Posts - Page 11 of 35 - Robin Catling

Ten Inspirations of Fantasy Fiction

Crossing eras, styles and genres, here are ten inspirations of fantasy fiction from my book shelves that directly influence my […]

There’s a well-established trope I call campfire character building. This is a scene where characters sit around a campfire and

What if the protagonist of your fantasy story is not the Chosen One? A well-worn trope of fantasy fiction is

Thanks and goodnight SPS-Live 2025: this year’s Self Publishing Show wrapped in style after two days of talks and workshops.

Too much of the magic in fantasy just instantly works, on demand; what I want is unreliable magic. The kind

None of my stories do what the craft books say; there’s no Ordinary World opening for my protagonists.

A recent writing craft video by the ‘Bookfox’ considered a novel’s nine opening promises. What promises should an author make?

For books four and five, I’m writing a YA heroine. But do I know how? How do I write a

A US trad-print newspaper printed an AI-invented Summer Reading List filled with real authors and fake books. The Chicago Sun

What makes a good first draft of a novel? The key essential: completion. Until you finish the first draft, you