If you’re in need of some inspiration, you don’t have to look further than these epic fantasy writing prompts.
Epic fantasy is probably the most known subgenre of fantasy and likely the thing people think of when they hear something is a fantasy story.
If you want to write an epic fantasy, you have to include certain reader expectations (as is the case for every genre you write in). I have some articles to help you with that as well, but here’s a short overview of the main things.
Epic fantasy, or high fantasy, is set in an alternative, fantastical world. Often, the imaginary world is based on medieval times. However, this doesn’t have to be the case—you can also have an epic fantasy more similar to the Victorian age, for instance. As far as the theme goes, epic fantasy is concerned with the fight between good versus evil.
Luckily, epic fantasy is also a popular genre, with many readers devouring epic world after epic world. So, this genre definitely has an audience waiting to read your book.
To spark your creativity, here are 8 epic fantasy writing prompts.
Epic Fantasy Writing Prompts
1. In a world where magic is outlawed, your hero has done all they can to hide their magical abilities. However, when a long-forgotten evil awakens in the depths of the earth, magic might be the only thing that can save their kingdom from destruction. Will they rise to the occasion, risking the threat from both the authorities and dark forces?
2. The kingdom is torn apart by civil war, and a reluctant heir must rise to the throne to unite the warring factions against the powerful dragon terrorizing their country. The problem? The only sword able to defeat the dragon was stolen from its resting place by a cunning thief. Can the heir track down the thief and lead their country to peace and prosperity, or will the thief appear the greatest foe of all?
3. On the eve of a celestial alignment that occurs once every thousand years, a portal to another realm opens, unleashing a horde of otherworldly monsters upon the land that seem impossible to defeat. In a world where elemental magic is controlled by four rival clans, they find they must work together in order to defeat the monsters and the growing evil seeping through the portal. Four are chosen to close the portal and save their world from destruction. Unless their differences and treacherous political intrigue will destroy them first.
4. In a kingdom ruled by an oppressive tyrant, a secret rebel society discovers the tyrant is about to unleash a powerful curse that will plunge the world into eternal darkness. A group of unlikely allies—a disgraced mage, a reformed villain, and a cursed princess—are forced to set aside their differences to break the curse.
5. In a land where dragons are revered as gods, a young dragon rider wants to prove themselves worthy of riding the legendary Dragonlord. However, their tests are put on hold when a series of brutal murders shake the kingdom. The dragon rider investigates together with a talented sorceress and uncovers a plot to overthrow the Dragonlords and seize control of the kingdom. Can they stop it before it’s too late?
6. When music is magic, a bard discovers an ancient song that can summon creatures from another realm. However, in doing so, they unleash a mysterious plague across the land that turns ordinary people into bloodthirsty monsters. It’s up to the bard and their allies to find a cure and defend the kingdom.
7. A powerful artifact said to grant its wielder the power to reshape reality itself, is stolen by a group of rogue wizards. A team of elite warriors has to track down the thieves and recover the artifact before it falls into the wrong hands.
8. A kingdom is ruled by an immortal sorcerer-king, who finds a forbidden book of dark magic that seems to consume them. In a world where dreams can become reality, a young dreamweaver finds that they might be the only ones to stop the king from manipulating the dreams of others for nefarious purposes.
Write your epic fantasy story
I hope the writing prompts above sparked your creativity. Build your world, create your magic system, craft your characters, write an outline, and start that first draft.
Once that’s done, it’s time for editing! You can check out my free self-editing course to learn more about this skill.