Putnam editor Ari Lewin took a different approach to her
Writing Fantasy workshop—following the advice often given to writers: Show, don’t
tell.
Ari had members from the packed audience read the openings
from books like THE GOLDEN COMPASS and ARTEMIS FOWL. Using the examples, she
pointed out why they worked so well. It was an informative list of dos and don’ts.
So what are some of Ari’s dos?
Number one, characterization. You have to make the reader
care so that they’re willing to go on this journey. She gave the audience tips
on how to achieve this, and pens were furiously scribbling down her
suggestions.
One of her major don’ts is over explanation in the beginning
of the book. Show us the world. Don’t tell us. We learn so much about characters
from how they interact, what they say. Find the right way to work in the world building,
otherwise the reader won’t be invested.
She ended with a great Q&A session, leaving the audience
with inspiration to use on their own fantasy novels. For me, her best advice
was to be genuine—your fantasy should be transparent and honest. And she also introduced me to instagram which
I will start using non-stop. 
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