Keep in mind many medieval fantasy novels use medieval Europe as a backdrop, but this can start to feel cliche if it is done too often. You may want to consider a medieval setting beyond Europe, doing research into other events and locations in medieval history that may work as a template for your novel. You should try to mix and match different historical events and occurrences in medieval times so your novel does not seem too attached to real life history. You are writing fiction after all, so you can steal, borrow, and tweak from real life settings and events as you see fit.
The landscape of your novel may also have different areas, such as different cities, towns, and villages. There may be one landscape that is populated by castles and one landscape that is populated with huts or tents. You should also consider how the terrain affects the weather of a certain area. Perhaps it is very cold and winter all the time in certain areas of the setting and warm and desert-like in other areas.
When you are creating names for different areas in your setting, you should try to come up with unique names that are not obvious or one note. Rather than call an area that is cold and wintery “Ice World”, for example, maybe you come up with a more unique name based on the history of the area, such as “Queen’s Ice Pass” or “The Frigid Land”. This will make the name seem more believable and creative. [3] X Research source
You may also want to determine if you are going to tie in magic to how it was represented in medieval times. Perhaps your setting only contains magic that was available or known in medieval times, or perhaps the magic in your setting is a variation on the magic of medieval times. For example, witches were actually considered skilled in medicine and healing in medieval times, though they were often feared and demonized. You may then have variations on witchcraft in the setting of your novel. [5] X Research source
Daggers: These were the first useful metal weapons in medieval times and were often used for thrusting or slashing. Dirks: These are long daggers that were made by cutting down the blade of a sword and were used for thrusting or slashing. Swords: These were the most common weapons in medieval times, often made of steel and sharpened on both sides. Another variation was the two-handed sword, which was a larger sword that was very heavy and required two hands to wield it effectively in a battle. Maces: These were weapons made with wooden handles and steel or iron balls at the end. The ball may have had spikes on it. Often, these were used to penetrate hard armor. Axes: These weapons were made of metal and wood, and came in many variations. Often they were used for thrusting and cutting an opponent.
For example, George R. R. Martin used the medieval families of the Yorks and the Lancasters in The War of the Roses as inspiration for his own family houses in A Song of Ice and Fire. You can also take medieval historical figures and tweak them so they are fictional representations.
As you create your characters, think about how they can be both heroic and selfish in different moments or situations. You may have a main character who is motivated by a good cause or purpose but who must also do awful or morally questionable things to achieve her goal. Or, you may have an antagonist who is selfish and considered evil, but still has the capacity to love his children or experience loneliness and sadness.
Avoid creating a non-human race that is all the same, dressing in the same clothing and acting in very similar ways, or a race of humans who all speak with the same voice or have the same mannerisms. Instead, think about how you can distinguish different characters within the same race, group, or tribe. This could be by having different genders wear different clothing or by having each person in a group act in different ways. Maybe different races have different languages and unique ways of communicating. Another way you can do this is to have the different groups bounce off each other. For example, maybe the non-human race puts a greater value on sustainability and preserving the Earth’s resources. This is counter to how the human race views nature, as something to exploit or use up.
You can also do this by trying to inhabit the perspective of each character in your novel. Rather than write from the third person perspective, where you hover over all your characters like God, try writing in the first person perspective of each of your characters. This will allow you to explore that character’s point of view and give the reader access to their internal thoughts and feelings.
Your plot outline may not map out the novel completely or contain all the moving parts of the novel. But it should at least notate the rising action, climax, and falling action of the novel. This way, you are aware of what you are writing toward and what your character’s goals are.
Your plot outline may not map out the novel completely or contain all the moving parts of the novel. But it should at least notate the rising action, climax, and falling action of the novel. This way, you are aware of what you are writing toward and what your character’s goals are.
For example, you may refer to the opening line in Stephen King’s The Gunslinger: “The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed. ” This opening line is great because it presents a startling image, a man dressed in black in a hot desert, and it introduces the main character of the novel, the gunslinger, in pursuit. The line has action, character, and setting all in one.
For example, rather than describe a fantastical beast as “different than others” or “a sight to behold”, you may focus on specific details about the beast. You may write, “The beast had thick, brown hair on his arms and legs, with eyes on the palms of his hands and antennas on his head. ” This is detailed and paints a startling picture in the reader’s mind.
For example, maybe in your medieval fantasy novel there are medieval families who are at war with each other. You may then have two characters who are on opposite sides of the war with the same goal or purpose. Try to place these two characters in a scene together and have them battle, with words or with swords. Then, continue to try to have these two characters interact in various ways throughout the novel. This will ensure there is always conflict brewing in your story.
You may create a writing plan, where you write a certain number of words a day or hit a certain page count by the end of the week. This can be useful if you tend to procrastinate and have a hard time staying motivated when you sit down to write. You should also read your writing out loud as you revise so you can determine how your writing flows on the page. You may share your first drafts with others to get feedback and perspective on your work. Be willing to take feedback and constructive criticism, as this will only make your medieval fantasy novel that much better.
