Course Description

Topic: GENRE FANTASY WRITING

Level: Beginner / Intermediate

Duration: 4 hours approx

Delivery: Text, PDF

RPWA Certificate: Yes

"A breath-taking tour around the writer's imagination." Dan Case, Writing for Dollars

Fantasy is all about the strange, the fabulous, the beautiful, and the amazing. Here is your chance to explore the fascinating worlds of others and begin to create and write your own fantasy novel, with the professional help of multi-published author, and the "world's foremost writing guru", Rob Parnell.

Course Contents:

Lesson 1. Imagining Fantasy

Introduction. History. Definitions. Getting started as a new fantasy writer.

Lesson 2. World Building, Mapping and Visualization.

How to build enduring civilizations, create maps, large and small and how to keep building on your fantasy world.

Lesson 3. Characters, Races, and Societies

How to create characters. Heroes, antagonists, the usual Elves, dwarves, dragons, knights, wizards, magi, etc., – but also other less conventional characters. How to structure societies using your own ‘rules’ and ‘laws’.

Lesson 4. Plotting, Questing and Traveling

The importance of having obstacles to overcome, personal and mythological. How to keep the reader fully involved with your quest and your own imaginary world.

Lesson 5. Point Of View, Artifacts and Magic

Who’s telling the story? And why? What relationship do the characters have to artifacts in your story? How believable is your magic? Also, the important difference between exposition and ‘info-dumping’.

Lesson 6. Resolutions and Sequels

Who is left in control and why? What measures have you taken to ensure that the story is resolved, and or fit for continuation? When is a fantasy story over?

Enroll now and you’ll be well set to invent your own fantasy world and get started on the journey that is creating your own fantasy novel. Receive as much personal feedback as you need, enjoy a heap of bonus items, and benefit from free membership to a private chat group attached to this class.

Bonus Items:

Recommended Fantasy Authors List.

Much more than a mere list – it’s 186 pages full of fact and commentary, edited and compiled over the last 12 years by renowned Fantasy expert, Amy Sheldon. This fascinating document has never before been produced in this format – and Amy has assured me she is delighted that you exclusively receive it on sign up to this course.

Mythological Beasts and Societal Systems

Need ideas for your fantasy? Take a tour through these amazing lists of creatures and society systems that have gone before you. Pick and choose, mix and match – create your own world within minutes.

See you in class!

Praise for Rob Parnell:

“Rob, I just want to say you’ve completely turned my writing around. What you do is amazing.” Sarah Benton, Maine.

“…I used to have problems with writer’s block until I came across your work… that’s now a thing of the past…” Tom Devereaux, Ohio

“There’s little about fiction writing that Rob Parnell doesn’t know. As a teacher, he’s thorough, articulate, some might say even obsessive about writing. But, best of all, he’s a great bloke.” Lee Masterson, Fiction Factor.

“Simply put, he’s a genius.” Robyn Opie, author of 80 published books.

Your Personal Instructor

Rob Parnell

Rob Parnell has been teaching online since 2002, specifically helping writers earn money from their passion. He is the proud founder of The Writing Academy, an online school dedicated to student success and authorial excellence.Rob has published over thirty number-one best-selling books on genre fiction authorship, freelance writing, motivation, productivity; getting rich, staying thin and healthy. When it comes to making a living from writing, composing music, and creating film projects, Rob is a man who knows what he's talking about! You'll enjoy his down-to-earth style and the feeling Rob somehow knows you like a friend! Rob has been writing since he was five years old. He writes every day without fail - it's a compulsion. His preferred genre is the thriller - sometimes with a supernatural edge - in which he writes short stories, novels, screenplays, and adult thrillers - including his Purge detective novels and the popular Sherlock Holmes: Zombie Slayer series. Also a musician and composer, an accomplished singer, media producer and budding movie maker, Rob is ecstatically happy to be married to Robyn Opie Parnell, his savior, and the popular best-selling children's author.They live miles from anywhere in their beautiful country farmhouse, its eleven acres tucked within inches of the stunning Flinders Ranges, with their beloved pets, Wally the dog and the cats: Jessie, and Iggy (because he's The Wild One.)

Course curriculum

  • 1

    The Fantasy Course Lessons

    • Introduction to Writing Fantasy

    • Writing Fantasy - Lesson One - Imagining Fantasy

    • Writing Fantasy - Lesson Two - World Building, Maps and Visualization

    • Writing Fantasy - Lesson Three - Characters, Races and Societies

    • Writing Fantasy - Lesson Four - Plotting, Questing and Traveling

    • Writing Fantasy - Lesson Five - Point of View, Artifacts and Magic

    • Writing Fantasy - Lesson Six - Resolutions and Sequels

  • 2

    Bonus Items

    • The Fantasy Fiction Formula - a Write Now Video Presentation

    • Amusing Article About Fantasy Writing (because it's true!)

    • Fantasy: Recommended Author & Book List

    • Fantasy Societies Listing

    • Mythological Creature Listing

Reviews

5 star rating

a lot of great insights

Susan Field

an excellent overview with thoughtful commentary.

an excellent overview with thoughtful commentary.

Read Less
5 star rating

Fantasy Novel prep

Maggie Weiler

This was very helpful I wish I read it before I started and I will go back to this information in my head every time I start a new project.

This was very helpful I wish I read it before I started and I will go back to this information in my head every time I start a new project.

Read Less