How to Write Sci Fi Fantasy (7 Tips & Examples)
When writing sci fi fantasy, you’re not just weaving a story—you’re engineering entire worlds. Worlds with their own rules, where magic and technology collide, where dragons might soar alongside spaceships, and where characters face challenges as vast as the universe itself.
It’s thrilling, sure, but it can also feel like staring into the void, wondering where to even begin.
That’s why this guide is here.
We’re diving into how to write sci fi fantasy with tips, examples, and practical advice to help you take those wild, brilliant ideas bouncing around your head and shape them into a story that actually works.
Let’s get started—you’ve got a galaxy to build.
Topics covered in this post:
Plot like a pro: blending epic stakes with personal conflict
Sprinkle in a little magic—or science—to keep readers hooked
What is sci fi fantasy, anyway?
Before we dive in, let’s clear up one thing: sci fi fantasy (short for science fiction fantasy) is a hybrid genre that blends elements of both science fiction and traditional fantasy.
Think about Star Wars—a galaxy brimming with high-tech spaceships, but also Jedi, the Force, and ancient, mystical traditions. Or Dune, where advanced technology coexists with a feudal political system and prophecy-laden religious mysticism.
It’s the best of both worlds—tech and magic, logic and myth, grounded realism and wild imagination.
So, how do you write it? Let’s get into it.
1. Start with the core of your story: The "what if?"
At the heart of learning how to write sci fi fantasy is a simple but profound question: What if? This is the spark that ignites your entire story. What if humans discovered how to harness magic through machines? What if dragons existed on a planet governed by intergalactic laws?
Your “what if” doesn’t have to be wildly original—what matters is how you develop it. Let’s look at an example:
Example: What if people could genetically engineer their own magical abilities?
Sci fi angle: What if genetic manipulation allowed people to grow wings, breathe fire, or read minds?
Fantasy angle: How does this disrupt a society rooted in ancient magical traditions? Are there groups who see this as sacrilege?
When crafting your “what if,” think about how your sci fi and fantasy elements will interact. Don’t treat them like separate entities—blend them (more on that below).
2. Blend magic and technology (not as separate entities)
One of the hallmarks of sci fi fantasy is how it merges futuristic technology with mystical, magical elements. The key to making this blend work is ensuring these two aspects don’t feel like they belong to separate worlds. They need to interact, conflict, and even depend on each other.
Questions to ask yourself:
Does magic influence how technology works in your world? For example, do wizards power engines using enchanted crystals?
Does technology change how magic is practiced or perceived? Perhaps spells are stored in tech devices or enhanced through biotech implants.
Is there tension between magic and technology? Maybe magic users think technology dilutes tradition, or tech innovators see magic as archaic and unreliable.
Example:
Imagine a kingdom where magic users are fading because advanced tech is making their abilities obsolete. But what if these two forces could be merged? Perhaps a young engineer invents a device that amplifies magical energy, reviving the kingdom's lost traditions in a completely new way.
3. Build a world your readers can taste, hear, and breathe
Worldbuilding is where your story really comes alive. If you’re wondering how to write sci fi fantasy that immerses readers, the key is making your world feel real—like they could walk its streets or get a whiff of its alien air.
Here are some essential aspects to consider:
Rules of magic and technology
How does magic work? Is it inherited, learned, or stolen?
What’s the level of technology? Are there AI-powered cities, or is tech mostly experimental and rare?
Most importantly, how do magic and technology interact? Maybe they coexist peacefully—or maybe magic users see tech as a threat to their way of life. This tension can be fertile ground for conflict.
Setting details that matter
What does your world look like? Are there floating cities, crystal forests, or planets covered in ice?
How do people live their daily lives? Think about food, fashion, religion, and culture.
What unique dangers does your world have? Poisonous fog? Rogue AI? Rampaging magical beasts?
The limits of your world
Every world needs boundaries. Magic and technology both need rules and limitations—otherwise, you’ll run into plot holes the size of a black hole. Readers love worlds where things don’t come easy. A mage whose powers are bound by their own life force is far more interesting than an all-powerful wizard. Similarly, an inventor struggling with the ethics of AI is more engaging than a genius who never makes mistakes.
