Fantasy Writing for Barbarians

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, Jon talks about the frustrating gap between recognizing that your work could be better and actually knowing how to improve it. He breaks revision down from the scene level to the paragraph and sentence levels, explains why developing an “ear for story” differs from polishing prose, and makes the case for learning storytelling while you draft instead of blindly assembling thousands of words.

Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at [email protected] or join our Discord (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2) and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we unpack what happens when you approach a novel like a TV show that hasn’t been filmed yet. Jon digs into “TV brain prose,” a common problem among aspiring fiction writers whose scenes rely on camera-like description, character blocking, visual information, and dialogue that sounds better with an imaginary actor performing it.

Here's a link to the reddit thread referenced in this episode. Special thanks to listener Matt who shared this with us.

Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at [email protected] or join our Discord (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2) and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re breaking down a first‑page excerpt from the fantasy writing subreddit and asking a deceptively simple question: what actually makes an opening work? Jon reacts in real time to a dark fantasy opening, unpacking why beautifully written prose can still fall flat without momentum, stakes, or a clear scene engine. And how to avoid starting your novel with pages of nothing happening.

Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at [email protected] or join our Discord (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2) and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we're responding to an email from a listener who wants to know how they can incorporate humor and levity in their dark fantasy novel. They specifically reference Terry Pratchett, so I take a close look at how this works and why it seems far more effortless than it actually is.

Check out my latest short story, out now in the anthology "If I Die Before I Wake Vol. 10: Tales of Cryptid Chaos" in hardcover and paperback (https://us.amazon.com/If-Die-Before-Wake-Cryptid-ebook/dp/B0G34VBT41)

Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at [email protected] or join our Discord (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2) and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re digging into a question a lot of fantasy writers are quietly wrestling with: has modern fantasy been reshaped by short attention spans? Using Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness as a jumping‑off point, Jon talks about why “hook them on page one” isn’t a universal law, how slow and challenging books earn their payoff, and why contemporary craft advice often confuses market pressures with actual storytelling quality.

Check out my latest short story, out now in the anthology "If I Die Before I Wake Vol. 10: Tales of Cryptid Chaos" in hardcover and paperback (https://us.amazon.com/If-Die-Before-Wake-Cryptid-ebook/dp/B0G34VBT41)

Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at [email protected] or join our Discord (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2) and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we're answering a pretty thorny question. When it comes to young adult and adult fantasy, what are the real differences? There are a lot of rules and exceptions to the rules, so it can be a little tricky figuring out how to market your book to the right readers, and plenty of writers are wondering about the ever-elusive "New Adult" category and whether or not it even exists.

Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at [email protected] or join our Discord (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2) and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering a spooky-good question! Does horror count as fantasy? Jon dives into how genres overlap, why dark fantasy works best when it steals from horror’s toolset, and how to write sinister bargains, magical villains, and terrifying atmospheres that feel both otherworldly and grounded. Plus, we unpack a listener’s chilling prologue and explore what makes horror feel fantastical even without dragons or spells.

Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at [email protected] or join our Discord (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2) and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering a hot-button question from the fantasy writing subreddit: is it bad if most of your novel is just people talking? Jon digs into why dialogue-heavy scenes can tank your pacing, when they actually work, and how to build a more dynamic scene structure that doesn’t feel like filler between the “cool stuff.”

You can check out the r/fantasywriters prompt we referenced right here.

Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at [email protected] or join our Discord and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re tackling a listener email about how writers can unfold a character’s past without overwhelming the reader. Jon breaks down when to use flashbacks effectively, plus how you can handle offscreen POVs. And we reference authors like Robin Hobb to engage with emotional revelations, George R.R. Martin’s approach to one-off POV chapters, and how to make sure the past is always interfering with the present.

Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at [email protected] or join our Discord and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re answering a listener email about one of the trickiest parts of writing epic fantasy: the dreaded travel montage. How do you keep the story moving when your characters are literally just…moving? Jon dives into the dos and don’ts of long journeys, how to use travel to reveal character, and when description on its own is actually a bad thing.

Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at [email protected] or join our Discord and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.