How to Write a Book Like Fourth Wing: Full Guide
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Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing took the fantasy and romantasy world by storm, blending epic worldbuilding with sizzling romance, high-stakes danger, and characters readers can’t stop thinking about. If you’ve ever wondered how you can capture that same magic in your own novel, then you’re in the right place. Fourth Wing is a very popular romantasy book and it’s one of the ones that helped to define the genre recently. There’s a lot to learn from books like Fourth Wing, but you need to be sure that you’re not just copying the book. Being inspired by authors and other books is totally fine, and most writers out there will point out that they were once inspired by someone else too. However, being inspired and copying are two different fields. So, for today’s post, I’ll be explaining how you can write a book like Fourth Wing without copying!
As an author who’s been writing for over 10 years now, I’ve been a pretty big fan of the romantasy genre that’s been sprouting up recently. I think it definitely checks off a lot of boxes that I’d been wanting from fantasy for a long time, and it blends romance in a way that’s interesting to me. That’s why I’ve created this free pack of 20 romantasy writing prompts just for you to help spark your next story!
And if you’re ready to take the next steps to writing romantasy, then check out The Ultimate Guide to Writing Romantasy. It’s a 160+ page workbook that includes everything you need to know about writing romantasy, from the worldbuilding to the characters and arcs! Grab your copy today → The Ultimate Guide to Writing Romantasy.
Why is Fourth Wing So Popular?
Before you can write a book like Fourth Wing, you need to understand why it connects so powerfully with its audience. As a story, Fourth Wing doesn’t just rely on the existence of dragons or the romance story. It layers together multiple reader hooks. You have a main character who feels real and has strengths and weaknesses, a war college setting, a tension-filled romance, and a fast pace. Readers get both entertainment and emotional investment because of these things.
Fourth Wing also does something unique with genre expectations that other books may not. Fans of romantasy want the thrill of magic and danger alongside the vulnerability of romance and intimacy. In Fourth Wing, both of these things are woven together without something overshadowing the other. The balance that exists in Fourth Wing is an example of romantasy done well, as many romantasy books often struggle with balancing fantasy with the romance.
What is Romantasy?
Before I dive a bit further into how to write a book like Fourth Wing, let’s think about the following: What is romantasy anyways?
Romantasy is a relatively newer term that refers to a combination of romance and fantasy. This is a genre where readers expect equal parts fantasy to romance. You don’t just have a romantic subplot, but the romance is often what the fantasy plot is actually revolving around. For example, if you’re writing a book about a knight who falls in love with a princess, then the fantasy plot might be that the princess must marry a rival kingdom’s prince. This creates problems in the forbidden and secret relationship between the knight and the princess.
You can read more about how to start writing romantasy in this other post of mine, but for the most part, romantasy is about balance. That’s the most important thing I can say to remember when you go to write a book in this genre.
How to Write a Book Like Fourth Wing (Without Copying)
Step 1: Build a Main Character that Readers Root For
One of the keys to Fourth Wing’s success is Violet, a protagonist who is vulnerable, physically limited compared to others, yet determined to survive. This makes her instantly relatable and inspiring. She doesn’t win because she’s the strongest. Instead, she wins because she adapts, thinks, and grows.
When crafting your own main character, think about more than just traits on the surface. You want to give this character a lot more going on inside than just outside. Internal contradictions, fears to overcome, and values to protect are all things that Fourth Wing included for Violet that you can convey as well.
You want your main character to be able to learn from mistakes and grow from there. The more human the main character feels, the more readers will actually find themselves rooting for them. Your main character doesn’t have to be a woman, but it’s good to note that a lot of romantasy books do tend to skew towards having a female main character. If you want to learn how to write a good female character for a fantasy book, then check out this post.
If you want to learn how to write an amazing main character that actually interests and engages your readers, then check out The Ultimate Character Creation Guide. It’s a 150+ page workbook that has tons of instructions, guided worksheets, and great advice based on the best writing practices out there!
Step 2: Develop a Setting That Feels Dangerous and Alive
The setting is something that is a big player in the story of Fourth Wing. The Basgiath War College is an active force in the story. The danger of falling off parapets, failing dragon trials, and losing in combat keeps the tension high. The setting pretty much shapes the story at every turn.
To mirror this effect in your own novel, think about ways your world can press against your characters. Don’t just describe landscapes. Make the world actively challenge your protagonist’s goals. Political systems, clashing factions, oppressive traditions, or unforgiving natural environments can all keep your characters under pressure.
Part of building a great setting is to know your world inside and out. That’s why world building is such an important practice and it really does impact the way your romantasy/fantasy book is consumed by readers. Worldbuilding is the practice of basically creating an entire world for the purpose of your story. Worldbuilding is also something that is essential for fantasy books.
You want to immerse the reader into your setting, but immersion comes from more than just description. Let the readers actually feel the consequences that your characters will be facing.
If you want to learn how to build worlds for your fantasy books the right way, then check out The Ultimate Guide to World Building.
Step 3: Master Romantic Tension
The romance in Fourth Wing is one of its biggest draws, but it never takes over the plot. Instead, the romance moves alongside it, weaving tension into every layer. Violet and Xaden’s dynamic thrives on slow burn, trust issues, and reluctant alliances that heighten every interaction.
When building your own romantic subplot, lean into slow burn techniques. Create situations where characters must rely on each other despite their distrust. Let their vulnerabilities reveal themselves in high-stakes moments. Dialogue can crackle with tension even when the characters are technically on the same side.