If you’re overwhelmed by worldbuilding, take it one layer at a time. Our Ultimate Fantasy Worldbuilding Workbook (below ⬇️) Guide can walk you through the process step by step.
4. Craft characters who shape—and are shaped by—the world
Sci fi fantasy might be about cool worlds and epic battles, but ultimately, it’s your characters who carry the story. Readers want to connect with people (or aliens, or cyborgs) who feel real.
Build three-dimensional characters
Start with their goals, motivations, and conflicts:
What do they want? Freedom? Revenge? To master an ancient form of magic before it’s lost?
What’s stopping them? Maybe they’re up against an oppressive AI regime or a cursed bloodline.
How does your world affect them? If magic is illegal, how does a character with magical powers survive? If their planet is on the brink of collapse, how do they cope?
Give your characters contradictions
No one is perfect, and flaws make characters relatable. For instance:
A brilliant scientist who’s terrified of change.
A warrior who’s skilled with a sword but struggles with leadership.
A mage who wields great power but is haunted by the lives they’ve taken.
5. Plot like a pro: Blending epic stakes with personal conflict
Sci fi fantasy is known for its sweeping, galaxy-shaking stakes, but don’t forget to ground your story in personal conflict. Readers need to feel emotionally connected to your characters, even as they navigate world-ending catastrophes.
Here’s a framework to keep your plot tight:
Start small and scale up
Begin your story with personal stakes—something that deeply affects your main character. For example:
A young inventor tries to protect their village from rogue machines.
A disgraced mage searches for redemption after a failed spell destroys their home.
As the story progresses, those personal stakes should expand into larger ones:
The inventor discovers the machines are part of a larger conspiracy threatening the entire galaxy.
The mage uncovers an ancient war between magic users and tech overlords.
Use conflict as a driver
Conflict is the lifeblood of any story. In sci fi fantasy, you can layer conflicts for maximum tension:
Internal conflict: A character struggles with guilt, fear, or ambition.
Interpersonal conflict: Clashes between characters with opposing goals or ideologies.
External conflict: A war, a technological disaster, or an ancient curse threatening to destroy everything.
Include twists and surprises
Sci fi fantasy thrives on the unexpected. Maybe the villain isn’t who your characters think they are, or maybe the technology they rely on has a dark, hidden purpose. Keep readers guessing.
6. Sprinkle in a little magic—or science—to keep readers hooked
Part of the fun of writing sci fi fantasy is creating those jaw-dropping “wow” moments. These are the scenes where your world shines and readers can’t look away.
Maybe it’s a duel between a cyborg warrior and a telepathic sorcerer, or a spaceship powered by ancient runes.
When writing these moments, use vivid, sensory details to bring them to life.
Instead of saying, The spaceship took off, try something like this:
The runes etched into the ship’s hull flared to life, casting the launch bay in a blue-green glow. As the engines roared, a ripple of energy spread through the air, sending tremors up the walls. With a deafening crack, the ship shot upward, leaving trails of light like meteor scars across the dark sky.
7. Don't forget to edit and refine
No first draft is perfect. Even the most seasoned writers don’t hit it out of the park on the first try. When you finish your story, don’t rush to call it done. Set it aside for a little while (a few days or even a couple of weeks if you can) and then come back to it with fresh eyes. Revision is where the real magic happens—it’s your chance to dig deeper into the story you meant to tell.
Here’s what to look for:
Plot holes and inconsistencies. Does everything make sense? Are there any unanswered questions or moments where the logic of your world falters? If you’ve got magic and technology intertwined, double-check that their rules stay consistent throughout.
Worldbuilding depth. Does your world feel alive, or are there areas that feel underdeveloped? Could your setting use more sensory details to immerse readers further?
Character arcs. Are your characters growing, changing, or facing the consequences of their choices? If a character feels flat, ask yourself what’s missing—maybe their motivations or flaws need to be more clearly defined.
