On Finding the Proper Balance of Fantasy

There are so many different fantastical ideas out in the world, and I know when I started writing my book, I had a hard time figuring out just what should belong in that world.

Are there wizards? Why not?

Dragons and mythical creatures? Sure!

Shapeshifters? They’re cool.

Rangers? Sounds like a plan.

So forth and so on…

It took a bit for me to sort through the many different ideas. Over the years, things were added to the world, and things were removed, but eventually I figured out how my world worked. And I think the world, and story, are better for that shaping.

There are people who use magic, but it’s not the kind of magic that requires spells and wands. There are no mythical creatures, regardless of how much I would like there to be. They just don’t fit within that world.

Now, I do have Shapeshifters and Rangers (and shapeshifting Rangers, for that matter). It’s entirely likely those two groups are there because of the influence of Tolkien, with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and Joanne Bertin, author of The Last Dragonlord and it’s two sequels. But sometimes, it can be easy to find so many ideas that they can’t all fit together, particularly within the story being told.

That said, perhaps once I get my current series underway, I’ll be able to delve into a other world. One that contains wizards and mythical creatures. We shall see what the future holds.

What ideas would you like to include in your works (current or future)? Do you think there is such a thing as too much of a good thing when it comes to books (or other media)? I would love to hear from you!

~ Theresa

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