Urban fantasy is a highly popular book genre that only continues to grow. For any writer looking to make a living writing, an eager readership is awaiting your next book! However, this readership is specific in their tastes. If you choose to write in this genre it’s crucial to adhere to the plot lines and tropes they expect.
Many authors make the mistake of melding genres or writing what they think is urban fantasy, only to produce something that doesn’t quite hit reader expectations, and expectations are important.
That said, I’m here to walk you through the important pieces of urban fantasy so you know what you’re getting into and will know how to write it well.
Urban fantasy: what you will learn
- What is urban fantasy vs modern fantasy?
- Popular urban fantasy examples to emulate
- How to write urban fantasy
- What are common urban fantasy plots?
What is urban fantasy vs modern fantasy?
Urban fantasy is a sub-genre of modern fantasy. While urban fantasy combines elements of magic, supernatural creatures, and fantastical adventures with the urban landscape of cities, modern fantasy is simply fantasy set in a contemporary time period.
Unlike traditional fantasy settings, urban fantasy unfolds within familiar cityscapes, blending the extraordinary with the everyday that readers recognize and relate to. This differs from magical realism as well as modern fantasy.
Magical realism is a genre where magic take place in a setting where magic is not the norm. Urban fantasy stories are focus on magic, with the use of it and its rules at the center of the story.
Many use the term “contemporary fantasy” to describe books that are similar to urban fantasy but lack the city-specific location. Contemporary fantasy takes place in our world, but outside a city, rather than in an urban setting.
Popular urban fantasy examples to emulate
As I always say in the blog posts I write about fiction, reading what you want to write is crucial. Examples are vital because they show you the nuance and specific details that are hard to encapsulate in a single blog post. Examples are better felt than learned, anyway.
For that reason, here are some examples of books that fit into this genre. Some of these examples you might not expect to see on this list. I include them on purpose to show you what this genre can do.
List of examples to learn from:
- Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman: Set in the depths of London Below, Gaiman’s novel introduces readers to a hidden world beneath the city streets, populated by fantastical beings and ancient powers.
- The Dresden Files, Jim Butcher: Following the adventures of Harry Dresden, a wizard detective in modern-day Chicago, this series seamlessly integrates magical elements into a gritty urban setting.
- City of Bones, Cassandra Clare: The first book in The Mortal Instruments series introduces readers to the Shadowhunter world, where demon hunters navigate the supernatural dangers of New York City.
- Paradise Lost, Ramy Vance: Taking place in the real world, except after the gods have left and the creatures you thought were just legend have now joined the people of Earth.
- Marked by Magic, Linsday Buroker: In this world, a farmer’s daughter needs to raise money to save the farm…by hunting down a dragon creature and marking it with a tracking device as it roams the city.
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, VE Schwab: You may think this one is historically based at first, but the bulk of Addie LaRue’s story takes place in the modern world, in a nice big city, hundreds of years after Addie was actually born. Why this setting? Well, she made a deal with the wrong person and has to live forever with no one remembering her after she meets them.
- Ninth House, Leigh Bardugo: In this story, the main character has had a rough life with drug dealing boyfriends. She is the sole survivor of an unsolved multiple homicide and offered a full ride to none other than Yale. She accepts but is aware there has to be a catch. And there is—a magical one.
With this list in mind, it’s time to learn how to write this genre in a way that does it justice and makes you a success story.
How to write urban fantasy
Even though you might feel stuck with writing about magic and a city, there is a lot of flexibility within this genre Try to keep the above examples in mind as you come up with your own. See how many of these pieces of advice you can subvert and truly make uniquely your own.
1. Build a strong urban foundation
Ground your fantasy world in a vividly described urban landscape. Whether it’s a bustling metropolis or a small town, make the setting come alive with details that readers can connect to. The key with urban aspect of modern fantasy is to make it relatable to the large majority of people who have experienced life in any sort of city.
Don’t just pick a “city” and have your characters walking the streets. Think about the hidden corners of a city you can zoom in on and highlight with your novel—and more so how that can be connected with something you know at a deep level.
Oftentimes, by choosing your main character’s job or immediate role, the setting will create itself. It can trigger ideas of what to craft the story around.
Here are a couple examples of jobs that create setting backdrops that fit into the urban label:
- The delivery truck driver of baked goods for a grocery store chain
- A member of the cleaning crew of white collar homicide investigations
- The intern of a law firm specializing in cases of abnormal occurrences
- The apartment complex’s handyman
Note that a common thread with all of these is specific. It’s not just a delivery driver. It’s not just a cleaner.
2. Integrate magic with purpose
Consider how magic operates in your world and how it affects both the characters and the society where they live. Is magic hidden or widely known? How do magical elements coexist with the mundane aspects of urban life?