And of course, don’t forget the prose itself. Are your descriptions evocative and precise? Are you using the same tired verbs over and over (he walked, she looked, they said)? If so…
Popular sci fi fantasy books to inspire your writing
One of the best ways to learn how to write sci fi fantasy is by reading the works of authors who’ve mastered the genre. These stories blend magic and technology, myth and science, in ways that leave readers breathless—and they’re full of lessons you can apply to your own writing.
Here are a few popular sci fi fantasy books to get you started:
Dune by Frank Herbert
If you haven’t read Dune, now’s the time. Herbert’s masterpiece is the gold standard for sci fi fantasy. It combines interstellar politics, ancient prophecies, and ecological struggles in a richly detailed world that feels eerily real. The story of Paul Atreides is both deeply personal and epic in scale—a balance every sci fi fantasy writer should aim for.
The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
This Hugo Award-winning series redefines what sci fi fantasy can do. Jemisin’s world is as much about magic as it is about geology, with a society shaped by devastating natural disasters. Her use of narrative structure and second-person perspective is bold and inventive, pulling readers deep into her characters’ minds.
Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson
Sanderson’s Mistborn series leans more toward fantasy but introduces a pseudo-scientific magic system rooted in metals. His structured rules for Allomancy (magic through ingesting metals) feel almost like a science—something that lends his world a fascinating sense of realism.
The Winnowing Flame Trilogy by Jen Williams
Jen Williams’ The Winnowing Flame Trilogy (The Ninth Rain, The Bitter Twins, and The Poison Song) is a brilliant example of sci fi fantasy done right. Set in a world where ancient, alien invasions repeatedly threaten civilization, it combines traditional fantasy elements like magic, mythical creatures, and mysterious artifacts with distinctly sci-fi features, such as bio-mechanical entities and advanced alien technology.
Key takeaways on how to write sci fi fantasy
Start with a "what if?" to spark your story’s core idea.
Blend magic and technology so they feel interconnected.
Build an immersive world with clear rules and rich details.
Develop multi-dimensional characters with relatable flaws and goals.
Balance epic stakes with personal conflict to keep readers emotionally invested.
Revise and refine to tighten your story and polish your prose.
Read popular sci fi fantasy novels to learn from the masters and spark inspiration.
Learning how to write science fiction and fantasy isn’t just about following rules—it’s about breaking them, blending them, and creating something that’s uniquely yours.
And if you need more help along the way, check out our Complete Fantasy Workbooks Bundle (below ⬇️)—it’s packed with tools, templates, and inspiration to help you bring your sci fi fantasy worlds to life.
Frequently asked questions about fantasy writing verbs (FAQ)
How do I make verbs fit the time period of my fantasy world?
The time period or technological level of your fantasy world should influence the verbs you choose. For example, in a medieval-inspired setting, verbs like ride, forge, or hew feel natural, while modern words like type or program might feel out of place. If your story is set in a world where magic dominates, verbs like weave, summon, or channel will make your prose align with the magical tone. Always consider the technology, culture, and societal norms of your world when selecting your verbs.
Can I invent new verbs for my fantasy world?
Absolutely! One of the joys of fantasy is inventing language. If your world has unique magical systems, tools, or cultural practices, create verbs that reflect them. For example, a society that uses crystals for energy might "shard" instead of "break" or "fracture." Just make sure the meaning of your invented verb is clear from context, or you’ll risk confusing readers. Sprinkle these sparingly, and they’ll add a unique flavor to your prose without overwhelming the narrative.
How do I avoid repetition when writing action scenes?
Repetition is a common challenge, especially in battle sequences or fast-paced scenes. To avoid this, vary your sentence structure and use synonyms from the fantasy writing verbs list. Instead of saying "he swung his sword" repeatedly, alternate with slashed, hacked, or carved. You can also include sensory details—describe the sound of swords clashing, the scent of blood, or the weight of armor. These sensory cues can break up repetitive action and make your scene feel more immersive.
