Someone asked me a question: how can we create unreal worlds that connect with modern day readers. It’s a challenging task, that’s why there is no straightforward answer. However, one thing is certain: if you are a dreamer, you are very close. Moreover, if you can see the unseen and imagine a non-existent creature, you can do this. Building epic fantasy worlds is not easy but it’s not that complicated either. In this guide, you’ll know what fantasy is and explore tips to create wonderful stories.
“Fantasy is a way of delivering the real lessons through unreal means.” – S. F. Shaw
What is Fantasy?
According to me, “Fantasy is a fictional science of imaginary worlds, unreal creatures, and mysterious events. And the art of breathing soul into these made-up worlds and characters is what transforms a tale into epic fantasy.”
Can Fantasy be Real?
If you mean symbolically or emotionally, then yes, fantasy worldbuilding can feel real because the emotions and themes are genuine. This is reason people say, “fantasy is truer than truth”, as it tells the authentic human stories using imaginary worlds.
But if you mean literally, no – mysterious creatures and magic tricks aren’t real. That’s why you can say it’s a fictional science, as it talks about living beings but not sure if all of them factually exist.
Have you ever seen dragons in real life? I am sure you didn’t.
Have scientists found any traces of dragons in history?
As per science, the logic of dragons is no logic. People wrote research papers to prove their existence but none of them gained legitimacy or authenticity. However, an epic fantasy is incomplete without them. They live, they breathe fire, and they fly in the skies of unknown realms. You can say, “Dragons are the miracles of fictional science.”
But here is the question: why would people read stories about unscientific characters? It’s a good question, yet you may be surprised by just how much people love this genre.
Global Market of Fantasy Books
The fantasy book market has nearly touched $19.1B in 2024. Here are some of the statistics that will give you a deep insight into fantasy, romantasy, or fiction genre trends and stats.
Table 1: Fantasy Book Trends Across the World
|
Metric |
Data Point |
Notes / Source |
|
Global fantasy books market size (2024) |
~$19.1B |
The fantasy book segment globally was valued at about $19.1B in 2024. |
|
Projected growth |
~5% CAGR from 2024 to 2030 (fantasy segment) |
Expected growth to ~$25.5B by 2030. |
|
Romantasy revenue |
~$610M in 2024 |
Sales in the romance-fantasy “romantasy” subgenre jumped significantly in 2025; 2024 revenue was ~$610M. |
|
Increase in adult fantasy print sales |
+85.2% in first half of 2024 vs same period 2023 |
“Adult fantasy” sales saw an 85% year-over-year jump, largely driven by romantasy. |
|
Fiction market size (fiction books overall) |
~$10.88B in 2024 |
Fiction market (all genres) was ~$10.88B and expected modest growth to $12.11B by 2029. |
|
Print book unit sales (US) |
~782.7 million units in 2024 |
Slight rise (less than 1%) over 2023. First annual print increase in several years in outlets reporting via Circana BookScan. |
|
Fiction vs non-fiction trends |
Fiction revenues rising; non-fiction declining in many regions |
Fantasy & romance are doing particularly well. |
|
UK Sales Growth: Sci-Fi & Fantasy |
+41.3% between 2023 and 2024 |
Largely driven by romantasy. |
Sources: Gran View Research, Publish Online, Guardian, PublishersWeekly.com
Why are Fantasy Books so Popular?
Humans are inherently most curious and explorative beings on planet Earth. They are gifted with the brain which has the power to imagine and visualize events. It’s human nature that they love to see the unseen.
Search for a space video on YouTube, and you’ll find hundreds of thousands of viewers who want to see how the sun looks like, what black holes are, and where the exo-planets lie in universe. Moreover, the talk of aliens mesmerizes every heart. Although, nobody has ever seen an alien, you’ll find thousands of videos about them and millions of viewers watching those videos.
It’s curiosity that glues people with unreal or unseen worlds or characters. The elements of imagination, curiosity, and exploration compel every human to connect with a fantasy world. They love it and feel like they are living in that imaginary world while reading a nicely crafted novel book.
Start building epic fantasy worlds today.
Don’t just dream about other realms; create your own. Discover the ten pillars of worldbuilding in depth and explore how to transform your imagination into a fantasy universe. Read the full guide
Key Tips for Building Epic Fantasy Worlds
In my opinion, the writing part comes at a time when you think of an idea. Many authors can differ from me but that’s how it goes in my case. Suddenly, an idea clicks, and the world building process starts. Let’s see what can be done to create a better and highly mesmerizing fantasy world.