Most of the time, you’ll be able to connect the magic with the character’s job or purpose, and therefore the setting.
Take the intern of the law firm specializing in cases of abnormal occurrences for example. The intern, a woman, tried to get into a different internship at a different law firm. But certain circumstances led her to this one. Soon, she realizes that the world is more complex (and filled with magic) than she realized.
You could take this plot anywhere because the magic will be tied to her cases. She can even witness the wrong thing while tailing someone involved in the case (as she was instructed) and be swept up into a world of magical crime. The point is to make sure the magic is significant to the main character and connected to the plot.
3. Develop unique supernatural beings
Create a diverse array of supernatural creatures that inhabit your world. Whether it’s vampires, werewolves, or entirely original entities, give them distinctive characteristics, histories, and motivations. This can be from already-known fantastical creatures or ones you create and make up yourself.
These, of course, are optional. You don’t need creatures for your book to be considered urban fantasy, but it’s a great way to root your story in something readers already know and love.
4. Explore themes of dualities
This type of fantasy series often thrives on the tension between the magical and the mundane. Explore the dualities inherent in your world—light and dark, order and chaos, magic and technology—to add depth to your narrative. Don’t just make your story about magic in a city.
It should be deeper than that. Take the delivery driver example. That story could be about any number of magical things, but it could also thematically be about never underestimating someone just because of the job they work.
5. Craft relatable protagonists
Ground your story with relatable characters who navigate the challenges of both the magical and real worlds. Readers should connect with their struggles, relationships, and growth throughout the story.
The first step here was to figure out your character’s job. That can help trigger the rest of how you create them. Of course, give your characters a background and give them weaknesses that will make it harder for them to succeed in reaching their goals.
This will make for a more satisfying and realistic character arc, and that’s usually what makes characters feel well developed. Consider our law intern. Let’s give her a goal and dream of becoming a lawyer. But then let’s give her a backstory that makes public speaking dreadful for her, to the point that she freezes and shuts down.
That would make becoming a lawyer really difficult, right? Right. Doing this gives her something to improve upon during the rest of the story, thus making her feel more real.
6. Build a system of rules
Establish clear rules for how magic works in your world. Whether it’s through ancient tomes, magical artifacts, or learned skills, consistency in the rules of your magical system adds credibility to your narrative. It also gives you rules to follow as the author.
These rules will keep your books and world more consistent. They can also help prevent plot holes from cropping up. Plot holes are often a result of a genre having no rules at all.
What are common urban fantasy plots?
Common urban fantasy plots include tropes that are associated with the genre and elevate the basic three act story structure. Because your readers want to read about the tropes and plots they are accustomed to, be sure to include ideas such as the chosen one, good versus evil, the duality of a magical world existing simultaneously with ours, etc.
Remember, you can mix and match common tropes with plot points, make the various elements uniquely your own by adding your unique perspective, and offer your readers an entirely fresh take on this beloved genre.
To help familiarize yourself with common plots, look up book categories online that highlight fantasy set in urban settings. For example, is Percy Jackson urban fantasy? Yes, and because it did so well, it’s a fantastic example of plot points to include in your book!
Urban fantasy: your next step
A good urban fantasy book can be difficult to get right, and you’ll have to add these tips to the overall process of writing a quality novel. If you want to learn more about doing so, we have a one-hour free class that’ll teach you the construct of a good book people will love!
Urban Fantasy FAQ
What is urban vs modern fantasy?
Urban fantasy is a sub-genre of modern fantasy set in contemporary cityscapes, blending the magical with the mundane. Modern fantasy, on the other hand, refers to any fantasy story set in the modern era, regardless of the specific setting.
What counts as urban fantasy?
Urban fantasy is characterized by the integration of magical elements into a modern, urban setting. It often involves supernatural creatures, hidden magical societies, or individuals with magical abilities living alongside the mundane aspects of city life.
What is the difference between urban fantasy and supernatural?
Urban fantasy is a genre that incorporates magical and fantastical elements within a contemporary urban setting. Supernatural fiction, while similar, focuses more broadly on elements like ghosts, demons, or otherworldly phenomena without being confined to an urban environment or modern context. Urban fantasy often emphasizes the coexistence and interaction of the magical with the everyday world.
What are common urban fantasy plots?
Common urban fantasy plots often involve the coexistence of a magical world with the real world. Themes include good vs. evil, hidden magical societies, and the blending of supernatural creatures like vampires and werewolves with urban life. The “chosen one” trope and quests to maintain balance between worlds are also popular.
What makes a good urban fantasy?
A good urban fantasy includes a vividly described urban setting, well-integrated magical elements, and relatable characters who navigate both the magical and real worlds. It should also explore themes like dualities between worlds, have a consistent system of rules for magic, and often include supernatural beings.
