Fantasy Series Story Ideas

[Priscilla_June]

Hey All, PJ Here!

Been contemplating a longer run series of the Fantasy sort, with obvious inclusion of the usual Lit subject matter. Where I am struggling is I would like it to be more or less an actual fantasy story and not focused on sex. There is always lots of different opinions on how to execute such a story (given not every chapter will be sex as the main focus).

But my question for you all, is what aspects of a fantasy story do you find compelling to stay in tune with of continue to read? Im looking mainly for non-sexual aspects but sexual aspects as well are welcome.

I have a few main plotlines in mind. One is already started, the other two I’m holding in reserve as I flesh them out.

Thanks all :3

 

[Devinter]

I bet that if you asked a hundred different people, you'd get close to a hundred different answers. But for me, what really hooks me is when a fantasy story creates a world that is vastly different from the real one, but makes it feel realistic nonetheless. Complex religions and government systems, maybe inventing some brand new creatures of your own, or including some peculiar but interesting festivals or something like that. All of this can help forward the plot, of course.

Knights on horses fighting dragons has been done a million times and in order to compete in that sphere your writing has to be exceptional. But if you get creative with it, your readers will never know what hides behind the next corner. I personally believe this is a large reason the Harry Potter books were so successful, for example. Lots of really creative, fun things thrown into almost every chapter. Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings is another great example, because even though elves and orcs feel commonplace nowadays, they sure weren't when he wrote his books - and each place they visit along their journey has so much personality. Or embrace the Game of Thrones philosophy of "no character is safe", and kill off some of your main characters fairly early, making the reader feel like anyone and everyone could potentially be next. Keeps people drawn in, wanting to know how things end, because the stakes feel higher.

Whatever you choose, I would avoid the mundane. Come up with something truly unique for your story. Good luck!

 

[AlinaX]

If you're anything like me, by the time you're half a chapter in, you'll be itching to draw a map and wondering how on earth the world came into existence. At some point you'll feel guilty about the fact your characters haven't had sex for at least 2000 words.

 

[Devinter]

If you're anything like me, by the time you're half a chapter in, you'll be itching to draw a map and wondering how on earth the world came into existence. At some point you'll feel guilty about the fact your characters haven't had sex for at least 2000 words.

You have to draw a map. If you don't draw a map, are you even writing fantasy!?

 

[AchtungNight]

Create a diverse cast of characters and races, professions, etc. An intriguing setting too. What if a character who professes to be a Faerie, alien, or whatever is actually telling the truth and is not believed by everyone? What if a character believes in some supernatural entities but not others? Can characters argue about these issues? Can someone insist Bigfoot is real even in the face of another’s shame?

Most importantly, are the author and audience having fun?

 

[Priscilla_June]

I bet that if you asked a hundred different people, you'd get close to a hundred different answers. But for me, what really hooks me is when a fantasy story creates a world that is vastly different from the real one, but makes it feel realistic nonetheless. Complex religions and government systems, maybe inventing some brand new creatures of your own, or including some peculiar but interesting festivals or something like that. All of this can help forward the plot, of course.

Knights on horses fighting dragons has been done a million times and in order to compete in that sphere your writing has to be exceptional. But if you get creative with it, your readers will never know what hides behind the next corner. I personally believe this is a large reason the Harry Potter books were so successful, for example. Lots of really creative, fun things thrown into almost every chapter. Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings is another great example, because even though elves and orcs feel commonplace nowadays, they sure weren't when he wrote his books - and each place they visit along their journey has so much personality. Or embrace the Game of Thrones philosophy of "no character is safe", and kill off some of your main characters fairly early, making the reader feel like anyone and everyone could potentially be next. Keeps people drawn in, wanting to know how things end, because the stakes feel higher.

Whatever you choose, I would avoid the mundane. Come up with something truly unique for your story. Good luck!

Wow this is some really great insight, I didn't think about the differences between Harry Potter/LOTR being good because it added something new at every step and then on the other hand being very good at the more mundane settings to stick out. I don't think I’ve ever thought about it that way, but it makes it a but clearer how I need to approach this.

If you're anything like me, by the time you're half a chapter in, you'll be itching to draw a map and wondering how on earth the world came into existence. At some point you'll feel guilty about the fact your characters haven't had sex for at least 2000 words.

