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As great a work it is, fantasy doesn't begin and end with ''[[Lord of the Rings]]''. In [[Urban Fantasy]], mythical creatures and magical beings walk the streets of major cities, towns and suburbs, and mythical quests and legendary battles are fought not in far-off lands of myth, legend and lore, but in the world that exists outside the reader's window. It's a fascinating and fun genre, and this page is designed to give you some pointers in how you can contribute to it.
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* What is the tone of the series? Where does it fit on the [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism]]? You can get away with [[Tropes Are Not Bad|leaning on a few plot elements or character types]] [[Cliché Storm|that may seem a little familiar to the reader]] if you show them in a new light. Are [[Balance Between Good and Evil|good and evil]] distinct forces in your story? Are the characters fighting for a cause, or for themselves?
* How do the supernatural elements of the story affect the characters? Do members of the [[Witch Species]] embrace their powers as part of their identities, or do they [[I Just Want to Be Normal|view them as a burden]]? If the world where the story is set is filled to the brim with magic and wonder, how do other [[Muggles]] feel? Are curses and hexes more common than healing magic and lost treasures? How are the relationships of the characters altered by the fantastic? Can a romantic relationship be sustained if one of the partners is turned into a cat, for example?
* Just how much magic are you working in, anyway? Don't make the mistake of thinking that a well thought out, believable setting can only be a [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]]. Increase the Urban and tone down the Fantasy, if you want: you can do great things by having just one or two supernatural elements (or several relatively low-powered ones) and then taking advantage of the [[Butterfly Effect]]. It's not about the size of your idea, it's what you do with it, and that book really explores the main conceit with a lot of depth. There's a story where the only supernatural part was that some characters could [[Telepathy|read minds]], but it worked very well, and was one of the best explored worlds ever written.
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== '''Writers' Lounge''' ==
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=== '''Suggested Themes, Plots, and Aesops''' ===
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* If there is no [[Masquerade]] and magic is out in the open, think about the kind of effects magic would have on established society, including law enforcement, art, [[Magitek|technology]], and culture overall. Would magical proficiency be a common skill, something to be envied, or the profession of the elite. Or perhaps you'd explore the effects magic would have on society the way ''[[Watchmen (comics)|Watchmen]]'' explores the effects [[Superhero|superheroes]] would have on society. Milieu is very important in all kinds of fantasy and science fiction; society is an important part of milieu.
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=== '''Potential Motifs''' ===
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=== '''Set Designer / Location Scout''' ===
* Cities, obviously, it's there in the title. But is it a grim, grimy and Noir-esque or [[Mary Suetopia]]? Is it a major urban centre like New York, Paris or London, or a smaller city or township?
* Also, consider the historical era. The genre lends itself to almost any time period in which humanity had cities, though the most common examples to date have focused on the turn of the 20th (steampunk) or 21st centuries. The Shadowrun franchise is set in the (relatively) near future, and the "7th Sea" CCG/tabletop RPG setting is lifted from most of the 17th century. Do some research, with particular emphasis on periods where society changed significantly, such as the shift from the Republic of Rome to the Empire, or the American Revolution.
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=== '''Stunt Department''' ===
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* Some parts of ''[[Harry Potter]]'', mostly the bits set in London.
** It's common for more plot-heavy [[Fanfic]] to play up the [[Urban Fantasy]] elements of the setting, but [[Sturgeon's Law|caveat lector]].
* ''[[The Dresden Files]]''
* The ''Ambergris'' books by Jeff VanderMeer. Not set in a slightly altered real world, but to an entirely original fantasy world developed enough to have motor vehicles and telephones.
* The entire ''[[Nasuverse]]''.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Write An Urban Fantasy]]
[[Category:So You Want To]]
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