Study Other Fantasy Worlds
Before jumping into story writing, you should read the work of other authors. See how they create the world and give it a real touch. If you haven’t read a novel or fantasy book, you can buy a few of those to observe the concepts. Don’t think about the dialogues, don’t think about the story – just analyze the setting. Read More>>
Build from your Own Interests
What do you prefer? It’s important as story creation depends on your preferences. Your inclination gives you the core elements of the story. How?
Let’s discuss an example and see how the world builds, and you get the story idea automatically.
If you like mystery, it means your world needs to be different, as mystery is something that you can’t comprehend. The best thing is to see around you and then ask yourself what mystery is? Time travel, life after death, teleportation, secret societies, and intelligent civilizations other than humans. You can keep on thinking, and you’ll be getting new mysteries unravelling in front of you.
Suppose you are fascinated by intelligent civilizations or aliens. You can build a world around an unknown planet. Think about their appearance, their way of living, and their language or behavior. Visualize that world around you and then build your characters accordingly. Read More>>
Create a History
Write a detailed history of your world to give readers a deep insight into your world. You have visuals in your mind which will remain unclear to the readers, if you will not showcase a vivid picture of your world. If you are defining characters, you should explain who they are, where they live, and how that land came into being. Read More>>
Develop Enriched Culture & Faith
Customs, values, and languages build and enrich the culture. When you include cultural elements to your story, it connects the readers with your world. Introduce wedding traditions, festivals, ancient tongues, and dressing styles to add more realism to your story.
In the 21st century many people are deviating from religions, but the majority still believe in God in some way or other. If your story sets a world in old times, you can depict temples, grand statues, and ancient rituals that reflect pagan traditions. You can demonstrate that how the people connected with their gods. How does it make sense? Read More>>
Define the Conflict
The world seems flat without tension, even if the maps and magic systems are highly detailed. Conflict is the thing that provides purpose to your world. Ask yourself: what tensions are colliding in the background? It doesn’t necessarily need to be a war; the conflict can be political rivalries, cultural rifts, old resentments, or moral conflicts.
Imagine your world as a living thing: its conflicts are the pulse. Illustrate how geography, history, religion, and power systems nourish these tensions. Who stands to gain from the existing order, and who’s eager to shake it up? Read More>>
Create Characters that Belong to the World
The next step is to shape characters, such as heroes, villains, and beings that align well with the environment. See how to create engaging characters that readers fall in love with. Read More>>
Design Geography and Environment
In my opinion, the map of your fantasy world needs to be published before the starting point of the story. It’s very good practice. Moreover, when you introduce a new place then add a map with a pointer at the location that enables readers to easily understand geography and environment. Need to explore best practices to design geography? Read More>>
Develop the Magic & Power Systems
If your world uses magic, you need to design its rules, limitations, and consequences. Readers love systems that are logical and balanced. Read More>>
Establish Economic & Political Structures
Introduction of governments, trade, and class systems makes your world believable. Mostly these structures give birth to conflicts. Read More>>
Establish the Tone and Themes
What emotions or moral issues best define your fantasy world? Consistent tone makes readers sense the essence of your imaginary universe. Is it tragic, romantic, hopeful, or dark? Read More>>
Final Words
The art of building epic fantasy worlds is more than creating maps or haunting creatures; it’s about delivering meaningful lessons. Every world you create is an extension of your imagination and your truths. Read about the ten pillars in depth through the associated guides and begin building a universe your readers will never want to depart from.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still curious about building epic fantasy worlds? Below are a few quick answers to the most asked questions.
What is fantasy?
Fantasy is a fictional science of imagination, a universe of unreal worlds, mythical creatures, and mysterious phenomena. When you transform your imaginations into well-crafted tales, then fantasy becomes a bridge that delivers the real lessons through unreal means.
How to craft epic fantasy worlds?
A mature imaginative concept is the foundation of building epic fantasy worlds. Expand that idea and you will see an entire fantasy world begin to unfold as you continue to write. You need to enrich your realm with depth of history, richness of culture, complexity of conflict, and flavor of emotions, (such as romance, joy, sorrow, and hope), and mystery of myths or magic.
What makes a fantasy world believable?
A fantasy world feels real or believable when it follows its own internal logic. When characters respond with genuine emotions and perform unbelievable yet engaging acts, they add a sense of realism that breathes life into the imaginary world.
How detailed worldbuilding should be in fantasy writing?
It depends on your story’s focus. Some complex worlds need explanation so that readers understand it properly. However, you need not discuss history of each tree or town, but your world should feel consistent and alive. One suggestion: it’s a good habit to explain the world through the experiences of your character instead of writing long descriptions.