How to Decide What Fantasy Subgenre You Should Write

You’ve decided that you really want to write an awesome fantasy book. That’s great! Fantasy is an amazing genre that’s full of wonder, excitement, sprawling worlds, and more. However, once you start sitting down to write your novel, you realize that there’s just a ton of different subgenres. So many, in fact, that you have no clue which one you want to write in. Fantasy is a huge genre and there are so many new styles that come out constantly. So, how do you figure out where you fit in this whole universe of subgenres? That’s why for today’s post, I’ll be helping you figure out how to decide what fantasy subgenre you should write. 

(affiliate disclaimer: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you when you purchase something through one of my links). 

Start with What You Love to Read

This might sound obvious, but this is the place most writers overlook. What you read for fun is often the best clue to what you should be writing because if you’re willing to spend hours immersing yourself in those worlds, then chances are, those are the worlds you imagine too. 

Do you gravitate toward sprawling epics with war-torn kingdoms and complex political intrigue? You might love writing high or epic fantasy as your chosen subgenre.

Do you binge stories about witches living in modern cities, balancing day jobs with secret magical duties? You might thrive in urban fantasy.

Are you obsessed with morally grey characters, creeping dread, and worlds that feel just a little too close to the edge of collapse? You might find a home in dark or grimdark fantasy. I personally loved reading sci-fi as a kid and I love fantasy, especially grimdark, so I decided to make my series, The Fallen Age Saga, a grimdark sci-fantasy!

What kind of fantasy worlds do you keep coming back to? What tropes never get old for you? Which ones bore you no matter how well they’re written? Those are probably good places to start. 

Ask Yourself What You Want Your Readers to Feel

Different subgenres evoke different emotional tones.

High fantasy often inspires awe, wonder, and triumph. Dark fantasy leans into dread, fear, and emotional unease (Check out this post → High fantasy vs dark fantasy). Romantic fantasy brings yearning, hope, and longing. Grimdark? That’s despair, cynicism, and maybe a flicker of twisted satisfaction.

So what do you want readers to walk away feeling?

Do you want them to be uplifted? To feel like they’ve been on a heroic journey? Do you want them to question everything they believe about good and evil? Do you want to break their heart with a tragic, beautiful love story?

Some writers want to offer comfort and escapism. Others want to challenge assumptions and poke at wounds. Neither is better, but they can help sway you to which fantasy subgenre you want to write.

Figure Out What Level of Magic Feels Right to You

Some writers love complex magic systems with rules, limitations, and logical structures. Others prefer magic that feels mysterious and wild, more like folklore than science.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Hard magic (common in epic, high, and progression fantasy) has clear rules. Think Brandon Sanderson, where every magical action has a cost. (Check this post out to learn how to write high fantasy magic systems)
• Soft magic (common in fairytale, dark, and low fantasy) is vague, often symbolic, and not meant to be understood fully.

Ask yourself: Are you the kind of writer who wants to build a system with charts and consequences? Or do you want magic that bends to emotion, theme, or dream logic? A lot of writers like to decide the subgenre to write based on their desire to write certain magic systems. 

What Kind of World Do You Want to Build?

Some fantasy is grounded and close to our own world. Others are sprawling, second-world civilizations with complex geography, history, and cultures.

Here are some questions to explore:

• Do you want to invent your own languages, religions, and government structures?
• Or would you rather twist familiar places into something magical and uncanny?
• Do you love maps? Political intrigue? Multi-region empires?
• Or are you more interested in the magic hiding in a modern-day apartment?

If you want vast, intricate world building with political systems, high fantasy or epic fantasy might suit you. If you love the idea of someone stumbling into a parallel realm through a mirror, maybe you’re writing portal fantasy. If you want modern cities with secret magical societies, urban fantasy is calling your name.

You should check out this post here if you want to get started with world building today!

Consider Your Ideal Story Length and Pacing

Certain fantasy subgenres tend to stretch into larger word counts, like epic fantasy where you need more pages to build out your intense worlds and subplots. However, things like urban fantasy may have faster-paced arcs and some forms of fantasy like romantasy may be told under 100,000 words. Ultimately, you want to think about what you enjoy writing the most. 

If you like to write longer, more detailed books, then you should probably pick something closer to high/epic fantasy. If you enjoy writing more quick stories, then consider things like magical realism. 

Also consider how much narrative complexity you enjoy juggling. Some subgenres, like high fantasy, demand multi-POV structures. Others work beautifully with intimate first-person storytelling. If you want to learn how to balance multi-POV structures in epic fantasy, check out this post here.

What Kinds of Conflicts Draw You In?

Some subgenres are built around grand-scale conflicts (wars, rebellions, chosen-one prophecies). Others focus more on internal battles or social struggles.

If you love:

• Good vs. evil dynamics, legendary destinies, or quests: Try high or epic fantasy.
• Internal battles, trauma, guilt, and survival: Look into dark fantasy or mythic fantasy.
• Romantic tension, personal growth, and emotional stakes: Romantic or cozy fantasy may be for you.
• Social hierarchies, crime, or power games: Urban fantasy or gaslamp might be your genre.

Fantasy stories are often defined by their central conflict. Choose the one that speaks to you and matches the emotional depth you’re aiming for, it could help you decide which fantasy subgenre is right for you.

Try Blending Subgenres

One of the best parts about fantasy is that it’s a pretty flexible genre.

You don’t have to fit into one box. In fact, many of the best fantasy books blur lines between subgenres:

• A grimdark world with a slow-burn romance subplot
• A romantic fantasy with political machinations and betrayal
• An urban fantasy with fairytale elements and eerie horror undertones

Sometimes what you’re writing isn’t a subgenre but rather it’s a blend of elements across different subgenres. Like I said before, my series, The Fallen Age Saga, combines elements from many genres. I don’t just have sci-fi and fantasy elements, but also grimdark elements and even political thriller elements in there. 

However, do be careful when you’re trying to combine different elements. You don’t want to contradict your own story.

Conclusion

Choosing a fantasy subgenre doesn’t mean that you have to stick to it if you end up finding that it doesn’t click well with you. It’s not a restrictive box that you have to stay within, but for a lot of writers, it helps to have structure and a framework. 

You can play around with many subgenres and I recommend that you write short stories or quick beats playing around with different styles. Whatever you find fits your style the most is probably the subgenre that’s right for you. 

Before you head on out, be sure to sign up for my newsletter and check out my series, The Fallen Age Saga. A lot is coming super soon to the website and I’m so excited to share it with you all!