasy, a book must feature magic, fantastical events and creatures, and world-building.

Let your imagination run wild. Anything is possible!

How great is your imagination? Can you imagine a world where everyone can fly? Or one where wizards live, but are not allowed to use magic? I have written a short story on this topic, which I will post one of these days.

Alternatively, it could be about a young girl who lives in a cave with a little dragon. When the little dragon gets upset, it grows into a huge monster. The crazy thing is that this monster and this little girl really live in the fantasy world of a young woman who has been bullied and abused her entire life. I wrote a poem about this.

The point is that, as a writer of fantasy stories, you cannot rely solely on what you know. It's your imagination that will take you to the most astonishing places and situations. In other words, if you only write about what you know, you should write in a different genre. Or is that too blunt?

It is important to be knowledgeable about the subject you are writing about. However, if your ambition is to write fantasy, it is essential that you possess a vivid imagination.

Dreaming. And daydreaming.

For me, the best part of writing in the fantasy genre is that, although a lot of research, reading and tutorial following is needed, a lot of daydreaming is needed too. I also use my dreams in my work. I dream a lot and I remember all of them. I can even remember dreams I had when I was a little girl. Those dreams are very useful for my stories because, just like in books, anything is possible in the world of dreams.

Did you find this post interesting? I hope so. If you notice any incorrect information, please let me know. We all make mistakes sometimes, and I'm no exception!

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