Writing the Magic — ed. Dan Coxon & Richard V. Hirst

“From finding inspiration to fleshing out epic worlds, Writing the Magic offers suggestions, ideas for exploration, and - most enjoyably - a sense of camaraderie between all of us who read or write fantasy.” — Aliya Whiteley, author of Skyward Inn

"A trove of treasures mined from a deep exploration of the classics, a sharing of personal process, and a love of all things fantastical. Whatever your interest is in the genre, Writing the Magic has the thing you want, and a few more things you didn’t know you wanted." — Peter Newman, author of The Vagrant and The Deathless

From Lord of the Rings to Game of Thrones, over the last hundred years few genres have captured the public imagination as powerfully as fantasy. Whether it's epic quests of dwarves and elves, wizards and paladins, or the influential childhood classics of Alan Garner and C.S. Lewis, the appetite among readers for all things magical seems insatiable.

Pulling together a fellowship of some of the best writers of modern fantasy fiction, Writing the Magic invites you to step through the portal and discover what gives these tales such enduring appeal. Writers such as Jeff Noon, Hannah Kaner, RJ Barker and Jen Williams pull back the curtain on how they write fantasy, demystifying topics such as worldbuilding, sources of magic, creating authenticity, and how best to deploy your dragons. An essential map for anyone wanting to write their own world into being, Writing the Magic explores the perilous realms of fantasy fiction - and arms novice writers with everything they need to embark on their own adventure.

Contributors: Francesco Dimitri, Hannah Kaner, RJ Barker, Kritika H. Rao, Juliet E. McKenna, Jen Williams, Jeff Noon, Alex Pheby, J.L. Worrad, Richard Strachan, Charlotte Bond, Katherine Langrish, and Lucy Holland.