A review by stephbookshine
A Fantasy Writers' Handbook by Richie Billing
4.0
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
This book is a really good starting point for anyone wanting to write fiction in the fantasy genre.
Split into three large sections, each broken into smaller chunks for easier reference, the book covers everything from the basics of writing a good story through to the after-work of publishing and marketing.
Richie Billing introduces the subject by first talking the reader through some reader turn-offs he has gathered in the course of his research. He then offers tips and advice on everything from character, plot and premise, to dialogue, viewpoint and editing. In each section he draws on relevant theories from authors on writing such as Brandon Sanderson and Sol Stein, and examples from well-known fantasy works: J. R. R. Tolkein, Robert Jordan, George R. R. MartinGeorge R. R. Martin and even other fantasy media such as Star Wars.
After the more general advice, Billing goes on to more fantasy-specific advice such as sub-genres, fantasy names (places and people), maps, magic and monsters. Most of this will be quite familiar to those who are already fans of the genre, but it does help to have it gathered in one place for ease of reference. ‘The Middle Ages’ gets a chunky section all to itself here, as a staple of the genre!
The final section focuses on marketing techniques and the publishing process (in various forms) and is invaluable to the debut writer looking to launch his/her story into the public eye. Also handy in this respect are the various opinion polls that Billing conducted on social media over the course of writing the handbook, and the tips and advice from others in the field: publishers, authors, readers, bloggers and editors. These lend the weight of popular opinion and relevant experience respectively to each subject under discussion, and are also a fun way to break up the explanatory text. Towards the end of this final section are also some extremely useful resources for the new writer, such as lists of fantasy-specific publishers, and templates for cover letters.
This is an ideal, accessible source for tips and advice, and practical resources for the aspiring fantasy author. It has even tempted me to have a little try for myself, although with the siren call of my TBR pile I don’t imagine I will get too far towards adding my own efforts to the genre. I will probably just stick to reading it!
They say write the book you want to read. When I first started writing fiction, with nothing but ideas and enthusiasm and an ignorance of the elements of storytelling, this is the book I would have wanted as my guide.
– Richie Billing, A Fantasy Writers’ Handbook
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2019/09/28/a-fantasy-writers-handbook-richie-billing/
This book is a really good starting point for anyone wanting to write fiction in the fantasy genre.
Split into three large sections, each broken into smaller chunks for easier reference, the book covers everything from the basics of writing a good story through to the after-work of publishing and marketing.
Richie Billing introduces the subject by first talking the reader through some reader turn-offs he has gathered in the course of his research. He then offers tips and advice on everything from character, plot and premise, to dialogue, viewpoint and editing. In each section he draws on relevant theories from authors on writing such as Brandon Sanderson and Sol Stein, and examples from well-known fantasy works: J. R. R. Tolkein, Robert Jordan, George R. R. MartinGeorge R. R. Martin and even other fantasy media such as Star Wars.
After the more general advice, Billing goes on to more fantasy-specific advice such as sub-genres, fantasy names (places and people), maps, magic and monsters. Most of this will be quite familiar to those who are already fans of the genre, but it does help to have it gathered in one place for ease of reference. ‘The Middle Ages’ gets a chunky section all to itself here, as a staple of the genre!
The final section focuses on marketing techniques and the publishing process (in various forms) and is invaluable to the debut writer looking to launch his/her story into the public eye. Also handy in this respect are the various opinion polls that Billing conducted on social media over the course of writing the handbook, and the tips and advice from others in the field: publishers, authors, readers, bloggers and editors. These lend the weight of popular opinion and relevant experience respectively to each subject under discussion, and are also a fun way to break up the explanatory text. Towards the end of this final section are also some extremely useful resources for the new writer, such as lists of fantasy-specific publishers, and templates for cover letters.
This is an ideal, accessible source for tips and advice, and practical resources for the aspiring fantasy author. It has even tempted me to have a little try for myself, although with the siren call of my TBR pile I don’t imagine I will get too far towards adding my own efforts to the genre. I will probably just stick to reading it!
They say write the book you want to read. When I first started writing fiction, with nothing but ideas and enthusiasm and an ignorance of the elements of storytelling, this is the book I would have wanted as my guide.
– Richie Billing, A Fantasy Writers’ Handbook
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2019/09/28/a-fantasy-writers-handbook-richie-billing/