Penguin free masterclass - writing fantasy

[janeoreilly]

This is today if anyone is interested but if you sign up they'll email you the recording to listen to in your own time.

How to Write a Fantasy Novel | Online Masterclass | The Writers' Academy

 

[awesomesauce]

Oh, nice. I even saw this in time to register! Thanks! And I see they have a bunch of back webinars on their site too.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Well... I didn't attend the live seminar (it was family dinner time), and thought I'd be given access to a recorded copy anyway. However, there's no communication suggesting that one has or will be made available. I'm left thinking this a little odd in an internet age.

 

[awesomesauce]

Well... I didn't attend the live seminar (it was family dinner time), and thought I'd be given access to a recorded copy anyway. However, there's no communication suggesting that one has or will be made available. I'm left thinking this a little odd in an internet age.

I couldn't get in. Technical problems with their software. A friend of mine got in the live one and she said they said they would send the transcript and materials in about a week. I did get an email today, but I haven't read it yet.

 

[Brian G Turner]

And the presentation is now available on YouTube here:

 

[Brian G Turner]

I finally watched this - well, skipped through, as it's somewhat slow and basic.

It's split into two halves, with the first being very much a Powerpoint presentation, with the second half being a general Q&A.

IMO too much focus was put on LOTR, Game of Thrones, and Harry Potter as examples - especially as I doubt Tolkien's style would be acceptable to traditional publishers today.

It kind of underlined that this was really pitched at beginners who don't even really know the genre.

To give an example, questions at the end included:

"What's the difference between fantasy and science fiction?"
"Fantasy always seems to be epic, but can it be a short story?".

So, if you don't really know anything about writing fantasy, it kind of serves as a simple introduction.

However, it didn't really go into any of the technicalities and IMO it would have been better pitched to a more advanced level, to better explore the writers and methods of writing fantasy - and to better prepare writers for the actual expectations of agents and editors.

 

[The Big Peat]

IMO too much focus was put on LOTR, Game of Thrones, and Harry Potter as examples - especially as I doubt Tolkien's style would be acceptable to traditional publishers today.

Isn't this advice coming from Penguin Random House though? Admittedly, the world is full enough of stupidity that one hand of the org giving advice that results in output that the other hand won't accept isn't out of the question. But I'd like to think its at least worthwhile considering how it marries up.

I have to admit, I'd forgotten about this webinar. I might dig out my copy and see what they're saying though because I'm intrigued.