Stefanie

I have been working on several fantasy-stories and I have also read several fantasy-books. Personally, I think my style when I write stories is "business-like" and not poetic. I don't write poetry by the way. I like to use short sentenses. Well, it's hard to judge my own stories, but it is my opinion that my style is like this. Do you think this is a problem when I write fantasy? So far, I have started a lot of stories, but didn't finish any of them yet. Anyway, my question is if I can write a nice fantasy-story like this. I did get several reviews and people say that I write too many dialogues and that I should describe more. The thing is that I love the fantasy-genre, but sometimes I feel that my stories suck. I have always told myself that I should keep writing and sometimes writing is fun, but I do want to want to write stories that are good and nice.

Gabriel Gray

Not at all, it might simply mean that you need to do a few short-stories first of all. Personally i'm eight pages into my first proper attempt at a fantasy novel and i have just introduced my main character. It is different for everybody i guess, feel free to give my thread a read btw, it's in my sig ^_^

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dwellerofthedeep

Well, not all fantasy is poetic. In fact, It's often a pleasant surprise these days when an author gets to the point in fantasy. Try to keep sentence structure varied but if it comes out right and right isn't long, no problem. Describe what you have to in order to help your readers picture the scene but don't go overboard.

What you're doing (Starting stories without finishing) is something I have trouble with from time to time. If you're having trouble writing a story throw another story into it with either partially or entirely and see what the original story does in reaction... or you could just keep coming up with ideas until you have one so good that you must write it. Eventually try pushing yourself to finish a short story here and there and you could get into the habit of doing it regularly.

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Theotherguy

Absolutely, this is a good thing.

I abhor fantasy novels, because they tend to drift into patronizing romanticism in their prose, and take too many liberties in assuming we know, and care about, the fantastic creatures that exist in them.

To be honest, one day I'd just like to read a fantasy novel with a certain air of realism. Perhaps, if Hemmingway or or Camus wrote fantasy...

But alas, I don't think I'll ever see a novel with a cynical existentialist character in a grim, realistic fantasy world.

Athlynne

I don't think it's necessarily a problem, Stefanie. Your "business-like" style may serve to may the story seem more realistic. IMO, the best fantasy is the stuff that reads more like history.

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JohnN

I want to second Athlynne's point above, business like may not that much a problem, it may even be a benefit.

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rumpole40k

I also have to go along with John N and Athlynne, some of the most enjoyable fantasy I've ever read has followed a very tight story line that didn't deviate to allow the characters to sing songs, offer verse, etc. If I can be completely honest, I always skip the poetry in the Lord of The Rings series whenever I read them. As a side note, I too have suffered from multiple unfinished story syndrome and I find that creating a new problem for the protagonist to deal with often goes a long way towards getting the creative juices flowing again.

Good luck,

Rumpole40k

Non Serviam

David Gemmell made a career (and a whole lot of money) out of writing fantasies in short, gripping sentences with no poetry.

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Stefanie

Thanks for all the reactions. I thought that maybe my style was too rational and functional for the fantasy-genre. It's good to know that I don't need to worry about this.

Stefanie

Well, I'm planning to go to the library. I'll see if they have his books. I have just finished reading those books by Sean Russel. I would like to read more, but there's no fourth book. The story is finished, so I'm going to read David Gemmell if they have it. I must say that I like reading books in a poetic style when it's fantasy. That doesn't mean that there are actually poems in the book, I was talking about the vocabulary, the word-choice, the beauty of the language. When I write, my language is more functional, which is not poetic. But now I'm curious about David Gemmell. I wonder if they have it in the library.

dwellerofthedeep

Form usually follows function. If what you write works then on some level it is always beautiful. Of course, you could always expand your vocabulary but without practice I doubt that would help much. Don't worry about being good when you start out.

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mi is happy

You know what, I think it's perfectly fine. It's your story. Just do what you want with it. Write it how you want it writen and if you want to write it profesionaly then go for it.

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The Great Wizzard

If, of course, one can master a poetic style while maintaining the right sort of pace, then one is probably called William Shakespeare.

I think whatever works, works, just try to start using metaphors and imagery in places.

Talia_Brie

Like George R R Martin and Steven Erikson (probably more the former than the latter).

After what seems like a lifetime of reading and writing fantasy, now these are the only two people I will read, and I don't write it anymore.

I've honestly come to believe that fantasy is something you grow out of, or at least, something a lot of people grow out of.

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Stefanie

I went to the library today and I have borrowed two books by David Gemmell. I haven't read them yet though.