Introduction

One of the most difficult parts of writing fantasy is showing things as they might appear in your imagination as a writer. We can visualise it all, but sometimes transferring that image to the page can be tough. Let's talk about the nitty-gritty of making your prose pop. No fluff, no personal anecdotes, just solid advice to level-up your fantasy writing game.

Descriptive Language Mastery

Writing detailed descriptions which aren't boring is an art unto itself. You want to be careful not to overwhelm the reader in extraneous or trivial information, but at the same time have enough detail to paint the picture you want them to see.

The first tip is to forget the exhaustive laundry list of details. Focus on the ones that really matter. Readers don't need to know about the heavy oaken table with a pile of chipped china plates at one end and an aquamarine blue vase perched on the edge at the other, with crumbs of food from past meals wedged in the cracks and crannies like some forgotten memory. Not unless all of that is important to your character or the story. Sometimes a table is just a table. Now, if the table has the initials of the character's love interest carved into it, that is something important to describe.

Focus on the meaningful things — like the pitted scar on a warrior's face indicating a specific part of their history, the odd scent of a forest after a magical rain which implies something important, or the taste of smoke in the air which indicates that the main character's home town is burning down. All of those evoke interesting questions. Readers want specifics that make them feel the grit in their teeth and the wind in their hair, but are also relevant to the atmosphere, story, and characters. Not every rock needs a paragraph, but one particular rock might. If it is a windy day, you can just say that. If the wind is particularly tempestuous due to some event or character's actions, perhaps you can go into a little more description. Be judicious with your details, choosing those that resonate most with the mood and story you're trying to convey.

Show, Don't Tell

As a writer, you will hear this over and over, but it is a great writing rule. Always try to show rather than tell. For those wondering what that means, don't worry, I provide some examples below.

Basically, you want to skip the emotional flatline and immerse your readers in feeling. Instead of merely stating a character is sad, show them staring into the distance as raindrops catch on their eyelashes, or their trembling lip as they tell a mother that their child is dead. Let emotions seep into your descriptions, character actions, and word choice. A grey sky is bland, but with a few careful descriptors and a bit of emotion, it can be a dismal sight of despair, a bittersweet quiet after a storm, or a hopeful morning. It all depends how you describe it. You want to paint a picture that isn't just telling the reader something. A lone wanderer in a deserted village tells more about desolation than a thousand words describing loneliness.

You will want to colour the description through the character's particular viewpoint. How does their perspective change a scene? What emotions do they feel from a particular event, a landscape, and the experience they are going through? Ask yourself these questions each time you need to describe something. Find ways to make it flesh out their character.

It is recommended to avoid melodrama. Let the emotions simmer rather than boil over (for the most part). The quiet trembling of a character's hands or the distant look in their eyes can convey more than overt expressions of grief. Sometimes you want to save all the explosive emotions for the peak of the book or character arc.

Instead of telling your readers about the enchanted forest, show them the luminescent flora, the magical creatures, and the ethereal glow. Go even deeper, using the characters' dialogue and reactions to paint the environment and colour it with their unique perspectives, as stated above.  Let your readers explore your world through actions, dialogue, and surroundings. It's about immersion, not exposition. Don't sacrifice clarity for vividness, but find a balance that lets readers navigate your fantastical world without getting lost. Engage each of the senses in your descriptions, allowing readers to not just see and hear but to feel, smell, and taste the magic that permeates your world. Mix the senses in metaphors and similes. The air might taste gritty with soot, water might smell slick and oily, and a burned out cottage might smell like an old man's broken heart, nostalgic and sorrowful. Play around with them, and see what imagery you can create.

For example, instead of telling your readers. "A creepy, cursed castle stood on the hill," say something like "Rising from the looming shadows, with twisted spires clawing at the ragged sky, the castle looked down on (the main character) with malevolent intent. The air carried the stench of rot and decay, as if the corpses of the slaves who had built the monolith lay half-buried beneath the walls."

Metaphors and similes are often useful to show a character's unique take on something they are witnessing. Skip the generic and go for the resonant. The trick here is to avoid the clichés, and ideally create a simile or metaphor which references the world you are creating without being super cheesy or nonsensical. Try thinking of fresh ways to describe things, like comparing a dragon's roar to thunder ripping through the sky or a mad wizard's eyes as two dying embers. Ideally it will be something which adds depth to your character at the same time. Make your comparisons as vivid as your world. Let metaphors arise naturally from the scene rather than crowbarred in. A well-crafted metaphor should seamlessly blend into the narrative, enhancing rather than distracting from the story.

