The Writer's Guide to Fantasy Literature

by Philip Martin (Editor)

In this helpful resource, over 30 fantasy authors reveal their insider secrets for success. Features detailed overviews on such topics as generating ideas, overcoming writer's block, mastering the genre, marketing your work, and more.

Genres: Writing, Fantasy, Reference, Research

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is, in general, a beginner's book. A more advanced writer can still get some use out of it, particularly the bits of writing advice lifted from famous authors-- although worryingly, this book does nothing to distinguish writing advice from 1970 vs. 1990 vs. 1890, nor to clarify that the writing now might be different from either of those times. However, each chapter ends with an interview with a famous(ish) author, and reading their insights was (almost) always interesting.

The book does serve as a good guidebook to further reading: it may not be helpful in finding further guidebooks, but it does point out many good fantasy books. It also has a section at the back on publishing and publishing resources, which may be useful to a writer just beginning to consider publishing.

[Luke Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book for fantasy writers. This book gives practical tips for writing fantasy novels, some tips that are good no matter what genre you're writing in. The quotes and interviews from other famous authors made this book extra interesting and helpful! It inspired me in my fantasy writing endeavor, and it gave me several ideas. If you like reading fantasy books, and want to write your own, get this book as a primary resource! It helped me, and I hope it will do the same for you.

[Timothy McNeil · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't feel this book addressed what its title suggests. That is the primary source of my frustration with it.

More to the point, I found this to be written (or that the collected pieces of it were arranged) in a stand-offish manner that defied the reader to become engaged. It was akin to a dry, academic paper that could not be bothered to go into the requisite level of detail an academic paper would require. Most of the excerpts and passages from noted texts provide no insight (and just as many appear to be sub-par in quality when removed from their own context).

Part III has some useful information, but nothing that is not available elsewhere. Indeed, I feel I would have been better off if this book were instead a pamphlet that listed the several authors I would be expected to have read (and I'll admit that I haven't read Peter S. Beagle or Madeline L'Engle, or the much more current Anne Rice and J.K. Rowling) and the books-on-writing some authors have written (like Stephen King).

I feel like this is a poor resource, and for that reason I cannot recommend it to anyone.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderful! I read it when I was first trying to write fantasy, and it opened up my mind so much! It is a good book for anyone to look at, maybe even if you don't plan on writing fantasy.

[Michelle Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent overview of fantasy writing that includes excerpts and interviews from a wide range of authors. Misses some of the newer sub-genres like steampunk and urban fantasy, but still worth the read.

[Zoraida Rivera Morales · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone that wants to know about the fantasy genre. It has many examples of great literature, techniques for writing and even a bit of marketing. It's easy to read and you can read it along with other books. I highly recommend it.

[Anna Nesterovich · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book consists of the "main" body of text written by Philip Martin and a bunch of interviews. The interviews with different authors are all different, some bad, some worse, some ok, but the overall idea is irrelevant. The book is a sketch of the history of fantasy literature through the prism of Christianity. For some periods and places it's of course proper, but in most cases those analogies cause stupor and/or mild surprise.

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent collection of interviews and anecdotes. Some how-to, and how-not-to, but not a lot of such. It may have been more valuable in 2002 upon publishing, but I think it has aged to a large degree.

[Niccole Paytosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit, as even though I am no writer I enjoy reading about the writing process. I found most of the essays interesting and insightful, with the exception of Ray Bradbury's, but I would assume I am in the minority here.

My biggest problems come from the physical book, as the graphics and paper felt cheap. I also found several typos, which I understand happen, but it seems all the more noticeable here.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 copies?

[Sally]

Great overview of what fantasy is, how to develop characters, plot and place. Author interviews are worthy of your time.

[Esther Bradley-detally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I edited/taught someone who writes Fantasy. I teach writing, and a lot of young people like fantasy. I thought this was an excellent book regarding method.