im trying to write a fantasy story but i have such a hard time getting a story that hasn't been done a million times.and i want to have a varied cast of characters but im not sure how many different races i should have in the world to begin with. also i like to read horror and id like to do that also,its hard trying to choose which one to do first or some how combining both. if you've gone through this what do you all do to get over it?
Hi bahamut. I love fantasy myself, but I'll agree the potential for world building and race creation is so huge it can be hard to move forward at first. You might play around a little with an outline. Try and write out (or even just plan in your head) the basic concepts you want to include in your story. I wouldn't worry too much about coming up with something that's never been done before. I believe most stories (especially fantasy) are variations of traditional legends or archtypes anyway. The important thing is to put your own fresh spin on whatever story you choose to tell.
Bahamut, Some fantasy with horror elements or theme could be called Dark Fantasy, and it's fairly common. As far as 'varied cast of characters/races', first set the world up. Not in great detail. But each 'race' should fit--culturally, economically, geographically, etc.--should have a niche or place. In otherwords fit a role, not only for the story but for the world/mix of societies. And some races don't need to be their own, set apart. Some races could simply mix or blend into other cultures or cities...as servants/laborers/elite soldiers/elemental wizards/sages, etc. Jsut some ideas, but don't worry about getting all the details. Those, you'll begin to fill in as you write and the world becomes more relevant to the story being told. Good luck. Terry
Another thing is to not worry so much about doing something that's "already been done before." In one way or another, almost everything has already been done. That's not something to worry about. If you can manage to make your story interesting and unique in its own way, people won't care if the basic plot has been done already. The reason so many things have been done a million times is because people like them. They work. I think you run a risk trying to determine how many races (or characters, or whatever) a story "should" have. Instead of trying to determine some magical set number (which, BTW, does not exist), just think about the story itself and what IT requires. This might require outlining, or it might require just thinking about your story idea and the world you plan to create. Most people who write such stories have been working on their worlds for YEARS--not just through outlining or worldbuilding, but through actual writing. (Most of the best worldbuilding I've done has been through just writing the story itself. Spending too much time on worldbuilding can distract you from the actual story.) So be prepared to do the same.
