Programme by Item Type

The issues around data scraping, LLM training and human art being replaced by bots. The goalposts change every year as the software gets more advanced. Join the discussion to share the latest advice.

This is a session for those who have not attended World Fantasy Convention before and/or who would like to ask questions to help them get the most out of the event. It will be focusing on practical logistics rather than programme items.

In a time of climate crisis and extinction rebellion, how should fantasy engage with writing about the natural world?

From character art to maps and back-of-the-book reference material to wikipages to QR codes accessing soundtracks – how can bonus content help – or hinder – the story.

Folk stories fascinate us as much for the way they have been handed down as for the detail. Tales passed down through generations. Local legends reimagined into lingering horror or magical fantasy. Folktales cross genres and remain as sources of inspiration for writers. We will discuss.

The rise in popularity of audio books, dramas and podcasts is a phenomenon that needs to be discussed. Our panel share their experiences as readers, presenters, writers and voice actors.

An article in the Guardian in 2016 summarized what grimdark’s “domination” of the fantasy genre as a “commercial imperative to win adolescent, male readers” in opposition to “a truly epic and more emotionally nuanced kind of fantasy” that delivered storytelling. Many grimdark writers and readers, however, would argue that this description is the very antithesis […]

World building through prose: what our characters wear, eat, hear, touch can bring a wonderful depth and vividness to their world, immersing the reader in the truly fantastical. Our panel discuss the beauty of descriptive writing.

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From the anthropomorphic in the work of Brian Jacques and Richard Adams, to the contemporary amalgamations of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Shadows of the Apt, or Pullman’s daemon familiars. The depiction of animals in fantasy are varied and interesting to explore. Join us in doing so.

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The unique writing of Terry Pratchett in one of the most popular fantasy worlds ever written. Our panel examine the prose of this exceptional series and share memories of his work and how he inspired others.

Sword lesbians are a recognised and popular trope in fantasy. How do we think about heroic positions and expansive gender expression in genre? How do queer people position ourselves in relationship to traditional masculinity and its phallus/sword continuum? Do we reclaim roles like knight/cavalier/Jedi, or do we find different ways for women/femmes to fight? Are […]

Scratch the surface of some fantasy stories and you realise the worlds your heroes live in don’t work. How do characters earn a living? How is food grown, transported and traded? How important is a realistic fantasy economy to you?

with Space Marines and such. Writing for the Black Library is a unique experience. Our panel discuss their work on Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar and how Games Workshop manage to maintain the sprawling and epic narratives of their fictional worlds.

Traditionally, religion has been the tool of the priest saviour coming to banish the wicked, but new writing explores theology differently, causing us to question our assumptions for good and for evil. From The Nightmare Girl, to The Boys in the Valley, Join our panel to discuss new approaches to religion in the genre.

In folk tales, the villains were misunderstood rejects from society. Later, in Epic Fantasy, the enemy became exotic and mysterious civilisations who lived by different rules and values. Spare a thought for the henchmen and the stooge, or even for the thwarted evil genius. Is there more we can understand about how we make villains?

In fantasy and horror, there are ways in which music becomes part of the creation. Our panel will discuss the creative role original music plays in the building of stories in the genres. Bring your creations along!