Travis Baldree, a cozy fantasy writer, shares advice on writing cozy fantasy, creating descriptions, narrating a book, and writing better dialogue. Topics also include the differences between indie and trad publishing and the benefits of transitioning from indie to traditional publishing. The podcast discusses the development of a sapphic relationship, exploring the LGBT market, and the power of scent-based memories in writing.
Travis Baldry's cozy fantasy novel focuses on creating relatable characters and realistic stakes, emphasizing everyday struggles and meaningful connections.
Travis Baldry's cozy fantasy novel stands out for its immersive and delicious descriptions, incorporating scents and food to captivate readers' imagination.
Cozy fantasy genre illuminates the importance of everyday problems and conflicts, highlighting the joy and special aspects of ordinary life, allowing readers to feel seen and special.
Deep dives
Creating Cozy Fantasy: A Journey from Video Games to Writing
Travis Baldry, a former video game designer and full-time audiobook narrator, unexpectedly wrote his own cozy fantasy novel. The idea began as a joke about a Hallmark movie set in the Forgotten Realms, but his story evolved into a heartfelt tale about a woman returning to her hometown and experiencing late-in-life changes. Travis wanted to break away from traditional fantasy conflicts and focus on relatable, realistic stakes. He aimed to create a book where people could come together without the interference of prejudices or historical accuracy. Travis' book, which features sapphic characters, gained popularity, providing hope for the queer writing community. His vivid descriptions and use of scents evoked powerful imagery, making the story deliciously immersive. Travis also narrated his own fiction book, finding it pleasant and easy. He advises authors to read their work out loud and incorporate natural dialogue to make it more accessible to narrators. Lastly, Travis reminds writers to embrace their own voices and breathe naturally while narrating.
The Power of Relatability and Realistic Stakes
Travis Baldry's cozy fantasy novel focuses on creating relatable characters and realistic stakes. By presenting conflicts that readers can personally connect with, such as major life changes or late-in-life career shifts, the story becomes more appealing and emotionally engaging. Travis emphasizes the importance of avoiding manufactured personal conflicts or over-dramatized situations commonly found in popular fiction. Instead, he invites readers to find joy and comfort in the everyday struggles and meaningful connections of the characters. By allowing readers to see themselves in the story, the relatability factor is enhanced, making the book more accessible and compelling.
Creating Immersive and Deliciously Vivid Descriptions
Travis Baldry's cozy fantasy novel stands out for its immersive and delicious descriptions. By incorporating detailed descriptions of scents and food, Travis creates a sensory experience that captivates readers' imagination. Smells, in particular, have a powerful association with memories and emotions, making them a valuable tool in setting the mood and enhancing the storytelling. Travis advises authors to focus on incorporating scents and other sensory details to engage readers and bring the story to life. Such vivid descriptions evoke strong emotional responses and help readers connect more deeply with the narrative.
The Appeal of Cozy Fantasy Genre
Cozy fantasy genre doesn't require massive world-ending stakes and instead focuses on illuminating the importance of everyday problems and conflicts. It brings a touch of magic to mundane situations, making them feel deserving of attention. The genre highlights the joy and special aspects of ordinary life, allowing readers to feel seen and special.
The Benefits and Learning Curve of Traditional Publishing
The author explains their decision to transition from self-publishing to traditional publishing. They were approached by agents after successful self-publishing, and they saw the opportunity to compare and contrast the experiences. Traditional publishing offers advantages like wider reach, translations, and the support of an established publishing house. The author also shares their positive experience working with editors and teams in the traditional publishing process.
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