Use Sound

Your world isn’t silent, and neither should your prose. Use sound to your advantage. So often authors focus on touch and sight, abandoning the other senses. Instead of casually mentioning a howling wind, describe it. If you write a line that seems cliche, change it (or at least make a note to do so during editing). Whether it's the clink of armor, the hum of a wizard's spell, or the crackling of a campfire, let your readers hear the symphony of your world. The more specific and unique to your fantasy world you can make the sound, the better. But remember, silence can be just as powerful. Know when to let the absence of sound speak volumes. The echoes of footsteps on a deserted battlefield or the hushed whisper of conspirators in the shadows can be just as evocative.

Some additional tools when considering sound can be found in the use of literary devices. Alliteration repeats a consonant, creating a specific sound and rhythm which might be suitable in a particular scenario. "The crunching coals covered the road," for example. Another example is assonance, which is basically the repetition of similar sounds, although the letters might be different, such as "The old oak grove echoed with the hoots of owls" or "The sweet breeze gently weaved through the wheat fields".

Compelling Characters

Characters are the backbone of your story, so make them memorable. It's not just about looks. In fact, looks should (in my opinion) be described as little as possible except where they matter. Try to add visual aspects to the character which showcase what they are about, particularly who they are as a person, mentally and internally.

Characters are all about quirks, fears, emotions, goals, history, relationships, and personality. A rogue with a knack for terrible jokes or a wizard with a fear of heights becomes more interesting than a generic hero. A scarred warrior with a love of music and literature instantly has more depth than a brooding barbarian. Not that there's anything wrong with the noble hero or the grumpy barbarian, but you want to give them depth. What makes them who they are? Why do they act the way they do? Is there any moral ambiguity in the brave hero? Does the barbarian have goals for education or family or community? Give them life beyond the page. The characters should be unique and interesting, but also consistent within the world they inhabit. They should make sense, even if they might bear contradictions within themselves. The scar on a character's face might be a mark of honor or a painful reminder—let each detail add layers to their personality.

Dialogue

Dialogue isn't just talking heads. It's the rhythm of your world. Give each character a unique voice. Whether it's the formal speech of elves or the rough banter of dwarves, make your dialogue a gateway to your characters' personalities and the world they inhabit. You'll want to layer your dialogue with meaning, as well. Not every argument is about the topic being argued. Usually there is a lot of background information which can be hinted at. Keep it real. Another point is that the dialogue should propel the story forward, not become a detour into irrelevant banter. The best dialogue serves a dual purpose, revealing character and advancing the plot. This keeps readers engaged on multiple levels.

Characters should also speak in a manner consistent with their personality, background, beliefs, and the setting of the story. This involves crafting dialogue that feels natural and believable, avoiding overly formal or forced language that may disrupt the flow of conversation. Using subtext can add depth to dialogue, allowing characters to convey underlying emotions, intentions, and conflicts through subtle cues rather than explicit statements. Sarcasm, double-entendres, subtlety, and avoiding difficult topics via sidetracking can all be used here.

Cutting out filler words and phrases can sharpen dialogue, making it more impactful and concise. Each line should serve a purpose, whether it's revealing character traits, advancing the plot, or creating tension as discussed above. Embracing silence can be a powerful tool in dialogue as well as the general atmosphere, as I stated above. Allowing moments of quiet reflection or hesitation can amplify the significance of what is left unsaid, adding depth and nuance to the interaction between characters. Make conscious choices in your writing at all times. This comes into play later on during editing, too. Every line, scene, and chapter should serve some purpose.

Pacing and Rhythm

Pacing is your ally. Speed up during action scenes, slow down for rest or reflection. Like a good playlist, vary the tempo. Build tension, then release it. Using punchy, broken sentences during action and then longer, more intricate sentences during quiet scenes or breaks in the fighting will make it more natural and interesting. Interlace longer, more wordy sentences with shorter ones. Use shorter words for action sequences. Keep your readers hooked with a rhythm that mirrors the beats of your story. However, avoid monotony. Mix it up! surprise your readers with unexpected twists in pacing to keep them on their toes. The pacing should be a dynamic force, aligning with the emotional and narrative peaks and valleys of your story. Most of all, the writing should not distract the reader from the story.

Conclusion

These tips will give you some idea of ways to improve your prose. Keep practising, and know that the hard work comes in the editing stage. Keep on keeping on. For more advise about prose itself, check out my articles: Improving Your Prose and Some Tips on Writing.

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