Epigraphs? How to Increase the Depth and Tension of Your Fantasy World

An epigraph is a short quotation or saying at the beginning of a book or chapter, intended to suggest its theme. Epigraphs usually come from other artists, such as poets, authors, painters, or musicians. For example, here's the famous epigraph, written by D'Invilliers from Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. If you've read The Great Gatsby, then you're familiar …

The War of the Genres and Why Fantasy Writing isn’t for Everyone! (I Feel Your Pain, George R.R. Martin)!

I love reading all kinds of genres. Whether it be poems, song lyrics, autobiographies, recipes, etc. I'm not a picky reader. In this post, I'll discuss something few talk about. The War of the Genres! Publish America and the Hasty Generalization That Pissed Off the Science Fiction and Fantasy Community Almost twenty years ago, a …

Quotes to Write By – Day 29 What’s In a Name? More Than You Think!

Disclaimer: The following analysis of characters and their names are solely my opinion and conclusions I've drawn from being a wordsmith, character creator, and a lover of names. Juliet, from the play, Romeo and Juliet, speaks this famous line. She argues that it doesn't matter that the young man Romeo whom she loves is a …

Quotes to Write By – Day 27

Writing high fantasy is not for the hobbyist. It takes perseverance, cleverness, and lots of dedicated time. I'm currently completing the second phase of world building for a high fantasy series that's been haunting my waking and dreaming hours for quite some time. About three years actually. Adara Trosclair, for whom this blog is named …

Crafting High Fantasy: Setting the Stage

That First Chapter Writing the first chapter is something I struggle with because I want those first sentences, that first paragraph, that first page to be absolutely fabulous. So, sometimes I'm afraid to write anything at first. I don't have a lot of time on my hands lately. My three sons, my husband, and my full-time job as …