How do I break out of those weird tropes but still write something with gnomes and shit? What does it look like when wizards control the means of production?
How do I break out of those weird tropes but still write something with gnomes and shit? What does it look like when wizards control the means of production?
Too much fantasy is concerned with the notion of "great men" in developing their worlds' histories. Focus on the lives of ordinary people, or gnomes or wizards, and don't humanize the Kings and Princes and whatnot too much.
The other thing Fantasy often fails at is changing institutions. These stories often climax with immense power struggles, massive pitched battles, etc - but despite the massive rifts which exist in these societies, the institutions barely seem to change beyond maybe a new dynasty taking power and perhaps being slightly less mean to the peasants.
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