Oh a map is deff a given, I wonder if there is a good way to imbed that in the story…

You do bring up a good question that haunts me on how to approach this. How do you write a successful fantasy series on Lit without throwing sex in at every turn. Do you have to have sex in every chapter to be successful?

 

[Devinter]

Do you have to have sex in every chapter to be successful?

As far as I am aware, you do not - but I think you would greatly benefit from keeping sexual tension a frequent if not constant thing, and that you don't go ten chapters without so much as a kiss.

I also think you can come up with some creative, if a bit silly, solutions to force the characters into sexual situations. For example, imagine in your fantasy world, there is magic - but not the "I will bring a fiery inferno that destroys the world" type of overpowered magic, but instead something that isn't very potent or impressive by itself. So instead these mages are paired up with impressive warriors, sort as their 'squire', or 'support,' or 'guardian'. But in order for the magic to work successfully, these two characters need to constantly be in close proximity. So that the magic can 'bond' to the intended target. So having your magician side-kick sleep in your warrior's bed is now part of the culture. Everyone does it. And being in the same bed every night.. Well.. It could lead to things!

That's just one idea. Not necessarily the best one. But the point is that you can include plot elements that would make sex almost a necessary component if you so desire.

 

[Priscilla_June]

As far as I am aware, you do not - but I think you would greatly benefit from keeping sexual tension a frequent if not constant thing, and that you don't go ten chapters without so much as a kiss.

I also think you can come up with some creative, if a bit silly, solutions to force the characters into sexual situations. For example, imagine in your fantasy world, there is magic - but not the "I will bring a fiery inferno that destroys the world" type of overpowered magic, but instead something that isn't very potent or impressive by itself. So instead these mages are paired up with impressive warriors, sort as their 'squire', or 'support,' or 'guardian'. But in order for the magic to work successfully, these two characters need to constantly be in close proximity. So that the magic can 'bond' to the intended target. So having your magician side-kick sleep in your warrior's bed is now part of the culture. Everyone does it. And being in the same bed every night.. Well.. It could lead to things!

That's just one idea. Not necessarily the best one. But the point is that you can include plot elements that would make sex almost a necessary component if you so desire.

Gotcha, good points. So i guess it begs the question. When people come to lit, are they here for smut, or here for a story?

 

[Devinter]

There's all kinds of people on Lit, but in the fantasy category, they definitely want at least some story. They still want smut, or else they would read normal fantasy, but they have picked that category primarily because they like an interesting plot to go along with it.

On that note, in my recent story Moonkiss there is a culture of 'savage barbarians' (according to the main character), and among them, some of the women choose their partners in a most peculiar way. They go to the battlefield after the fighting is over, blood and bodies all around, and try to find a brave warrior that has survived - friend or foe. The more badly wounded, the better. They then attempt to nurture that person back to health. The idea being that if they manage to save the person in question, then the fallen soldiers should owe their saviour a "life-debt", and couldn't possibly betray them without bringing great dishonour upon themselves - so when they are asked for marriage, they would find it extremely difficult to decline. Sounds odd? It is. But odd can be interesting, and really bring life to a fantasy setting.

 

[Priscilla_June]

There's all kinds of people on Lit, but in the fantasy category, they definitely want at least some story. They still want smut, or else they would read normal fantasy, but they have picked that category primarily because they like an interesting plot to go along with it.

On that note, in my recent story Moonkiss there is a culture of 'savage barbarians' (according to the main character), and among them, some of the women choose their partners in a most peculiar way. They go to the battlefield after the fighting is over, blood and bodies all around, and try to find a brave warrior that has survived - friend or foe. The more badly wounded, the better. They then attempt to nurture that person back to health. The idea being that if they manage to save the person in question, then the fallen soldiers should owe their saviour a "life-debt", and couldn't possibly betray them without bringing great dishonour upon themselves - so when they are asked for marriage, they would find it extremely difficult to decline. Sounds odd? It is. But odd can be interesting, and really bring life to a fantasy setting.

Thanks for that insight, I think that probably makes sense when it comes to the Scfi/Fantasy category so I’ll keep that in mind. I’m toying with a few different ideas rn for a fantasy series:

-a wandering woman studying fantasy creatures and their sexual habits, mating with these creatures as she travels, and sometimes humans. Perhaps helping others along the way. It almost verges on non-human but there will also be humans if that makes sense? To your points above I think I need a broader plot arch to make it successful.

