Fantasy Author's Handbook
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Fantasy and science fiction author and editor Philip Athans shares his experience through witty, informative, entertaining and inspiring posts. Whether he's decoding the legal page of a print book or analyzing word choice, his posts will make you think about your work in a different way.
Fantasy Author's Handbook
6d ago
Another hybrid post/video this week as I nervously embark on a journey I honestly never thought I’d even consider. Starting right now, today, I am going to read one hundred books I already own before I buy any new books. This is actually going to be difficult for me. But a lot’s going on that ..read more
Fantasy Author's Handbook
1w ago
From time to time I’ll recommend—not review, mind you, but recommend, and yes, there is a difference—books that I think authors should have on their shelves. Some may be new and still in print, some may be difficult to find, but all will be, at least in my humble opinion, essential texts for any author ..read more
Fantasy Author's Handbook
2w ago
My fence blew down in a wind storm and this is what came out when I turned my camera on the next morning. I promise, eventually it becomes about writing fantasy, science fiction, horror, and fiction in general. —Philip Athans I’m on Bluesky Fantasy Author’s Handbook is also on YouTube! Did this post make you want to Buy ..read more
Fantasy Author's Handbook
1M ago
We talk about show, don’t tell and info dumps over and over and over again, and there are examples of what to do and what not to do out there all over the place, but maybe this will help close the door on info dumps for you forever. This is the better part of the second chapter of the ..read more
Fantasy Author's Handbook
1M ago
I’ve been reading Diane Arbus Revelations (Random House, 2003) and had to take a picture of a page that showed her typewritten pitch for a new project she called “American Rites, Manners and Customs.” I posted it to Bluesky with text to the effect that your novel query letter should look like this. Don’t take that too ..read more
Fantasy Author's Handbook
1M ago
This week I’m going to hand things over to André Breton (1896-1966) with advice for authors from his 1924 “Manifesto of Surrealism”… Written Surrealist composition or first and last draft After you have settled yourself in a place as favorable as possible to the concentration of your mind upon itself, have writing materials brought to ..read more
Fantasy Author's Handbook
1M ago
There are four issues that run through an overwhelming majority of the books I work on with newer authors. These issues are so common, in fact, that I have a file called “Standard Notes” and often—really, quite often—paste these longer run-downs in the notes I send with a completed edit. A lot of this text is drawn ..read more
Fantasy Author's Handbook
1M ago
There are four issues that run through an overwhelming majority of the books I work on with newer authors. These issues are so common, in fact, that I have a file called “Standard Notes” and often—really, quite often—paste these longer run-downs in the notes I send with a completed edit. A lot of this text is drawn ..read more
Fantasy Author's Handbook
2M ago
There are four issues that run through an overwhelming majority of the books I work on with newer authors. These issues are so common, in fact, that I have a file called “Standard Notes” and often—really, quite often—paste these longer run-downs in the notes I send with a completed edit. A lot of this text is ..read more
Fantasy Author's Handbook
2M ago
There are three issues that run through an overwhelming majority of the books I work on with newer authors. These issues are so common, in fact, that I have a file called “Standard Notes” and often—really, quite often—paste these longer run-downs in the notes I send with a completed edit. A lot of this text is drawn ..read more