The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed

We're delighted to welcome to the Writers' Toolshed bestselling fantasy author, Stephen Aryan.Stephen has published eight novels to date with both Orbit and Angry Robot. This year sees the release of the first in a new trilogy: The Judas Blossom. He's an author at the top of the game and has some wonderful insights to share. We have a grand old natter about writing, editing, the publishing industry, working with agents, and ways to improve your writing.It's a very open and honest interview packed with insights and advice on specific topics ranging from creating memorable characters to building immersive fantasy worlds.You're guaranteed to learn something new.If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.comJOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITYhttps://mailchi.mp/395aa89d6ec0/join-richie-billings-community-of-writersLEARN MORE ABOUT FANTASY WRITINGTo join our writing community and access our Panels feature, as well as join a weekly writing group, access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed ABOUT ANGRY ROBOT BOOKSThis episode is sponsored by the award-winning publisher, Angry Robot Books. You can learn more about them by clicking the link below:https://angryrobotbooks.com/THE JUDAS BLOSSOMhttps://angryrobotbooks.com/books/judas-blossom/OUR GUESTSStephen Aryan - https://stephen-aryan.com/ | Stephen's YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZlaVQ9rks4GaN-x3Jkos0ASounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/OdysyxOTHER RESOURCESHow to write a villainHow to write a battle scene in a bookThe many races found in the fantasy genreWhat is a creative writing class? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode of 2023, we welcome Vickie Lan to the Toolshed, host of the Speculative Sandbox Podcast.Vickie is a specialist in deconstructing fantasy tropes. Her show sees her joined by top authors to discuss everything from The Chosen One to beardy wizard mentor figures. In our chat, we cover the epic fantasy quest—its classic features and how you can spin them. We also discuss tropes around resurrections and mentor figures, as well as tropes generally.And Vickie shares some fantastic examples of books and writers who have spun things to create something brilliant and original.If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.comJOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITYhttps://mailchi.mp/395aa89d6ec0/join-richie-billings-community-of-writersLEARN MORE ABOUT FANTASY WRITINGTo join our writing community and access our Panels feature, as well as join a weekly writing group, access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed OUR GUESTSVickie Lan - https://vickielan.com/podcast | https://www.instagram.com/speculativesandboxSounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/OdysyxOTHER RESOURCESCharacter PlottingAvoiding Tropes And Cliches When Writing FantasyHow To Write A Battle Scene In A BookMen Writing Women Characters - Things To Watch Out ForExamples Of Sensory LanguageFree Worldbuilding Template And Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Award-winning journalist and Afrofuturist author Denise Crittendon stops by the Toolshed to discuss her debut science fantasy novel, Where It Rains In Color, published by Angry Robot Books on 6th December 2022. Denise tells us about the new book, how she created her unique and incredible worlds and characters, and reveals some of her favourite writing tips. If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.comJOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITYhttps://mailchi.mp/395aa89d6ec0/join-richie-billings-community-of-writersLEARN MORE ABOUT FANTASY WRITINGTo join our writing community and access our Panels feature, as well as join a weekly writing group, access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed OUR GUESTSDenise Crittendon - https://denisecrittendon.blog/ | https://twitter.com/denicrittendonSounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/OdysyxOTHER RESOURCESThe Best Podcasts About Writing - https://richiebilling.com/the-fantasy-writers-toolshed-podcast/best-podcasts-about-writingA Free Name Generator Tool For Knights - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-name-generator/knight-name-generator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're both thrilled and honoured to welcome to the Toolshed for the first time the New York Times Bestselling author Mary E Pearson.Mary is the mastermind behind the Remnant Universe, a fantasy world that she explores through her hugely popular YA novels and novellas.A talented storyteller, Mary tells us all about her latest book, Morrighan, her writing life and her best tips for writers.We cover everything from character creation to worldbuilding so it's a comprehensive chat packed with tips, advice and inspiration for writers at every stage of their careers.If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.comJOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITYhttps://mailchi.mp/395aa89d6ec0/join-richie-billings-community-of-writersLEARN MORE ABOUT FANTASY WRITINGTo join our writing community and access our Panels feature, as well as join a weekly writing group, access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed OUR GUESTSMary E. Pearson - https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250868350/morrighan | https://www.marypearson.