-a former soldier, disillusioned from his kingdom after he was sent to die, discovers he has the power of necromancy and thus sets off on a campaign of retribution for how he and his comrades (who are now his undead minions) were wronged. In that wake he meets and/or captures women of all statuses who support him or his detractors. This kind of lends itself yo non-con since its a ravaging horde of undead, idk if folks will read a whole series of that, but to your point I guess if the plot is interesting enough.

 

[StillStunned]

I hope I'm not too late to this discussion to offer some thoughts.

Personally I prefer darker, or at least grittier, fantasy. Sword & sorcery, where there's no black-and-white divide but everyone's pretty self-involved. Another style is the dark fairytale, where the Forest is a dangerous place, and its denizens - trolls and goblins, but dwarves and elves as well - are out to get you, and preferably have their way with you.

One thing to bear in mind, particularly for a screen-reading audience like on Lit, is not to overwhelm the reader with details of your world. I recommend starting with a small narrative: focus on the world that your POV characters actually interact with. Their immediate surroundings, whether that's the royal palace, the village surrounding the wizard's tower or the ruined temple they're currently exploring. Add hints of a larger world where necessary for the story or to establish character, but your readers will probably be more interested in your worldbuilding if you feed them small bites first to whet their appetite.

Also, steer away from any faux Ye Olde English language. None of that "Lo! Prithee tell me, fair swain, who passeth there?" Write characters as normal people. The stranger your fantasy world, the more your readers need to be able to relate to the characters.

If you include any supernatural elements that are commonplace in your fantasy world, treat them as commonplace. In my sword & sorcery series The Rivals, for instance, I mention glowstones and eight-legged riding lizards without explaining in detail what they are, because the POV characters already know and don't consciously think about them. Trust your readers to figure it out from the context. This will make the stranger elements all the more powerful when they're introduced.

Hope this is useful!

 

[Priscilla_June]

I hope I'm not too late to this discussion to offer some thoughts.

Personally I prefer darker, or at least grittier, fantasy. Sword & sorcery, where there's no black-and-white divide but everyone's pretty self-involved. Another style is the dark fairytale, where the Forest is a dangerous place, and its denizens - trolls and goblins, but dwarves and elves as well - are out to get you, and preferably have their way with you.

One thing to bear in mind, particularly for a screen-reading audience like on Lit, is not to overwhelm the reader with details of your world. I recommend starting with a small narrative: focus on the world that your POV characters actually interact with. Their immediate surroundings, whether that's the royal palace, the village surrounding the wizard's tower or the ruined temple they're currently exploring. Add hints of a larger world where necessary for the story or to establish character, but your readers will probably be more interested in your worldbuilding if you feed them small bites first to whet their appetite.

Also, steer away from any faux Ye Olde English language. None of that "Lo! Prithee tell me, fair swain, who passeth there?" Write characters as normal people. The stranger your fantasy world, the more your readers need to be able to relate to the characters.

If you include any supernatural elements that are commonplace in your fantasy world, treat them as commonplace. In my sword & sorcery series The Rivals, for instance, I mention glowstones and eight-legged riding lizards without explaining in detail what they are, because the POV characters already know and don't consciously think about them. Trust your readers to figure it out from the context. This will make the stranger elements all the more powerful when they're introduced.

Hope this is useful!

Very useful, I share much of this sentiment so its good to hear that others enjoy this too. Is there a particular subject matter you prefer in Fantasy?

High lords and politics? Adventures? Lone swordsmen? Dungeon crawling?

I think the thing I need to learn as well is not let the popularity of lack there of, of a story stop be from continuing to write it. I had a sci fi series that was barely breaking 1,000 views (so a super small fraction of that even read it) so I stopped. Then i ofc have my incest series that has tens of thousands of views that is much more motivating to write even if the subject matter doesn’t interest me as much.

 

[AlinaX]

The low view count of SFF chapters can be a little depressing.

 

[StillStunned]

Very useful, I share much of this sentiment so its good to hear that others enjoy this too. Is there a particular subject matter you prefer in Fantasy?

High lords and politics? Adventures? Lone swordsmen? Dungeon crawling?

I think the thing I need to learn as well is not let the popularity of lack there of, of a story stop be from continuing to write it. I had a sci fi series that was barely breaking 1,000 views (so a super small fraction of that even read it) so I stopped. Then i ofc have my incest series that has tens of thousands of views that is much more motivating to write even if the subject matter doesn’t interest me as much.

