I do not presume expertise in reading the stars, or divining the future based on the arbitrary arrangement of mammal innards. But what I do claim as authority on the issue of Fantasy is that I'm a reader first, an author second. I know what makes stories enjoyable and important. And I do not believe that Fantasy as a genre must undergo some drastic change.
    Why this post? What the heck am I even talking about? Lately I've come across a few blog posts that seem to insinuate that Fantasy needs to escape its current established form of being dark and gory and depressing. I've heard it said that shades of gray are out, and we need to revert back to the good ol' tradition of black and white and cozy Fantasy. I, for one, can't understand this way of thinking. I suppose there might be the issue of copycat writers who are attempting to pounce on the success of George R. R. Martin and his Song of Ice and Fire series. And sure, this could be the case in some instances. Some authors might go out and write a story with the sole intent of making it as dark as possible, with the goal of reaching the audience Martin has gathered. Is this an epidemic that needs curing? No. Is this something we should start culling from the genre? No.
    This is why:
    Stories are meant to take us away, to enchant us, to teach us, to move us. Stories represent life, in all its glory and vileness. More than that, stories demand just treatment. By this I mean that stories sometimes call for grittiness. Sometimes they come right out and shout it.
    For example my novel The Pale Hand of God takes place mainly inside a city designed to be a prison, designed to be a killing ground. This is a place where evil men are locked away, and children are born and raised in death and blood. This aspect of the novel is an anchor to the story. If I were to fail in portraying life within the city in all its horrific reality, I would be stealing a vital theme from the novel. This is what is meant as truth in storytelling. When I started out writing the book, I never intended for it to become what it has evolved into. My prior novels were never this dark. But my prior novels were never this novel. That is key. Each story is unique. I would not think to write a story about colorful unicorns who travel through a cotton candy land in search of a delicious pop tart and add bloodshed and mayhem. Dissonance much? But when I write about a man trapped inside a prison city with criminals who want nothing but chaos, well, there's going to be trouble, and that trouble comes in all forms. Some readers might not enjoy it as a vision (hell, sometimes I'm appalled by the scenes I write) but I think they'll appreciate it as I do as an intricate part of the narrative. The scenes are not there solely for shock value. They echo through the story, changing both the characters and the world.
    I fully believe that readers should not be protected from the harsh realities of stories as long as the story demands it. Withholding information from the reader is one of the cardinal sins of writing.
    This post is not a defense of my own writing style. Not everything I think up is as dark as The Pale Hand of God. No, this post is all about protecting the story, and encouraging the writer. Never be dissuaded from getting your story across. Do not write for any one group.
    WRITE THE STORY.
    That is all. Write the story. Let it decide what it wants to be. If it turns out dark, fine; if it becomes black and white, wonderful; and if it's a lighthearted romance tale that has nothing to do with death and killing, I'm all for it. As long as it is what the story needs.