THE R.C. PRINCIPLE

One of the most challenging aspects of writing fantasy is finding ways to navigate similes, metaphors and sayings.

It sounds silly, but to create the most immersive experience for the reader it’s necessary to relegate the vast treasure trove of real-world examples to the proverbial dustbin, because they are of no use to us.

Think about it. Perhaps you have a character in your story who leaps into the fray whenever danger is near, and they’re renowned for their pluck and courage. Another character tries to describe them in a dialogue by saying, ‘Bruk? Yes, he’s as brave as a…’?

Brave as a what?

In a world (or universe) without lions, we need an alternative or we break immersion and diminish the credibility of the whole telling. Doing this requires some mental gymnastics, for the substitute needs to feel natural and authentic and, of course, it needs to be understood by the reader without effort.

The only valid option is to use terminology and concepts which belong in your world. I call this concept the, ‘Robinson Crusoe Principle’, because you’re basically stuck on an island (ie. your world), limited to a certain ‘geography’ of ideas and expressions. Anything I pick has to come from this island, or the story is cheapened.

Make sense? Great! Well then, instead of just inserting new analogues into well-known sayings, why don't we go one step further and make our phrases do double-duty?

For example, instead of a ‘lion’, you might say, ‘brave as a newborn greyhorn’. I don’t know about you, but for me this immediately calls to mind a beast which has pluck. A creature that is probably dangerous and formidable right from the get-go.

We’ve therefore deepened our character by defining an easily graspable characteristic, while also slipping a little worldbuilding to the reader unconsciously. Not too shabby, eh?

I will admit that when I first started writing fantasy, I was a serial over-user of real-world references. It was lazy and made my writing amateurish, and I was really glad when my editor pointed it out. After all, ‘his mind ping-ponged about,’ isn’t exactly fitting for a character living in a muddy, medieval dystopia. I doubt that world will ever experience the unbridled joy that is ping-pong.

That was a long time ago, and I’ve since learned to enjoy the process of inventing new ways to play with common expressions and imagery. Sure it's a challenge, but it also makes one conscious of how often the real world tries to intrude on your fantastical creations.