Outcast, my newest novel, is due to be published June 2024. It’s genre is LitRPG or Progression Fantasy. If you are unfamiliar with the genre, I urge you to give it a shot. Short definition is that LitRPG is a method of fantasy storytelling that borrows a lot of the trappings of video games: leveling up, looting monsters, mana and health meters, bosses, etc. I was skeptical of the genre at first, thinking it was gimicky, but as I’ve explored and now written in it, it’s actually kind of a freeing type of writing. It allows you to take what you love from epic fantasy and combine it with pop culture. Lots of opportunities for humor. I’m still learning about the genre, but here’s what I’ve discovered so far…
The Apocalypse Mechanism
Many of the most popular LitRPG books have a similar structure, especially at the beginning where some sort of apocalyptic event takes your main character(s) from normal life on Earth to life in a fantasy realm. In that way, it’s not too different from portal fantasy like the Narnia books or The Door Within Trilogy. It’s a way to propel your MC into the “other” world. Some LitRPG stories begin with an alien takeover or a world-shaking calamity. Outcast has a celestial anomaly that instantaneously reduces Earth’s population to a few unlucky survivors. After all, most readers are prepared to suspend belief, so long as we know what the rules are. What difference does it make if the mechanism is a meteor strike or a magic wardrobe?
Anachronisms… Are Welcome!
This allows the writer to avoid a ton of anachronistic issues, ie: If you’re writing legendary epics like Tolkien’s Middle Earth, you can’t have your main character humming his favorite Offspring song or quoting Sylvester Stallone. In LitRPG, you can have that. In fact, because of the way the story is constructed, those seeming anachronisms aren’t actually anachronisms any longer. Of course your MC is aware of blockbuster movies, song lyrics, and junk food. His whole world was full of that stuff, until the end of the world event. For writers who like to include a little bit of humor in their fantasy, the 2024 earthling dropped into a medieval fantasy world offers endless opportunities for misunderstandings and more.
Calling Generations of Gamers
Believe it or not, we are now living in a gamers generation. For nearly fifty years, ever since Atari systems started appearing in households in 1977, people have become more and more fascinated by video games. Current estimates put the total video game content expenditure for the last year at $48 Billion dollars. BILLION. It was only a matter of time for the “write what you know” philosophy to begin producing literature with video game influence. Look at how many movies are based on video games these days. Thing is, don’t judge the LitRPG genre by those movies.
Depth of Storytelling
I suspect that many non gamers would be skeptical of a book genre that uses video game structures, jargon, and motifs. What many non gamers don’t understand is that many video games are so popular precisely because they have absolutely compelling stories with unforgettable characters. Games can be just as immersive as books, maybe even moreso because the main character’s decisions are controlled by the player. LitRPG books, however, have far more depth than choose-your-own-adventure novels. As human beings, we all wrestle with our place in the world. We all wonder about purpose and destiny. We all dream of other worlds. And we all long to do something important with whatever time we are given.
If you read my Outcast novel (or many other titles from the genre), you will definitely find yourself connecting on deep levels, having those, “You mean… it’s not just me” moments. There’s a series called Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman that has gained a HUGE following. I’ve read the first six books and find that Carl resonates with me in some pretty powerful ways. Every time Carl says or thinks, “You will not break me,” I find myself cheering inwardly and shaking a fist at the uncontrollable powers that confine us in life.
Level Up, Baby!
If you’ve been reading fantasy for a while, you’re definitely familiar with the pattern of the young hero being pulled out of normal life, trained by a mentor or by experiences to become stronger and wiser, in order to complete a mission. Leveling up is a very similar dynamic. The whole world doesn’t have to blink or have a voice of God pronounce that your main character has leveled up. It can be a deeply personal experience too. Either way, you’ll be surprised at how much you look forward to the MC gaining that next level, next skill, or reward. LitRPG stories give you a host of new reasons to keep turning the page.
If you’re interested in reading Outcast, I’ll post a PreOrder link here soon!
