Hi everyone. Most advice for writers (in videos, articles...) include "don't do infodumping in your book", and I know that the majority of readers dislike that (often to the point of dropping the book). So, as a writer, I will endeavor to avoid it, or at least do it as little as possible. However, as a reader, I actually like reading infodumps, especially in uchronia, fantasy and sci-fi stories. Of course, only if they're well-written in terms of style, and actually interesting (but that's also true for everything else in a novel, not just infodumps). Bonus points if they're redacted in the s ..read more

This is my second time writing my novel. The first time was a failure as expected. I'm a new author and this will be the very first novel that I've written. I've written some short stories here and there but never a full-blown novel. Anyway, I've just finished my first chapter and I think it's pretty good but I need some critiques. I lack when it comes to dialogue and also "Show don't tell". I would say those are my two biggest flaws when it comes to writing. The story is about a princess who's been locked away her whole life and she is going to be turning 25yo (16 in human years) soon. When ..read more

So, I have an idea for a campaign/game/setting of mine. Magic is meant to be relatively rare, and most folk suffice with martial skills instead. One of the factions vying for power (and meant to be antagonistic) is supposed to be revealed to be making the problem worse, by having scouts and spies on the lookout for people that demonstrate magical abilities, and disappear them for use in their empire's private army. However, I've recently been taught about Blood Libel, and that is NOT a comparison I want to make about myself or my writing. I want that group of antagonists to be evil, but I don ..read more

CRITIQUE: Can I get a feedback on my opening scene? Is this a good hook? This is the first time I'm submiting something I wrote. Any honest critique is greatly appreciated. I just want to know also if my writing is any good. Context: In a world where humans and other humanoid races were at war with each other and magical monsters were hunted down by so called adventurers, you (2nd person POV), works as a state archivist (desk job) for the empire. You were living your day-to-day mundane life until you receive a letter telling you that your grandfather (you did not know you have) suddenly died ..read more

I just wanted to know if this fight scene flowed well, I wrote it a long time ago and I’m considering rewriting it but I’d appreciate some second opinions! By the time they were ready to fight, Sir Blake was already at the gates with their guardsmen. All together the men numbered no more than thirty, most wore leather padding and worn surcoats. The only men that stayed in the estate were the squires and servants. Daniel could feel his heart pounding as they entered the street, the familiar pang of excitement that he felt before a fight burned in his core. His palm was sweating under his leath ..read more

How do your romantic couples meet for the first time? How do you follow up on that? I have some preferences, do the romantic couples start out as strangers? Is there a mysterious allure to one of the romantic partners? I'm trying to brainstorm a direction for the first meeting between two women, an adventurer and a mysterious sorceress. They later become romantic partners. This is the Chapter 1 re-write to be specific, they start out as complete strangers who've taken an interest in each other upon the first meeting. I've written it fives times and haven't quite decided how to commit to it ye ..read more

Okay, first of all, im gonna preface this with saying that I barely know anything about native americanculture - or their folklore for that matter. I played AoE3 the Warchiefs back in the day when one native tribe was still being called the Iroquis, not Haudenoshonee. But how would a native american werewolf even work conceptually? The people are usually associated with being in tune with nature, but the one manbeast folklore item i can recall is the wendigo. Having a native american (or adjacent character in non earth fantasy) turn into a loathsome monster. Having symbiosis between beast and ..read more

Hi there, looking for feedback on an urban fantasy novel based in India. The genre is Urban fantasy/ thriller - a series of paranormal murders committed and the protagonist is investigating. This particular scene is somewhere near the middle of the book. For context Vetalas - spirits that inhabit corpses and feed on flesh Pishacha - Malevolent Revenant spirits usually bound to this earth by revenge Ghouls - Graveyard denizens who eat corpses Would love to hear thoughts on how to improve the prose and if there are any other feedback suggestions. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AGA0aBL48UOH ..read more

In my case, I initially wanted to write about dragon riders. That was it, my primary idea. I knew it had been done, but mostly what came to mind was Pern/GOT/Eragon/Fourth Wing, and I wanted to do something different. Somehow I’ve gone from that to sort of a dark fantasy with an undead/demonic force and the heroes that are trying to stop it. Maybe one dragon is involved. I think this happened because my story was becoming way more whimsical than I wanted (hard not to do when you have characters bonding with baby dragons) and then there was a lot of the characters roaming around while we waite ..read more

Hi all, I was curious about what your opinion in this is. When fantasy books have fantasy like vampires, fae, sirens, etc is there certain things that you like them to have that are different from humans? For example, when it comes to the more intimate scenes do you as a reader/audience like that there might be a different element to them than their would be with humans? Im just curious because I have only written smaller moments like kissing and closed spaces with their hands touching but want to know people’s opinion for there intimate scenes. I personally like it when there is something th ..read more