This is a post that originally went live on July 22nd, 2013.  I’m putting it here because I’m tired and want to save other ideas for December.  Might make it a whole week of Retros to recover from the weekend.  Here we go.  (There are some really odd picture combos from that month.)

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So you want to write fantasy.  Well, let me load you up on everything you need to get yourself started.  Have some elves, dragons, dwarves, gnomes, magic, warriors, spellcasters, medieval weaponry, orcs, trolls, griffins, political intrigue, religious intrigue, thieves, and all the other standards you need.

Have all that?  Good.  Now throw and alter as much of that as you want.  Will it cause problems?  Of course it will.  People will tear into you for not respecting what came before you.  Keep all of it?  You can, but people will tear into you…