: Re: How does one avoid bland, generic fantasy while they write? I have been mulling over the plot and characters for an elaborate fantasy work for a number of years now. The longer I mull things

One kind of off the wall solution I've used in the past to make fantasy/sci-fi feel less generic is choosing another style of writing (genre fiction or otherwise) and trying very consciously to emulate it while I write. If you're writing fantasy, maybe read nothing but noir fiction while you're writing and try to absorb the syntax/diction of that genre into your own work (assuming, of course, that that tone is still appropriate to the story you're trying to tell). For example, I'm giving a kind of 19th century 'literature' novel feel to a sci-fi piece I'm working on. Analyze the unique qualities of writing in other genres, and experiment with applying them to your work. There are plenty of books and essays out there that discuss the building blocks of genre fiction if you're interested.

While you're at it, think about qualities of the writing that separate really good fantasy from cookie-cutter fantasy for you, maybe make a list of the things that set it apart to help you isolate what you do want to emulate.

Laster makes a good point too, about remembering to get down and dirty no matter how fantastic your world is--people will still have aching feet, streets will still be dirty, people will still annoy each other even if there are archmages running around. Try to include the mundane day-to-day things and follow through with the non-obvious consequences of your fantasy-novums. The unexpected inconveniences that come with being a mage or a snake man go a long way towards drawing the reader into their lives.

Don't be afraid to be weird, make strange similes and word choices, and even be cliche as long as it's still absorbing for you. As other people have pointed out, this is a first draft. Try and be daring now and critical later. Write what you want to read without thinking about other people's work except as inspiration.

Hope it was helpful, good luck!

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: Re: How does one avoid bland, generic fantasy while they write? I have been mulling over the plot and characters for an elaborate fantasy work for a number of years now. The longer I mull things

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: How best to handle revealing a main character's name midway through a long story in close-third person? I'm writing a novel, and it's written in close third person perspective, very much sitting

: Are there online research resources that cater to writers? I tend to run into a bunch of domain-specific questions when I'm writing, such as: What happens to a jet flying at low altitude,

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: Do I have to revise my book on paper? When I read books, blogs, or even answers like this, the advice is usually always the same: To revise properly, you must print out your manuscript, and

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