Writing Wednesday – What’s in a Genre? High Fantasy versus Epic Fantasy

Hello again my lovelies! So I decided to make a few changes to my blog this year. You may have already seen the Monster Monday posts. Now on Wednesdays I will try to have posts related to writing.

So I decided to start out with a subject that I’ve been asked about many times. What genre is my Paranormal/Fantasy/Sci-fi book supposed to be in? Where is the list of classifications? Where do we draw the line when it comes to gore, sex, cyber mechanics? Where do I fit?

If you missed my post last week, it covered Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy.

This week I want to talk about a genre that I am neck deep in right now. Fantasy Romance. My Fairelle Series is completely Fantasy Romance. But within the Fantasy genre there are so many different sub-genres. High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Sword and Sorcery, Dark Fantasy.

So what is the difference between them? Well, Today I will talk about General Fantasy, High Fantasy and Epic Fantasy.

General Fantasy – The main difference between Fantasy and Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance is that Fantasy is in its own world, not here. The world of a Fantasy book is completely made up by the author. It can have elements of Earth, like in my Fairelle Series, which is a series of fairytales loosely set in a middle ages world called Fairelle. Fantasy can have Werewolves, Vampires, Dragons, Fae, Trolls, Goblins, Elves, you name it! Magic is a big part of a fantasy world as well. Fantasy Romance would be like Paranormal Romance as far as rules for the romance applying, only set in a Fantasy world.

High Fantasy –  High fantasy is fantasy fiction set in an alternate world created by the author rather than Earth. In High Fantasy the POV is usually told by the hero. The hero usually has a mentor that helps them fulfill their potential. There is a dark force that is destroying the world and the hero has to try to save everyone. High Fantasy usually has to do with Good verses Evil. It is told on a grand scheme involving more than just a few main characters.

In High Fantasy the rules and laws of the world are usually unique and unlike the rules and laws of Earth. All kinds of races and classes can be seen in fantasy, but the hero is usually of Good nature, while the villain is of Evil nature.

Epic Fantasy – So if there is High Fantasy, and there is Low Fantasy, what is Epic Fantasy? Epic Fantasy has most of the characteristics of High Fantasy with the exception that Epic Fantasy does not have to be Good versus Evil. It also has to be more than one book in length. To qualify as an Epic Fantasy there needs to be at least a trilogy to resolve the problems in the books. In both Epic and High Fantasy the hero usually starts as a child or teen, sometimes the chosen one, and you can follow them for years on their journey to fulfill their destiny.

Lineage can play a large part of the Hero on his journey. His parentage, of date of birth or magical abilities.

Currently, I have my Fantasy Romance Series Fairelle. It is set in the world of Farielle with its own rules and laws and creatures. One of the most important things to do when you write fantasy is research. Research creatures and time periods and governments. Gods and churches and habitats. Map out your world, plot your world, create your world from the ground up.

Stay tuned for next week when I’ll discuss Dark Fantasy, Low Fantasy and Sword and Sorcery.

Here are the links for all five parts of this series!

Welcome to What’s in a Genre? If you missed my earlier posts you can find them on my blog.

Part One: Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy : Part Two: High Fantasy versus Epic Fantasy : Part Three: Dark Fantasy versus Sword and Sorcery Part Four: Magical Realism versus Sci-Fi Part Five: Steampunk