Fantasy Writing for Barbarians

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we're responding to an email from a listener who wants to know how they can incorporate humor and levity in their dark fantasy novel. They specifically reference Terry Pratchett, so I take a close look at how this works and why it seems far more effortless than it actually is.

Check out my latest short story, out now in the anthology "If I Die Before I Wake Vol. 10: Tales of Cryptid Chaos" i...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re digging into a question a lot of fantasy writers are quietly wrestling with: has modern fantasy been reshaped by short attention spans? Using Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness as a jumping‑off point, Jon talks about why “hook them on page one” isn’t a universal law, how slow and challenging books earn their payoff, and why contemporary craft ad...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we're answering a pretty thorny question. When it comes to young adult and adult fantasy, what are the real differences? There are a lot of rules and exceptions to the rules, so it can be a little tricky figuring out how to market your book to the right readers, and plenty of writers are wondering about the ever-elusive "New Adult" category and whether or not it even exists.

Have a question ...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering a spooky-good question! Does horror count as fantasy? Jon dives into how genres overlap, why dark fantasy works best when it steals from horror’s toolset, and how to write sinister bargains, magical villains, and terrifying atmospheres that feel both otherworldly and grounded. Plus, we unpack a listener’s chilling prologue and explore what makes horror feel ...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering a hot-button question from the fantasy writing subreddit: is it bad if most of your novel is just people talking? Jon digs into why dialogue-heavy scenes can tank your pacing, when they actually work, and how to build a more dynamic scene structure that doesn’t feel like filler between the “cool stuff.”

You can check out the r/fantasywriters prompt we ...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re tackling a listener email about how writers can unfold a character’s past without overwhelming the reader. Jon breaks down when to use flashbacks effectively, plus how you can handle offscreen POVs. And we reference authors like Robin Hobb to engage with emotional revelations, George R.R. Martin’s approach to one-off POV chapters, and how to make sure the past is alwa...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering a listener email about one of the trickiest parts of writing epic fantasy: the dreaded travel montage. How do you keep the story moving when your characters are literally just…moving? Jon dives into the dos and don’ts of long journeys, how to use travel to reveal character, and when description on its own is actually a bad thing.

Have a question or top...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering a heartfelt listener email about knowing when to walk away from a draft and when to double down. If you’ve ever felt stuck between revising an old novel that no longer excites you and chasing that shiny new story idea, then this episode can help you out.

Jon reflects on his own publishing history, including a beloved but unfinished trilogy and his long journey rew...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re looking at what fantasy writers can learn from James Gunn’s Superman. Yes, really. Turns out, this big-hearted, punch-heavy superhero flick has a lot to teach us about crafting godlike characters, writing vulnerability, and making your emotional arcs land harder than a Kryptonian haymaker.

In this episode, we break down 10 storytelling lessons hiding under the cape, like ho...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering an email from a listener wrestling with the cosmic chaos of time magic. They're drafting a novel with temporal twists (bending, looping, and slowing time within a magical system) and they’re spiraling a bit. Can you blame them? Time magic is infamous for breaking stories, confusing readers, and creating paradoxes so convoluted they collapse your plot like a flan i...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering an email from a listener looking to break into the world of editing. Put simply, how do you do it without getting overwhelmed, underpaid, or lost in the weeds?

In this episode, we break down what editing actually means (developmental vs. line editing vs. critique), how to start editing for others and yourself, and why editing is more than catching typos. It’s abou...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering an email from a listener deep in the weeds of writing their dark, grimdark high fantasy series. It’s got all the makings of a brutal, layered epic: tangled character histories, world-shifting subplots, and the ever-haunting question...how do you keep hope alive in a story designed to crush it?

In this episode, I break down the key challenges of writing dark f...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re reacting to Carl Duncan’s video, “5 Signs You Wrote an Unlikable Character” through the lens of writing unforgettable characters in fantasy (and we're only addressing 3 of them so you can check out the other two and support his channel!) Whether you’re crafting morally gray heroes, tragic villains, or chaotic-neutral scene-stealers, we’re breaking do...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re pulling off a full breakdown of how to write a fantasy heist (Victorian steampunk edition). One of our listeners wrote in with a killer manuscript concept: a disgraced engineer, a team of rogues, and a sentient magical vault that reshapes itself to trap them inside. It’s Six of Crows meets The Prestige, with a twist of Dishonored and Howl’s Moving Castle.

In this...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re doing something a little unorthodox: I’m diving into what The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion—yes, the 2006 RPG recently remastered—can teach us about writing unforgettable fantasy novels. From its cult-favorite guild quests to the eerie Oblivion Gates, this game isn’t just a nostalgic masterpiece. It’s a creative writing course disguised as a game.

We br...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re doing something different: I'm breaking down the opening lines of my own fantasy short story, “Songs for the Dead and Drowning”, to show exactly what goes into crafting voice, world, and mood from line one. From interiority to pacing to metaphor as worldbuilding, this is a deep dive into how fantasy prose can do the heavy lifting without getting heavy-handed.

We unpac...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering a heartfelt question from a fantasy author: how do you write a slow-burn romance in fantasy that keeps readers hooked instead of tuning out? If your lovers can’t be together (yet), how do you keep the tension crackling without stalling the plot?

We dig into the alchemy of slow burns: what makes them work, what makes them drag, and why pacing isn’t the same a...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re reacting to video from popular YouTuber Alyssa Matesic about the worst writing advice on the internet, but my commentary will be through the lens of the fantasy genre. From “Show Don’t Tell” to “Write Every Day,” we’re unpacking why common writing rules don’t always hold up in fantasy, and how to apply (or ignore) them without compromisin...

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re diving into the timeless question at the heart of all epic fantasy: how do you create your own mythology? Inspired by a Reddit post from Lexi, a creative writing student working on her thesis in mythopoeia, we’re unpacking why myths are the soul of a fantasy world...and how to build one that feels ancient, sacred, and real.

We break down the three big approaches to writing ...