Make sure the romance is not only about attraction but about growth. The best romantasy relationships show characters making each other stronger. Let your love story raise the stakes of the main plot. If your heroine fails in love, let that have consequences for the larger world conflict, and vice versa. This makes the romance indispensable rather than optional.
This is definitely something that I talk about in The Ultimate Guide to Writing Romantasy, because I’ve noticed that a lot of romantasy books tend to jump into insta-lust without time for a real buildup in the relationship between the characters.
Step 4: Balance Action and Character Development
The pacing in Fourth Wing rarely drags because every scene either advances the main conflict or deepens the relationships. Basically, every moment that you’re reading counts for advancing something in the story and the character development.
To achieve this, you have to focus on alternating between bursts of action and quieter character-driven scenes. You don’t need to keep a consistent pace the entire time. What you can do is to let one scene end with a cliffhanger, then follow it with a conversation that reveals vulnerabilities or tensions. This rhythm keeps readers engaged while also giving them space to breathe.
You’ll have to make some tough decisions though and cut anything that doesn’t serve the story. If a scene doesn’t push the plot forward or reveal something new about a character, it may not belong in the book.
Step 5: Weave in Emotional Themes
At its heart, Fourth Wing isn’t just about dragons or battles. It’s about survival, belonging, love, and learning to trust others. These themes elevate it beyond pure entertainment and into a story readers emotionally carry with them.
When writing your own novel, you’ll want to actually take some time to identify the emotional arc of your story. Is it about forgiveness? About resilience? About love? Once you know the theme, you’ll then need to embed it in your protagonist’s arc. Let every major event tie back to this central theme, reinforcing it again and again.
Using The Ultimate Guide to Character Creation can actually help you out with this and make weaving the emotional arc and the plot easy with your character’s arc!
The key here is subtlety. You don’t want to lecture readers on your theme. You want them to feel it through the choices your characters make and the costs they endure. Lecturing is something you should avoid in your writing, as it will feel like you’re trying to force ideas onto the reader rather than trust them to discover the ideas themselves.
More Tips for Crafting an Amazing Romantasy Book
Aside from what we’ve already discussed throughout this post, to write a book that satisfies readers like Fourth Wing does, you’ll need to add some extra flair into your book. These are also general tips for writing romantasy as well, so you can apply this no matter what sort of plotline you’ll be adding.
Firstly, it’s important to work with foreshadowing. You want to scatter hints of future details throughout your book. You also need to make sure that your secondary characters shine as well. One of the things that works well in Fourth Wing is the secondary characters and the way they feel real to the main story. They aren’t just there to exist as background noise, but they often play an active role in the development of the story and Violet’s character.
You also want to think about the dialogue of your story. Fourth Wing’s dialogue often puts it in a bit of a controversial spot because it feels more modern, but at the end of the day, you should consider what sort of timeline you’re writing in. You also want to consider what sort of vibe and what sort of style you enjoy writing more. Some writers are really formal with dialogue and others are casual. Writing realistic dialogue is important, and I’ve discussed this topic in a separate blog post as well.
You also need to think about how your worldbuilding will echo the themes of your book. Will the world actually test the characters? For example, in Fourth Wing, Basgiath tests Violet the entire time. She’s forced to survive and outsmart her enemies due to the disadvantage that she has in a war college. It’s a tough situation and as readers, we want to know how she’ll make it through this. The worldbuilding helps to add onto these stakes as well.
Conclusion
I think when it comes to trying to write a book like another published story, you shouldn’t try and copy the other work. Instead, you want to learn from the success of the story that you’re interested in. There are many elements in Fourth Wing that serve it well and made it appeal to a wide audience. Aside from being a romantasy (which is big right now), Fourth Wing has a dangerous world, a strong romance, a well-written main character, and high stakes. There are elements that I personally didn’t like, but overall, I think Fourth Wing did a great job in almost all the things that I look for in a romantasy book these days.
By taking these lessons and applying them to your own writing, you’ll actually find that you can learn a lot! That’s also why I want to point out my new worldbuilding primer. It’s a free 10-question freebie that you can sign up for below and grab a copy of instantly. It’ll get you started on the essential components of your world building process the right way!
If you’re also ready to take your world building a step further, be sure to check out The Ultimate Guide to World Building. It’s a 340+ page workbook that includes everything you need to know about building an entire world. From the universe to the smallest country’s economy, you’ll be fully set with this guide!
If you want to check out Fourth Wing, you can grab a copy over at Amazon.
FAQs
Fourth Wing is considered romantasy, or a blend of fantasy and romance. You don’t have to stick to the same genre, but if you want to capture a similar audience, combining fantasy worldbuilding with a strong romantic subplot is key.
Give your MC real flaws and challenges, not just superficial quirks. Violet stands out because she is vulnerable yet determined. Readers root for main characters who struggle but adapt, showing growth through hardship.
Not necessarily. Dragons are a big hook in Fourth Wing, but what truly matters is how the magical element ties into your plot and themes. If you replace dragons with another unique magical element that drives conflict, readers will be just as invested.
In romantasy, romance is just as important as the fantasy plot. The romance should run parallel to the main conflict, heightening stakes without overshadowing the larger story.
Yes. The key is to learn lessons from Fourth Wing and not use it as a template to copy. Bring your unique voice, themes, and worldbuilding to the forefront so your story feels fresh.
Romantasy novels often fall between 120,000–150,000 words, but length depends on your story’s needs. What matters most is delivering consistent tension and immersive character arcs across the pages.
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