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Fantasy

Magical worlds, mythical creatures, and epic quests.

Want to stress-test character dynamics before drafting? Plot a relationship web in ShipCraft and bring the most compelling conflicts back into this genre guide.

Essential Elements

Magic or supernatural elements

World-building and consistent rules

Quest, journey, or transformation

Good vs evil or moral complexity

Sense of wonder and discovery

Stakes that matter to the world

10 Essential Tropes

The Chosen One

Prophesied hero destined for greatness

Example: Marked by prophecy, special bloodline, unique gift

Magic System

Rules governing supernatural powers

Example: Spells, mana cost, elemental control, ritual magic

Magical Artifact

Object of power central to plot

Example: Enchanted sword, cursed ring, prophecy stone

Dark Lord

Ultimate villain threatening the realm

Example: Ancient evil, corrupted ruler, demon king

Unlikely Fellowship

Diverse group united by quest

Example: Different races/classes working together

Hidden Heritage

Secret royal/magical bloodline revealed

Example: Lost prince, dormant power, true parentage

Mentor Death

Wise guide dies, forcing hero to stand alone

Example: Sacrifice, betrayal, completing hero's training

Coming of Age

Young protagonist discovers powers/destiny

Example: First magic use, leaving home, trial by fire

The Map

Journey through fantastic lands

Example: Perilous mountains, enchanted forests, cursed deserts

Price of Magic

Power requires sacrifice or cost

Example: Life force drain, corruption, moral compromise

Famous Examples

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

•Magic solves every problem with no cost
•World-building contradicts itself
•Copying Tolkien without adding originality
•Prophecy removes character agency

Practice with Fantasy

Generate a 250-word story demonstrating key Fantasy conventions and tropes.

Mix Tropes Tool

Select 2-3 tropes to generate a story that combines them. Learn how different conventions can work together.

Select Tropes (0/3)

Fantasy Tropes

Select at least 2 tropes to generate a story

Spot the Convention Quiz

Test your knowledge of Fantasy conventions! Read a story and identify which tropes and conventions are present.

How It Works:

1.Read the generated Fantasy story carefully
2.Select which tropes you think are present in the story
3.Submit your answer to see how well you identified the conventions
4.Get +1 point for each correct trope, -1 for incorrect guesses