Posts - Page 6 of 35 - Robin Catling

Review: The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is a foundation stone of modern fantasy. It’s such a landmark in fantasy books, it’s […]

Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five: pioneering science-fantasy, or a memoir of trauma and PTSD? A psychological study of mental health and

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