Writing The Magic: Essays on Crafting Fantasy Fiction

by Dan Coxon (Editor), Richard V. Hirst (Editor)

From Lord of the Rings to Game of Thrones , over the last hundred years few genres have captured the public imagination as powerfully as fantasy. Whether it's epic quests of dwarves and elves, wizards and paladins, or the influential childhood classics of Alan Garner and C.S. Lewis, the appetite among readers for all things magical seems insatiable. Pulling together a fellowship of some of the best writers of modern fantasy fiction, WRITING THE MAGIC invites you to step through the portal and discover what gives these tales such enduring appeal. Writers such as Jeff Noon, Hannah Kaner, RJ Barker and Jen Williams pull back the curtain on how they write fantasy, demystifying topics such as worldbuilding, sources of magic, creating authenticity, and how best to deploy your dragons. An essential map for anyone wanting to write their own world into being, WRITING THE MAGIC explores the perilous realms of fantasy fiction - and arms novice writers with everything they need to embark on their own adventure. Francesco Dimitri, Hannah Kaner, RJ Barker, Kritika H. Rao, Juliet E. McKenna, Jen Williams, Jeff Noon, Alex Pheby, J.L. Worrad, Richard Strachan, Charlotte Bond, Katherine Langrish, and Lucy Holland.

213 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2025

About the author

Dan Coxon is an award-winning editor and writer based in London. His non-fiction anthology Writing The Uncanny (co-edited with Richard V. Hirst) won the British Fantasy Award for Best Non-Fiction 2022, while his short story collection Only The Broken Remain (Black Shuck Books) was shortlisted for two British Fantasy Awards in 2021 (Best Collection, Best Newcomer). In 2018 his anthology of British folk-horror, This Dreaming Isle (Unsung Stories), was shortlisted for a British Fantasy Award and a Shirley Jackson Award. His short stories have appeared in various anthologies, including Nox Pareidolia, Beyond the Veil, Mother: Tales of Love and Terror and Fiends in the Furrows III. His latest anthology - Isolation - was published by Titan Books in September 2022.

Reviews

[Kate Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this collection because it highlights my three favourite fantasy authors: Tolkien, Moorcock, and Le Guin. It does contain some interesting essays, some are rather basic, good for new writers perhaps. I enjoyed the essay by Alex Pheby on perception and reality, and the one by Lucy Holland on Ursula K. Le Guin.

[Runalong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good mix of essays exploring the many routes to testing fantasy and also great spotlights on key authors. Strongly recommended to anyone interested in the genre

Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...