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

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.

Finding asexual characters in fantasy remains a challenge. Join our panel to discuss good depictions of asexuality in the genre.

Fantasy prose writing has a long tradition of poetry and lyricism. Our panel discuss fantasy and horror lyrical prose. AKA fantasy is high literature and always has been.

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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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 […]

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?