APIFantasy | Guidebook

CHAPTER EIGHT | How To Write Asian & Pacific Islander Fantasy

Welcome, disciples!

This chapter aims to teach those of you interested in writing Asian & Pacific Islander Fantasy. Please note that this is a short guide as we hope you will use your own writing style to tell the story!

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What is Asian & Pacific Islander Fantasy?

Asian & Pacific Islander Fantasy is a growing subgenre of fantasy filled with Asia and Pacific Islander-inspired stories. While you don't have to be of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent to put together an Asian & Pacific Islander Fantasy story, it's important you do your due diligence to ensure you have a compelling story and one that pays homage to Asian & Pacific Islander culture in a way that doesn't offend other individuals.

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What are common Asian & Pacific Islander Fantasy themes and tropes?

Part of what makes Asian & Pacific Islander Fantasy different from western fantasy is that it is a celebration of Asian & Pacific Islander culture. You'll find stories within this subgenre of fantasy contain specific cultural themes that tackle complex issues in the Asian & Pacific Islander community. Our Reading Lists are tailored to featuring stories with common themes and tropes within this fantasy subgenre.

General Fantasy

General Fantasy is a broad term to refer to all Asian & Pacific Islander Fantasy works that simply feature Asian and/or Pacific Islander protagonists who are working to solve a problem in another world, a world with magic, or a dystopic, futuristic world. Our profile is dedicated to featuring API Scifi works in addition to Fantasy.

Xianxia

Xianxia is a genre of Chinese fantasy that directly translates to "immortal heroes." It is influenced by Chinese mythology, Taoism, Buddhism, traditional Chinese medicine, etc. The central figure of these works are cultivators who are working towards immortality or higher ranks of immortality/divinity. These novels tend to be quite long because they demonstrate the main character's growth from a low-level immortal to a powerful high immortal. Cultivation arcs require patience and dedication because power is not created overnight. You must be willing to show the character's growth either through frequent meditation, mystic spells, and remembering incantations that have deep roots to Taoism and Buddhism.

Cultivation is the process in which a person is training in martial or mystic arts with the sole purpose of increasing longevity (essentially obtaining immortality) and overall power. They work to build upon their Qi, which is the energy flow of an individual. This is typically the source of the cultivator's energy.

Wuxia

Wuxia is another genre of Chinese fantasy that directly translates to "martial heroes." It is influenced by martial arts, sorcery, and chivalry. Characters live by the code of xia and usually resolve problems through duels. This would be considered "low fantasy."

Xuanhuan

Xuanhuan is the third genre of Chinese fantasy that directly translates to "mysterious fantasy." It is often Chinese mythology and folklore rewritten into a foreign setting. Taoist elements, such as cultivation/immortals and yin/yang, are not usually the main focus of xuanhuan novels.