*I wanted to added a note here.* This post is not written to criticize anyone who writes or reads this genre. This is simply my own thoughts, convictions, and opinions. You can take them or leave them. I really don’t care.
When it comes to Fantasy, there is a wide range of stories. They go from just a made up country set in the real world, to completely made up worlds and people and creatures. For the purpose of this post, I am referring to the made up worlds as fantasy. (The ones set in the real world I consider more of just fiction. Unless they get really strange. :))
I don’t write fantasy books. And I don’t read them. But I got to thinking, why? What is it about this genre that turns me away? I’ve come up with 5 reasons.
1.) Setting To me the creating of new worlds, environments, and so on, is a complete waste of time. I mean this world that we live it, that God created, is beautiful, awe-inspiring, amazing, and there is no way we, as humans, could ever create anything that even comes close to it. And to attempt to do so seems almost a mockery of God’s infinite creation. (I’m sure no one writing fantasy means it that way, it’s just how I feel.) Since this world is so full of wonder, why do we even need imaginary worlds? Can anything the human mind creates be better than this wonderful world we live in?
2.) Fake creatures I’m sorry, but creatures that are half man and half beast creep me out. Yes, God created some really strange creatures that are mentioned in Revelations and even in Daniel and other books of the Bible, but they don’t interact with man as friends and buddies. They are not cutesy and fun.
3.) No Savior In all honesty, I have never understood how someone could even attempt to have a “savior” in a fantasy world. Jesus Christ didn’t come to die for fantasy worlds. He came to die for His creation, the men and women, boys and girls who were created in His likeness. To even attempt to put the Gospel message into a fantasy world could not only create a false sense of who God is, what salvation is all about, but also give it a feeling of fiction. If this fake god created this fake way to get saved in this fake world, who’s to say the real God isn’t fake too? You can not have real salvation in a made up world.
4.) Not Real Life To me, stories that aren’t real, because they are fantasy, or just unrealistic fiction, don’t hold my interest. I find myself growing frustrated because of the inaccuracies, or because of the falseness. I much prefer to read and write real stories with real people in a real world. Yes, the characters are made up, and yes, the plot was created, but they could have happened.
5.) Not My style This is just simple fact. I don’t care for fantasy. It’s not my cup of tea, or hot chocolate. 🙂 I have a vivid imagination and want to fill my mind with what is true, right, lovely, and pure.
And there you have it. The 5 reasons I don’t write Fantasy. What do you think about Fantasy? Do you want to know why I don’t write Romance, Si-Fi, or Cozy Mysteries? Stay tuned for more “Why I Don’t Write” posts. They’ll be coming sometime. I just don’t know when. 🙂
You took the words right out of my mouth!! I agree whole heartily!! <3
*shakes hands* Thank you. 🙂
FINALLY! I thought I was the only one who felt this way! That’s exactly why I don’t read Chronicles of Narnia, besides other Biblical reasons. I do enjoy a made up country, but I consider that more like…hmm….medieval fiction? That’s usually the setting. But I agree with every point you made!
No, you are not the only one.
Yes, there are some stories that make up a country but it’s still in the “real world” like Sarah Holman’s “Tales of Taelis” books.
I wholeheartedly agree with all five of your reasons, especially #4. I have read fantasy, and I see few exceptions. One, the Lord of the Rings series, wasn’t my style, (I only read the first book and part of the second) but I have to admit the representation of the spiritual world was masterful. Same with the Chronicles of Narnia; the allegory story was great, because it showed a physical image of what Christ did. (I didn’t enjoy the later books in that series quite as much, however) But the allegory-in-a-fantasy-world can be so overused sometimes.
CutePolarBear
Thanks.
As someone who wouldn’t be writing if it weren’t for fantasy I disagree with these points, sometimes in more ways than one. I personally enjoy reading and writing both about the real world and made up worlds and God has used both types of stories to touch me and teach me in deeply personal ways. But I don’t say those things in an argumentative way, I say them to express that I agree and respect that everyone’s personal convictions are different and it should be our number one priority to listen to God above anything and anyone else.
I know of one girl who loves fantasy but felt God was telling her to stop reading stories about dragons specifically because she was getting too obsessed with them. So she did. I feel no such conviction about any one fantasy creature, but then I’m not obsessed with any of them either.
For a non-fantasy example my mom is personally okay watching murder mysteries way more often than I am. She likes them because she likes seeing evil people getting caught and brought to justice. I personally can handle and enjoy some murder mysteries but too often and I get bogged down and bothered by the act of murder itself rather than focusing on the mystery or the justice. But then, I haven’t been a social worker for 30+ years and had to work in direct contact with the dregs of society. My mom has. In light of that, I understand how she’s been desensitized to the acts of violence and is more focused on the evil people being brought to justice. However, we’ve talked about it and she understands that I don’t like the genre as much as she does so if I’m getting tires of it sometimes she waits to watch her shows when I’m not in the room, or waits until later in the day because I don’t like watching it first thing in the morning in general even when it’s a show or movie I like.
