Journal : Fantasy

Creating Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic or any other supernatural instances as primary element of plot theme or setting of a story. Fantasy can be classified into 2 forms which are mode or formula. What is a mode? A mode is the way of doing thing and in this case it is by telling stories. There are 2 forms of mode. The first mode is the mode of imitation which is similar to mimesis which is to produce an impression of faithfulness in ordinary experience. The second is the mode of fantasy which is to produce more of the supernatural side through the form of imagination.

In order to strike a perfect balance in the fantasy genre we must also balance the realistic fantasy part of the genre. In fantasy characters can gain impossible abilities such as immortality. However in mimesis the character are limited. They must conform to the sensory experience in the real world just like us.

If only having the mode of imitation in fantasy then fantasy will be just like a documentary where it is almost too realistic to be fantasy.

If only having the mode of fantasy in fantasy then fantasy will be purely an artificial invention where the audiences have nothing to relate to in the genre and thus have no direction at all.

And although mode of imitation and fantasy are almost completely opposite of each other they can co-exist to create the perfect fantasy genre.

Adding language or a narrative to the fantasy story will improve the understanding of the story for the audience. Making them understand your fantasy even better as the language explains to them. Such as if there is a cow like creature in the story people will immediately perceive it as a cow but if you name it otherwise or by simply explain that it is not a cow but another form of a creature people will understand better.

Dreams, images and visionary states are important to fantasy. Any fantasy will need images to provide a form of guidance to the audience so as to know what they are looking at or imagine.

When your fantasy story has more fantasy elements than mimesis, do not fret. Make sure that the fantasy elements of your story are recognizable from other sources of fantasy such as orcs from lord of the rings. People already know what an orc is and regard them as partly mimesis already as they recognize it as something they are familiar with.