WHAT I LOOK AT IN FANTASY & ROMANTASY

World-Building

A strong fantasy world should feel larger than the information placed directly on the page. I consider how naturally readers are introduced to your setting, cultures, political structures, history, religions, geography, social hierarchies, creatures, technology, and other elements of the world. I also look at whether important information arrives when the reader needs it, rather than too early or too late. Your goal is to give readers enough to understand the world while leaving room for curiosity, discovery, and immersion.

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I may comment on areas such as:

• clarity and consistency of the setting

• political and social systems

• culture and customs

• geography and travel

• history and mythology

• terminology

• world-building continuity

• exposition and information delivery

• whether the world influences the characters and plot in meaningful ways

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Magic Systems

Whether your magic has clearly defined rules or is meant to stay mysterious, it still needs to feel consistent within the world of the story. I look at what magic can and cannot do, how its limitations affect conflict, whether consequences feel meaningful, and whether readers receive enough information to understand important developments.

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This can include:

• rules and limitations

• costs and consequences

• magical terminology

• power progression

• consistency

• magical objects or artefacts

• supernatural creatures

• whether magic resolves conflict too conveniently

• whether the system supports the themes and stakes of the story

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For softer magic systems, I look at whether the magic feels like a natural part of the world rather than something that changes whenever the plot needs it to.

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Character Development

The world may bring readers into a fantasy novel, but characters are usually what keep them there. I consider your characters' motivations, emotional arcs, internal conflicts, relationships, decisions, and development across the manuscript. I also look closely at whether their actions feel believable based on what the reader knows about them.

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Feedback may cover:

• protagonist agency

• motivations

• internal and external conflict

• character arcs

• emotional progression

• backstory

• interpersonal dynamics

• supporting characters

• antagonists and villains

• character consistency

• relationship development

• whether important emotional moments receive enough space

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For ensemble casts and multi-POV novels, I also consider whether each viewpoint feels necessary, distinctive, and equally engaging.

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Plot, Structure & Pacing

Fantasy novels often carry several moving pieces at once: quests, wars, mysteries, political conflicts, relationships, prophecies, magic, and multiple character arcs. I look at how those elements fit together and whether the story maintains momentum without rushing important scenes.

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This may include:

• plot structure

• scene purpose

• pacing

• escalation

• stakes

• conflict

• midpoint development

• climactic build-up

• resolution

• subplot integration

• chapter placement

• transitions

• action-to-reflection balance

• whether less heavy scenes still move the story forward

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I also pay attention to common fantasy pacing issues, particularly slow openings, exposition-heavy early chapters, sagging middles, and climaxes that move too quickly compared with the rest of the manuscript.

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Lore & Exposition

Fantasy usually comes with a lot of information for the reader to take in. The key is knowing what they need to understand, when they need to understand it, and how much to reveal at once. I look for places where lore strengthens immersion and places where it may interrupt the story.

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This includes:

• information dumping

• lengthy historical explanations

• unnatural exposition in dialogue

• unfamiliar terminology introduced too quickly

• lore that is important to the author but not yet important to the reader

• repeated explanations

• unclear references to past events

• world-building that delays character or plot development

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The aim is to help the reader understand the world without making them feel as though they are studying it.

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Romance, Chemistry & Emotional Tension

Romantasy depends on more than placing two attractive characters in the same fantasy world. The relationship needs progression, tension, conflict, vulnerability, and emotional payoff. I look at whether attraction develops believably, whether romantic beats arrive at the right time, and whether the relationship evolves alongside the wider story.

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Feedback may include:

• romantic chemistry

• emotional intimacy

• sexual tension

• attraction and desire

• relationship pacing

• slow-burn progression

• conflict between romantic leads

• vulnerability

• intimacy scenes

• romantic turning points

• misunderstandings

• break-ups or separations

• reconciliation

• emotional payoff

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I also look at whether the relationship changes the characters in meaningful ways, rather than existing separately from their personal arcs.