Serious question, why do so many prompts for fantasy stories just copy Lord of the Rings? | Creative Writing Prompts

Paul Perry · 2026-03-17T19:10:06.430652+00:00

I was looking at a prompt list from a writing workshop in Austin and over half the ideas were about a group of heroes finding a magic item to defeat a dark lord. It feels like people forget you can build a world without elves and orcs. What are some good sources for fresh fantasy ideas that aren't just Tolkien again?

olivias886mo ago

Read a blog post about using history books for fantasy ideas.

6

jade6396mo ago

Honestly, I get why it's the default. That story shape just works for a lot of people as a starting point. Maybe check out some mythologies that aren't European, like West African or Polynesian stories, for a totally different feel.

4

faith_perez4mo ago

Wait, a real workshop in Austin seriously suggested that?

2