A World Of Fantasy
Fantasy stories are among the most-read stories all over the world. Thousands of authors from many countries have come up to write these stories which have impressed several readers. We define fantasy as a genre under fiction stories that deal with imaginary elements that include magic, fairies, mythical heroes, the supernatural, monsters, the superheroes, magical reality and anything that we can imagine which is not real.
Over the years, this genre has gained so much popularity, especially in the media fraternity like in films, comic books, television, literature, games, art, among the rest.
Over the years, this genre has gained so much popularity, especially in the media fraternity like in films, comic books, television, literature, games, art, among the rest.
There so many things that make up a fantasy story. We are going to carefully examine some of the elements of these stories as below.
Magic
Magic originates from the mysterious things and knowledge that no ordinary person can access. It involves the situation when one can have powers and takes various forms in different stories. These forms are duelling with wands, witches casting spells and speaking of words that are powerful to destroy even the world.
In a story, you can bring out the magic effect by exploring the cost of magic, whereby one keeps replenishing the power of the magic from a given supplier. Another form is that of showing the danger of magic. It is good to note that magic may come with some uncertainty or risk.
In some circumstances, it comes rebounds on a character in a story. Finally, a wonder, joy or delight accompanies the magic. An author creates a sense of meeting a new mystery or surprise in every corner as you read a story.
In some circumstances, it comes rebounds on a character in a story. Finally, a wonder, joy or delight accompanies the magic. An author creates a sense of meeting a new mystery or surprise in every corner as you read a story.
Adventure
Adventure is among the most common fantasy that authors use. Here the author brings out characters who are having a beautiful and delightful way that is remote to the actual daily life, which has discoveries and joy. Adventure stories may contain moments of conflict and tension, resulting when one ventures the unknown or have a character venture into places far away from their comfort zone to have opportunities to develop themselves and make new friends.
The struggle for mastery
Various novels or stories bring out this element in their way. It may be in the form of a character who uses their power positively and wisely or in a conflict among those who want to use their magical mastery to bring out a positive or destructive end.
Types and subgenres
Just like other genres, fantasy also exists in various types. Depending on how an author develops a story, there are majorly four subgenres of these stories that include epic fantasy, that deals the plots and themes that are epic – can be a conflict that lasts for long between good and evil.
Dark fantasy is another subgenre that integrates horror into a story. At the same time, the contemporary one embodies stories that have a setting in the real world but with magic and supernatural elements. Also, urban fantasy as another genre contains stories in an urban environment rather than in the pastoral or medieval world.
Dark fantasy is another subgenre that integrates horror into a story. At the same time, the contemporary one embodies stories that have a setting in the real world but with magic and supernatural elements. Also, urban fantasy as another genre contains stories in an urban environment rather than in the pastoral or medieval world.
Place or setting
Place or setting is the critical aspect of a fantasy story. The process of world-building is so necessary on the other hand. In most stories, we see the main characters either influencing their world or their world, affecting them. Most importantly, each place adjusts in a way that makes it relevant to the experiences that the characters are undergoing.
The History Of
Fantasy Short Stories
In a brief period, the fantasy genre has grown so big to be so profound in the writing and readership world. Many people, as earlier indicated, have explored this genre, but the big question is, from where did these fascinating stories begin?
We should regard the oldest stories of humanity such as stories of the creation of the world, heroes battling monsters and the powerful gods and goddesses as the first fantasy stories. However, the modern fantasy stories date back in the 19th century with George MacDonald becoming the first author to publish the first fantasy book called “Phantastes” in 1858. William Morris then followed with another book, “The Well at the World’s End” in 1896 to make the genre to pick and become rolling.
Later many authors came up and wrote more fantasy books and stories. Notably, J. R. R. Tolkien immensely changed the fantasy genre when he produced a high fantasy book called “The Lord of the Rings” between 1954 and 1955. This book attracted so many fantasy readers who made him be the father of modern fantasy. More authors have explored this genre and done a lot of work in the subsequent decades up to the present time though in various forms. Equally, other media platforms like films and televisions have adapted fantasy stories.
Competition Time!
Are you a New Writer looking to get your story in print?
Are you a New Writer looking to get your story in print?
Now is your chance - join in the community
Hi 20:20 Short Story Competition
Hi 20:20 Short Story Competition
If you are an unpublished writer and you want your story to be published in a beautiful book, Check out our latest short story competition called...
Hi2020.co.uk
This is a chance for you to showcase your skills. But first, you have to be a proven resident in one of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and London districts. The story must be original and of size between 1000 and 1500 words, written in English from among the following given topics：
Hi2020.co.uk
This is a chance for you to showcase your skills. But first, you have to be a proven resident in one of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and London districts. The story must be original and of size between 1000 and 1500 words, written in English from among the following given topics：
- Adventure/travel
- Thriller/Dark
- Romance
- Science/Fantasy
- Young Writers (any subject) - for 11 to 18 yrs
The competition is aimed at finding the best short stories from New Writers who have not yet had a chance to shine. Writers need to be aged between 11 and 100 years old, regardless of gender, nationality, or background residing in one of the three above mentioned districts.