My preference is for grim and gritty. Sword and sorcery generally, like the original Conan stories, or Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. One or two protagonists (can't call them heroes) in pursuit of treasure and finding themselves in over their heads. Check out my series The Rivals (link in my sig) as an example of pretty much everything I recommended in my earlier post.

That's not to say that I haven't dabbled in more high-powered stakes. I have a longer work in progress that involves palace politics, but those elements are balanced by a separate storyline with muddy boots and bloody spears.

The lone swordsman lends itself very well to shorter fantasy fiction. I have a series (not published here) about a mercenary moving from one adventure to the next. It allows you to build the world as you go along, while also developing your main character.

Just seeing @AlinaX's post above, and agreeing. That said, I have a feeling that the readership is very easy-going and more interested in the worldbuilding and storytelling than just erotica. It helps if you can weave the sex scenes in naturally. I recommend lots of demons, but that might just be me.

 

[AlinaX]

I have mixed feelings about a lot of the sex I mixed into my Zar series. I think I was trying too hard to add different types of monster sex.

 

[StillStunned]

I have mixed feelings about a lot of the sex I mixed into my Zar series. I think I was trying too hard to add different types of monster sex.

I read your Zar series a few months ago. A few rough edges in the first chapter, if I remember correctly, but the series was very hot and had interesting worldbuilding.

ETA: I enjoyed the variety in the sex scenes. That was the point I wanted to make when I began writing the post.

 

[AlinaX]

I read your Zar series a few months ago. A few rough edges in the first chapter, if I remember correctly, but the series was very hot and had interesting worldbuilding.

ETA: I enjoyed the variety in the sex scenes. That was the point I wanted to make when I began writing the post.

I find increasingly that it is the more romantic sexual scenes that I enjoy writing.

ETA: Or, not necessarily romantic, but where there's other layers of interaction or meaning beyond the merely sexual. Not sure even I know what I'm saying here.

 

[StillStunned]

I find increasingly that it is the more romantic sexual scenes that I enjoy writing.

ETA: Or, not necessarily romantic, but where there's other layers of interaction or meaning beyond the merely sexual. Not sure even I know what I'm saying here.

I think I know what you mean. Whatever the characters' motivations are, the sex scenes are hotter if you're inside the character's head and there are things going on there. Conflict, doubts, longing, something like that. You could probably write a totally hot sex scene where the narrator's mind is on something else entirely, as long as you tie the mental and physical together. "As I sucked his cock into my mouth, I remembered that I had to take meat out of the freezer for the kids' dinner. Sausage, perhaps. Some kind of pork at least."

 

[Priscilla_June]

My preference is for grim and gritty. Sword and sorcery generally, like the original Conan stories, or Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. One or two protagonists (can't call them heroes) in pursuit of treasure and finding themselves in over their heads. Check out my series The Rivals (link in my sig) as an example of pretty much everything I recommended in my earlier post.

That's not to say that I haven't dabbled in more high-powered stakes. I have a longer work in progress that involves palace politics, but those elements are balanced by a separate storyline with muddy boots and bloody spears.

The lone swordsman lends itself very well to shorter fantasy fiction. I have a series (not published here) about a mercenary moving from one adventure to the next. It allows you to build the world as you go along, while also developing your main character.

Just seeing @AlinaX's post above, and agreeing. That said, I have a feeling that the readership is very easy-going and more interested in the worldbuilding and storytelling than just erotica. It helps if you can weave the sex scenes in naturally. I recommend lots of demons, but that might just be me.

So may as well just do what I want to do and weave sex in as best I can and let it all work out?

I have mixed feelings about a lot of the sex I mixed into my Zar series. I think I was trying too hard to add different types of monster sex.

Right, I don’t want to force it. I think thats when I lose interest in my own stories lol.

I read your Zar series a few months ago. A few rough edges in the first chapter, if I remember correctly, but the series was very hot and had interesting worldbuilding.

ETA: I enjoyed the variety in the sex scenes. That was the point I wanted to make when I began writing the post.

I’m deff gonna give it a read. The one thing I need to do lore of is read lol.

I think I know what you mean. Whatever the characters' motivations are, the sex scenes are hotter if you're inside the character's head and there are things going on there. Conflict, doubts, longing, something like that. You could probably write a totally hot sex scene where the narrator's mind is on something else entirely, as long as you tie the mental and physical together. "As I sucked his cock into my mouth, I remembered that I had to take meat out of the freezer for the kids' dinner. Sausage, perhaps. Some kind of pork at least."