All of that is to just reiterate that yes, God convicts different people in different ways. I believe it is because He knows us better than we know ourselves and infinitely better than other people know us. He knows where certain things take each individual’s innermost thoughts and whether or not those thoughts are respectful or glorifying to Him. He knows how much space those things take up in our hearts and minds, and He gives us guidance accordingly so that we might not stray away from Him. It is our job simply to listen and obey.
Everyone has their own feelings and convictions about things. These are mine and I don’t expect everyone to agree. 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
Bravo! It must have taken a lot of courage to publish this post, because I’m sure a lot of people don’t agree with you. But great job! I don’t usually read fantasy, although I do enjoy (as Ryana Lynn put it) “medieval fiction”- books like Amanda Tero’s The Secret Slipper and Befriending the Beast. 😉 Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this subject!
You’re welcome, Leona. I’m not sure it took courage, it was just something that had been on my mind and heart for a while so I shared. 🙂 But yes, I knew not everyone would agree with me, and I’m fine with that as I stated that this was my own personal feelings.
This was great! I’ve basically never read fantasy; I’ve never thought through it, I’d just so much rather love a character I could believe could be real! And yes, I’d love to read future posts! Romance seems to be a default for so many writers, I’d love to hear from someone else who doesn’t write it.
Thanks, Kassie. I’m glad it gave you something to think about. And I’ll get my Romance post written sometime. 😉
On your first point, yes God made us a beautiful world. But He also made us in His image, including a desire to create. I don’t think He’s at all offended by our imitating Him respectfully, just like an architect would be pleased rather than upset if his child drew houses to be like his daddy.
Thanks for sharing your opinion.
This post is wonderful! I do read some light fantasy that is more medieval fiction but i feel more than that is a tad ridiculous and unneeded.
Thanks, Kaylee. 🙂
Well, I don’t feel this way about fantasy, but I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts! I myself really enjoy fantasy – I think it’s a cool way to explore the imagination. 🙂 But, as you said, everyone needs their convictions!
Thanks, Kellyn. Yes, everyone has their own convictions and thoughts, and I’m not trying to force my thoughts on anyone else. 🙂
Cool! I think these are great points, including what other people have said on the comments. I can’t wait to here your thoughts on Romance 😀
Thanks, Izzy. Sometimes it’s good to stop and think about why we like or don’t like certain types of books. 🙂
Once I’ve gotten my thoughts formulated, I’ll do the post on Romance. 🙂
Thanks for the post! Very informative to read your perspective and reasons. While I don’t 100% agree with all your reasons, I struggled through the question of whether one of my books should be (very light) fantasy and even let a bit of unrealism creep into the first draft (unfinished). But somewhere between then and a year or so later when I picked it back up, God clearly showed me He didn’t want fantasy to have any part of my writing, and I’ve been happy to listen. Others may, I cannot. In one sense it would be easier to write certain scenes unrealistically, but I want GOD writing my books, not me. 🙂
I look forward to reading future Why I Don’t Write posts!
Thanks for sharing, Erika! 🙂
This was worded so well! I never really thought about fantasy, and never really read it, simply because of the magical elements used. And the mythical creatures (which, your right and I never thought about, but half man/half beast thingies in Scripture aren’t really a good thing!) were just plain creepy. When no magic is involved, or when it is portrayed as defiantly bad, I somewhat enjoy it. I’m very practical, and just don’t enjoy the whole “let’s suspend our reason and get immersed in the story.”
I was having a discussion with a friend at church about this several years ago, and it turned into a whole group conversation/debate on the topic. Those who agreed with fantasy made the point that magic, witches, wizards, and other questionable elements were perfectly fine because it is an imaginary world and anything goes. They are adamant that magic wasn’t sinful in a fantasy/other world setting because there was no God in it. And I agree with that — and what you said. There shouldn’t be a Saviour in a make-believe world, because it seems to be making light of the gospel message.
But should we really be reading about a world where magic, adulterous/beastial relationships, and other things classified as sinful in this world could be used and viewed as “good” in a fantasy world? Somebody mentioned at one point in the conversation that if you were going to take the view that what was wrong in this world should still be classified as wrong in another world, then if someone has a gift, it should be used, even if it is casting spells, because God requires us to use our talents for His glory, and someone practicing magic, as long as they are doing it to glorify Christ, would be in the right. (???) They argued it could actually be considered sinning in a magical world to hide that talent. I’m still trying to figure out why, exactly, God would give a person a gift that He explicitly names as evil? But I was told that in fantasy it would be okay for that to happen because there is no God. So how exactly are we supposed to be glorifying a non-existent God with the use of magic in a fantasy world?
Scripture says that God created all things,”visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things subsist.” (Col. 1:16 – 17) So does that not also mean that even magical fantasy worlds are to be under God’s subjection, and that even if something used moves the plot forward, if God calls it evil, should it be allowed to be used as good in a fantasy world?
Maybe I’m over-thinking and over-analyzing the whole issue, but I would be interested in what you think about the whole magical element thing, if you could even make any sense of this at all =P
I couldn’t agree more! Yes, I believe that “magic” in or out of a fantasy world is wrong. That would have been something I would have added to my list if I had thought of it right then. I know I had thought of it before, but sometimes I just don’t remember everything when I go to write my post. 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Kaitlyn. I’m glad this gave you something to think about.