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/maryepearson/Sounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed podcast, I welcome author Nandi Taylor who's achieved remarkable things on Wattpad.As someone who's never used the platform before, I invited Nandi along to tell us how she managed to accrue nearly 2 million reads of her novel, Given.Nandi explains her methods, how Wattpad works, and the opportunities that are out there for other writers.If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.comJOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITYhttps://mailchi.mp/395aa89d6ec0/join-richie-billings-community-of-writersLEARN MORE ABOUT FANTASY WRITINGTo join our writing community and access our Panels feature, as well as join a weekly writing group, access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed OUR GUESTSNandi Taylor - https://twitter.com/nandi_taylorSounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this instalment, Janina and Lucy from The Fey Fellowes podcast return for a chat about the age-old tales of Beowulf and King Arthur. We look at the story behind these two tales and how they've endured for so long. We also explore the influence that they've had on the founders of the fantasy genre, such as Tolkien and CS Lewis. And we consider what writers can learn from these classic epics. If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.comTo access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed If you're interested in fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classesLearn more about the fantasy writing podcast here - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-fantasy-writers-toolshed-podcast REGISTER FOR THE EMAIL MARKETING CLASShttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/email-marketing-for-authors-tickets-428073548507JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITYJoin our community here - https://bit.ly/join-our-writing-groupOUR GUESTSJanina Arndt and Lucy Atkinson - The Fey Fellows Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/feyfellowspodcast/ / https://anchor.fm/fey-fellows-podcastSounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I'm joined by science fiction and fantasy literary agent Laura Bennett of the Liverpool Literary Agency. Laura talks us through what it's like to be an agent, telling us about reviewing queries, signing writers, contracts, pitching to publishers and editors, and current market trends (you'll never guess what's making a comeback).If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.comTo access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed If you're interested in some of my fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classesLearn more about the fantasy writing podcast here - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-fantasy-writers-toolshed-podcast JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITYJoin our community here - https://bit.ly/join-our-writing-groupOUR GUESTSLaura Bennett - https://twitter.com/LosbennettThe Liverpool Literary Agency - https://www.liverpool-literary.agency/Sounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we look at four of the most essential worldbuilding tips, but ones that you may not have heard before. These tips have been learned through hard experiences and some come from the best fantasy authors and worldbuilders currently around (some of whom have been on this show). If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.comTo access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed If you're interested in some of my quick, easy-to-understand fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classesLearn more about the fantasy writing podcast - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-fantasy-writers-toolshed-podcast RESOURCESWorldbuilding Resources - https://richiebilling.com/worldbuilding/worldbuilding-resourcesWorldbuilding Template - https://richiebilling.com/worldbuildingThe Best Books On Worldbuilding - https://richiebilling.com/worldbuilding/books-on-worldbuildingr/Worldbuilding - https://richiebilling.com/worldbuilding/r-worldbuildingJOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITYJoin our community here - https://bit.ly/join-our-writing-groupOUR GUESTSSounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr Enn Burke for a fascinating discussion about sociology and villainous and deviant characters. We discuss how societal influences like upbringing, peer groups, and oppressive policies like the drug war can impact and shape society. And ultimately, how that influences your characters.If you have any questions or requests, please write to us at thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.comTo access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed If you're interested in some of my quick, easy-to-understand fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classesLearn more about the fantasy writing podcast - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-fantasy-writers-toolshed-podcast RESOURCESTips On Writing A Villain - https://richiebilling.com/writing-tips/thebadguysWhat Is Characterization? - https://richiebilling.com/welcome/the-writers-toolshed/writing-tips/what-is-characterizationMichel Foucault - Discipline & PunishThe House I Live In - Film JOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITYJoin our community here - https://bit.ly/join-our-writing-groupOUR GUESTSEnn Burke of Ripped From The Headlines - rippedheadlinespod.comSounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you like to write fantasy or perhaps historical fiction, then you may have encountered the idea of the medieval knight. They were walking tanks back in their day and held a significant amount of societal influence. But being so powerful, they were also prone to corruptive behaviours, particularly seen in the Hundred Year War between England and France. In this latest episode of The Fantasy Writers' Toolshed podcast, our oracle of history, Aidan Mattis of The Lore Lodge podcast, joins me for a chat about knights of the middle ages.We look at how they developed, their roles and lives, the code of chivalry that was designed to help keep them in check, and how writers can apply all of this to their stories. Get in touch: thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.comTo access exclusive interviews, discussions, fantasy writing classes, books and more head over to our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed If you're interested in some of my quick, easy-to-understand fantasy writing classes, head here - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing-classesFANTASY WRITING RESOURCESMedieval Armor and Fantasy - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing/a-fantasy-writers-guide-to-armorMedieval Weapons and Fantasy - https://richiebilling.com/fantasy-writing/a-fantasy-writers-guide-to-weaponryWorldbuilding and Religion - https://richiebilling.com/worldbuilding/worldbuilding-religionJOIN OUR WRITING COMMUNITYJoin our community here - https://mailchi.mp/be6082d43b39/the-writers-toolshed OUR GUESTSAidan Mattis - The Lore Lodge Podcast - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/thelorelodgeSounds and editing by Odysy - https://www.youtube.com/c/Odysyx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.