Twenty individual winners whose subjects will be chosen from 5 categories will be published on a beautifully illustrated book produced by Happy London Press. 20 winners will also be interviewed on-air by radio host Jonathan with Wycombe Sound 106.6fm, and a podcast of your story read by either yourself the author or an actor and then posted on our podcast station Anchor.fm/HappyLDNPress.
Winners will be announced on the Friday of 17th of July, 2020.
If you would like to have your talents recognised as a new writer, please click below and
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Fantasy Short Story Authors
There are so many authors who have evolved into writing fantasy short stories. We cannot exhaust the list but here are some of them:
J.R.R. Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkien is the father of fantasy short stories. You can never mention the fantasy genre without him. He is the person who made this genre emerge and shout out loud to be heard by scores of people by his work like The Rise of Mankind in Middle Earth, Dwarves, Hobbits among the rest.
Piers Anthony
Piers ranks top in the main contributors of fantasy short story authors. He is an all-time author with so many books including the Xanth series and Firefly. Undoubtedly, very few authors can keep the standard that Piers Anthony set.
Robin Hobb
She may be new to this genre, but she has written books by creating unique worlds in her stories. The stories extremely captivating and are worthy of your time even though she may miss in many lists of authors.
Terry Brooks
We know Terry Brooks for his Magical Kingdom books and Shannara Books. He proves to be among the excellent fantasy authors with so much flawless work that keeps you reading.
The Mermaid Bride
By
Alexandra Ely
Alexandra Ely (pronounced e-lee) is a young adult novelist. Growing up in rural California she has been pursuing creative writing from a young age.
She credits much of her imagination to the childhood costumes and wide-open space she grew up with.
She credits much of her imagination to the childhood costumes and wide-open space she grew up with.
An adventure fantasy short story about Neive, (pronounces nee-iv) a young woman who fights all odds in an epic search to save her husband from the slimy grips of a greedy mermaid.
Her love will have to overcome more than fear, it will have to be the courage to do the impossible.
Her love will have to overcome more than fear, it will have to be the courage to do the impossible.
Short Story Authors
& Their Stories
At times, it is so important that as we track or get to know various authors, we can also try and understand their journey through their writing career. In this section, we shall look into some fantasy authors and mostly how they started and grew to be prominent authors.
George R.R. Martin
He is known to be a fantasy author who made the fantasy genre real literature. The American author who also does horror and science fiction stories, professionally started his writing work at the age of 21 years in 1970 with his work, “The Hero” becoming the first one. The other work that Analog Magazine published, got his first story to become nominated in both the Hugo Award and Nebula Award in 1973.
The short stories she sold in his 20’s could not sustain him, which made him look for another engagement that could earn him an income. Since he has vast skills in Chess, he was appointed to become the director of the Continental Chess Association in 1972. This work gave him enough income to continue writing, and since the tournaments came over the weekends, he had the whole time of five days to keep writing before managing the competitions in the rest two days.
In his achievements, George R.R. Martin has worked as a regional director and vice-president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy America and has won so many titles and awards.
J.K. Rowling
We recognise J.K. Rowling because of her fantasy fiction work in the “Harry Potter” series that commands a large following from both the young and the old. Before she began to write, J.K. Rowling worked as researcher and bilingual secretary at Amnesty International in London. She moved from a Manchester trip with her boyfriend in 1990. While on the way, a story of a young boy who was attending a wizardly school came into her mind and on reaching in her house, Rowling started writing about the story, and that is how the mind-blowing Harry Potter series books began. She finished the first manuscript in 1995 and published it. She later wrote other books and stories and won many awards.
Anne McCaffery
Anne McCaffery wrote the enormously popular series, the Pern books and other books. She is an established fantasy author who holds a degree in Literature and Slavonic languages and Literature from Radcliffe College. Anne started as a writer when she produced her first two short stories in the 1950s which made her win the first prize in the Science-Fiction Plus. While working at the Science Fiction Writers of America offices, between 1968-1970, she used to produce two monthly and distributing mails to the membership, which may have enhanced her writing prowess. In her career as a writer, Anne McCaffery has written many other books which has featured in the Bestseller Book Lists while winning various prestigious awards. She has also got many recognitions.
Terry Goodkind
Terry Goodkind is known for his unique style of combining a dangerous world and gritty in his works but in an easy to read way. He developed a great interest in writing early in his life but could not pursue it because he had Dyslexia. After a delayed time to be an author, Terry Goodkind published his first book, “Wizard’s First Rule” in 1994 that sold for more than $275,000. Since then, he has written a total of 12 novels with over 25 million copies whereby some of them have been translated into various languages. Some of his books have also featured in the New York Times Best Seller List.
Fantasy is among the most popular genre in the world whose subgenres have comfortably blended with other types. Its adaptability into other forms of media is also incredible. Fantasy has an incomparable style.
Calling Guest podcasters!
We have launched a great Podcast station - Anchor.fm/HappyLDNPress. We love to provide opportunities for talented people who would love to tell us all about their time as a writer - the ups and downs. How you overcome hurdles - whether you are published or hoping to get published.
All you have to do is read/record your story • Tips • or life experience and submit your MP3 file to our contact page through the link below:
All you have to do is read/record your story • Tips • or life experience and submit your MP3 file to our contact page through the link below:
We hope you enjoyed the adventure, please do let us know which story you have enjoyed the most.
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