Grab your sword and cast the creativity spell with your new writing coach, AutoCrit. Built for fantasy storytellers from the ground up, the platform brings you virtual mentorship with some of the world’s best fantasy authors.
Meet your High Council. AutoCrit’s tailored analysis reviews over 20 areas of your manuscript and offers catered recommendations to improve your writing. From word choice to dialogue and everything in between, AutoCrit is your secret weapon in the revision process.
AutoCrit analyzes millions of fantasy novels, connects with top editors and agents, and works with authors just like you to understand the elements of the world’s best fantasy novels. This extensive research is built into every AutoCrit recommendation.
Just a few of the 30+ interactive reports you can explore inside the AutoCrit platform.
Sarah J.
Maas
Patricia
Briggs
Focus your editing in each category with a target number of words to remove.
Know exactly what words to focus on first. No other system comes close to providing this level of detail!
Save time by clicking on a word or phrase in the Analysis Sidebar to jump your cursor right to the next instance.
Share your text (with or without highlights) with a beta reader or editor with the click of a button!
Instant Feedback Available 24 / 7 / 365 No matter the time or how rough your draft, AutoCrit is always at your side. Access the platform from any internet-enabled device, wherever, whenever.
Follow along with simple, step-by-step recommendations and craft writing that matches the quality of the best fantasy novels.
Every bestselling author started with no experience. Like any genre, the best way to learn fantasy writing is to read.
Start by reading the best fantasy writers to understand different techniques and structures, but be sure to branch out. Reading science-fiction, horror, romance, mystery, and other genres can make you a more well-rounded writer and give you tools to write better fantasy.
Then begin writing. Start with flash fiction (under 500 words), short stories, novellas, and eventually try your hand at long-form fantasy fiction – or skip right to the epic fantasy series that’s begging to get written. Along the journey there and back again, you will develop your writing style and learn how to put a new spin on the fantasy tropes you love.
Enjoy the writing experience as you dive into worldbuilding, develop a magic system, create unforgettable characters, and blend factual research and historical events with fantastical elements in a compelling narrative.
Set writing goals and keep them reasonable. For example, set a word count goal of 1,000 words per day. To make this easy, AutoCrit offers daily and weekly word count goal tracking.
Don’t be discouraged if you’re unhappy with your first draft. This is where you tell the story to yourself; it isn’t meant for anyone else. Writing and editing software like AutoCrit can help you polish your first draft into the work – and fantasy world – you envisioned.
As we’ve said, start by reading a variety of fantasy novels to understand different styles and discover what you like. Check out adjacent genres, like sci-fi and horror, while you’re at it.
If your goal is to become a bestseller, know your market. Consider your audience and what’s selling right now. However, don’t be restricted by what you think the world wants to read – if every writer did that, we would have never gotten the fantasy genre in the first place.
Then begin creating a unique world.
Depending on the type of fantasy book you intend to write, you may need to plan a complex magic system, rich history, and rules for the fantastical elements (are your vampires allergic to garlic?). Ensure your magic or fantastical elements are consistent throughout.
If it’s your writing style (plotter vs. pantser), create an outline. This may be especially helpful if you’re writing epic fantasy and there will be countless characters and subplots to track and develop.
Develop relatable characters with clear motivations and conflicts, both internal and external. Determine your protagonist (or protagonists) and choose a point of view, such as first-person or third-person point of view.
Build a compelling plot, balancing action, adventure, and character development. Use vivid descriptions to immerse readers in your setting, whether it’s an epic kingdom or an enchanted forest. Sprinkle in foreshadowing to intrigue your reader. Blend universal themes like friendship, love, or heroism with your fantasy elements. Most importantly, revise and refine your work, paying attention to pacing and coherence to keep readers engaged.
Consider starting with short-form fiction before working your way up to full-length works.
No matter your writing style or experience level, AutoCrit can help you cut down on the time and stress of writing and self-editing your fantasy story. It will help you produce a quality manuscript that achieves your creative vision.
In addition to the software, AutoCrit offers live clubs and events that will help you excel in the book writing process.
There are many types of stories in the fantasy genre, but here are 10 of the most popular and their distinct characteristics:
Whether you’re writing about elves and orcs in fantastical realms or a world somewhat familiar to our own, fantasy book writing and editing software like AutoCrit can help you do your best writing.
Many authors use novel writing software and writing apps. For example, a simple word processor will allow you to write and edit online or offline, drag and drop text, and use a variety of features. Word processing software generally comes with autosave functionality, spell check, and customizable templates and formatting options.
Two of the most popular for general use are Microsoft Word and Google Docs. MS Word is a classic option but has limitations. Google Docs is web-based but allows offline use. Its collaborative functionality can be a plus when working with an editor or co-author. Some authors use Evernote for taking notes on the go.
Other book writing software and tools are designed specifically for writers, including tools to help improve readability, identify passive voice, and eliminate excess adverbs. For example, AutoCrit will track the adverbs you’ve used and advise you on whether to remove some based on current standards.
AutoCrit offers a low learning curve and allows you to import a finished draft with no size limit, so for authors crafting their latest fantasy epic, there’s no worry about running out of space. In fact, you can write your entire book in AutoCrit and self-edit as you go.
However, it’s important to maintain momentum in the creative writing process – there will be plenty of time to address AutoCrit’s recommendations once your first draft is complete.
Many self-published authors release their books without the help of a professional editor. At AutoCrit, we’re big fans of human editors and they offer valuable services, but not every fantasy writer has the budget to hire one. An alternative is to use editing software like AutoCrit to self-edit your manuscript.
AutoCrit will check for repeated words, grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, excess adverbs, and many of the other issues that a human editor would address. In fact, many editors use AutoCrit, and many writers will use AutoCrit to polish their draft before sending it to an editor.
Our Free Forever and AutoCrit Pro plans are designed for writers with varying needs and budgets.
The free version will give you many of the tools you’ll need to improve the quality of your draft before self-publishing on Amazon or another retailer. These include digital noteboards and cards that you can use to take notes for planning and research, editing tools that analyze word choice, adverb usage, and readability, and more – with no word limits.
For more tools and resources, check out AutoCrit Pro, with monthly and annual billing schedules. This tier offers additional features, such as a summary report with an AutoCrit score and editing recommendations, more than 30 interactive editing tools and reports analyzing pacing, dialog, and strong writing, discounts on courses, events, and author services, and access to the private member community, the AI-driven Inspiration Studio, and more.
AutoCrit is online, web-based software, offering nonfiction and fiction writers flexible, mobile, distraction-free writing and editing practically anywhere. However, while the website is optimized for smartphones, including Windows, Apple iOS, and Android devices, for the best editing experience we recommend using the software on any laptop or desktop computer, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and others.