Lol… that is an odd thing to think of during a BJ.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I bet that if you asked a hundred different people, you'd get close to a hundred different answers. But for me, what really hooks me is when a fantasy story creates a world that is vastly different from the real one, but makes it feel realistic nonetheless. Complex religions and government systems, maybe inventing some brand new creatures of your own, or including some peculiar but interesting festivals or something like that. All of this can help forward the plot, of course.

Knights on horses fighting dragons has been done a million times and in order to compete in that sphere your writing has to be exceptional. But if you get creative with it, your readers will never know what hides behind the next corner. I personally believe this is a large reason the Harry Potter books were so successful, for example. Lots of really creative, fun things thrown into almost every chapter. Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings is another great example, because even though elves and orcs feel commonplace nowadays, they sure weren't when he wrote his books - and each place they visit along their journey has so much personality. Or embrace the Game of Thrones philosophy of "no character is safe", and kill off some of your main characters fairly early, making the reader feel like anyone and everyone could potentially be next. Keeps people drawn in, wanting to know how things end, because the stakes feel higher.

Whatever you choose, I would avoid the mundane. Come up with something truly unique for your story. Good luck!

This is very true, particularly regarding Tolkien. He completely redefined the western concept of elves.

 

[Priscilla_June]

This is very true, particularly regarding Tolkien. He completely redefined the western concept of elves.

Was there a concept of an Orc before Tolkien?

 

[RejectReality]

If the story is good enough, the readers in Sci-Fi & Fantasy and NonHuman have no problem with a story going ages absent sex. ( Despite that being the reason they're reading such stories on a sex site in the first place )

They're first and foremost fantasy readers. At least some sex is more or less expected, but it doesn't have to be shoehorned in so there's naughty bits every chapter or XX words.

 

[StillStunned]

So may as well just do what I want to do and weave sex in as best I can and let it all work out?

That's probably sound advice for any story you want to write for Lit, but particularly for SF/F. Have fun exploring the full extent of the human imagination!

 

[TheArsonist]

If you want tips on how to write fantasy, check out Mythcreants. They have hundreds of articles with writing tips. I find them very hit-and-miss (they are not good at separating personal likes/dislikes from professional evaluations, and tend to insist on a certain formula as the One Right Way to write), so take their advice with a grain of salt, but some of the tools are useful, e.g. ANTS and the candy/spinach model.

For my part, I'll just mention a few things that often make me give up on erotic fantasy stories:

• Lack of compelling or relatable characters: Sometimes they are Mary Sues ("over-candied", in Mythcreant terminology)—I quickly gave up on Guardian by Xander Jade because the first few chapters were just the MC being the greatest at every possible skill—sometimes too pathetic, and sometimes just too bland and boring, or even a completely blank slate.
• Too much worldbuilding: Some "stories" are thinly-veiled excuses to describe some idea, and the author is clearly more interested in e.g. the fairy politics, or the details of the magic system, or the biology of the alien parasites, or the history of the demonic cult, than in the events actually happening.
• Poorly integrated porn logic: One of the big challenges of fantasy is keeping up the suspension of disbelief, and some of the main ways to do that are to keep character interactions believable and to maintain a consistent tone. But many erotic fantasy stories veer wildly between "gritty" and "realistic" plotting and character development outside of the bedroom, only to switch to the cheesiest porn logic when people are about to get their clothes off.
• Demanding too much commitment. If I wanted to read the next Wheel of Time I would go to a bookstore or library, not browse anonymously self-published smut on a free site. I guess some people do read Chapter 314 of The Barbarian Mage's Conquests or whatever, but personally I want something that wraps up as a reasonably short self-contained story. Which means you can't spend four (LE) pages just on setup.

In fact, no matter the overall length, I think getting the story moving quickly is important. A compelling fantasy story should be throwing interesting problems (which can be the novel concepts some of the other comments have mentioned) at the characters all the time, and having them come up with interesting solutions.

Was there a concept of an Orc before Tolkien?

Not under that name—it's an old word that once meant "demon," revived by Tolkien—but other stories had goblins, trolls, ape-men, morlocks, etc. depicted in ways that basically amount to the same thing. (Tolkien in fact calls them "goblins" in The Hobbit and a couple of times in The Lord of the Rings.)

 

[AlinaX]

I've never been sure if orcs and goblins are the same there.