: Re: Should I read fantasy novels for a better mindset on the topic? Lately I have been getting low on fantasy inspiration for a series I'm writing. I think this may be due to reading into realistic-genre

@Si5022468

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I would say it would depend on what exactly you wanted from your writing. If you want to create something very much within the confines of the fantasy genre and its tropes (or perhaps contrary to them) then it would make sense to keep reading similar things.

In my case, for example, I'm world building for a story which will be some sort of steam punk / fantasy something or other. But the inspiration for it is political power struggles and how society can regress into chaos. Which is a more historical and political issue, so though I will have strong fantasy elements, these exist to express power dynamics grounded in history. So in my case, I don't much care about other steampunk or fantasy works because that's not the point of mine. It makes more sense for me to read cold war history. But I don't know what is it that you want, and importantly what was the main inspiration and direction of your work.

Tolkien for example seemed inspired as much by myth and language as political events he lived through; the Lord of the Rings was clearly expressing his beliefs, which strongly related to his faith and politics. So at the very least it's good practice to try and read broadly and learn about lots of unrelated things which can inspire you. If you don't learn things and make new mental connections between new concepts you can't create new ideas. Watch a nature documentary, go to a gallery, go for a walk to somewhere you haven't been before. Have those new experiences and learn new things which can spark your creativity in unexpected ways.

Go back to whatever it is that first inspired you. If that's a fantasy story, re-read it. If it's a nature documentary, watch it again. Etc, etc, etc.

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